Just wanted to know how you guys slice thin strips of EVA and what epoxy do you use to glue strips and rings of EVA into a grip. Do you use a small miter box and fine tooth saw or same with a blade? I was considering slicing 1/8” strips of one color and adding them into another grip as accents.

What type epoxy works best for a seamless appearance?

Also does one have to be careful on the amount of compression when gluing the EVA into one piece? Or do you clamp it similar to cork, until the epoxy rolls out evenly around the seams?

Gabe

If you're talking about cutting narrow rings, just pop the stock into your lathe and hold a piece of D wrapping thread taut between your fingers. Drop it down onto the EVA stock and it'll cut like butter.

You can measure the thickness you need and then put a small piece of tape on the edge of that. Once spinning, it'll create a solid line for you to focus on. With a bit of practice, however, you can pretty much slice 1/8th inch rings by eye.

Weldwood Contact Cement (yellow stuff in a brown bottle) is the preferred adhesive for EVA to EVA. Get both surfaces wet, let dry, then push firmly together. Very firmly together.

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I usually slice down EVA using a lathe, mandrel and string. Put the EVA on a mandrel, chuck it up in a lathe and turn it on. Use the string against the EVA as it's rotating and it will slice cleanly. Or you can use a razor blade, but you want to have it supported on the tool rest of a lathe for safety and precision. Rubber Cement is often used to glue up EVA rings because it is slightly flexible like the EVA; regular epoxies will leave hard lines in between sections.

Billy Vivona does a LOT with EVA, so I'm sure he will chime in here at some point to give you some good tips!

MudHole sells a pack of thin strips many colors

Bill - willierods.com

Also craft stores: Michaels, A.C. Moore's, Joanne's

"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble.It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." Mark Twain
John in Wethersfield, CT

Merrick used to offer strips in various thicknesses and colors --- but has sadly discontinued them - much to my chagrin as they were perfect for trim rings. Maybe if more people requested them they would reconsider.

Use th estrips from Mudhole or sheets from a craft shop. YOu MUST use 2 coats of contact cement or the glue bond will not be strong, and you had better make sure before you press the pieces together tha thte CC is 100% dry tothe touch. If it is wet it will not bond. MAke sure to coat BOTH surfaces, and make sure every millimeter is coated with the CC.

bill boettcher Wrote:
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> MudHole sells a pack of thin strips many colors


Just a note on the MudHole "thin strips many colors":

I purchased these colored strips from Mudhole, (whom I think are the greatest), and built two laminated pie shaped , 5 layers with 2 shades of pink and 1 purple, colored inserts for a black EVA foam grip on a St. Croix Fuchsia blank for a lady friend.

It looked beautiful until trying to sand it flush with the black EVA form grip. It did not sand well at all. It is a lot more "rubbery" than the adjacent EVA foam grip. I fought it and finally ended up having to slice a portion of the black EVA foam out of the grip, since it had sanded much easier and was lower that the adjacent insert. After much effort I was able to get the grip straightened out; but I was not please! I tend to be pretty anal about the quality and appearence of my rods, ( as we are all), and probably will not use the colored strips again in this type of application.

I understand NERBS carries colored EVA foam for sale; but I have not used it. Hopefully it will sand better than the colored foam strps available from Mudhole.

Please don't take me wrong...I love Mudhole as they have always been excellant to deal with and "Johnny on the spot" with all of my orders. I was just very suprised when I tried to sand the colored foam after all of the effort making the inserts.

Maybe I was not doing it correctly. Please let me know if someone has a better procedure for sanding that stuff.

Don Campbell
don@sensorfishingrods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/12/2011 10:32AM by Donald R Campbell.

I've found the same problem with craft store foam strips (much softer than EVA or Hypalon). I've had good result using dry wall sanding screen (120 then 220 grit) with the strip held at 30 - 45 degrees across the face of the grip (EVA and inserts). This has the material wearing/shaping more consistently in diameter.

I use craft foam on literally hundreds of grips. I do not know how oyu were sanding, but I can assure you I do not have that issue at all. I'm sitting here now using white craft foam as trim on 3 sets of grips. I sand from 40 grit down to 600 or 80 if it's my own rod. There IS a different in density between the 2 materials. I sand on high speed (3500RPM), I do the majority of my sanding wiht 120-150, I HATE the drywall it doesnt' work for high speed. I sell sanding kits which does not clog and lasts a lifetime ($4 and it has 40 80 120 150 180 220 320 and 600 grit), thi sis what I use, it's resin impregnated cloth backed paper, although regular paper works fine but doens't last.

I think maybe you're getting the grips too hot. Slow down.

Here is a video of me turning an EVA random abstract grip down at the ICRBE. I used the foam I sell as the main piece (Green), adn the yellow and black is 2mm craft foam. I knocked the edges off at like 1500 RPM, then sanded the grip to shape at 3500. The grip was perfect wiht no bumps or divots betwen differnt density/types of EVA

Guys once again great responses I know it goes without saying it; but, I really appreciate the help.

Gabe

I know this is an old thread, but has anyone used thin eva strips as accents on regular cork handles?

I know this is an old thread, but has anyone used thin eva strips as accents on regular cork handles?

I know this is an old thread, but has anyone used thin eva strips as accents on regular cork handles?