First I'd like to thank everyone for their contributions to this site. I have enjoyed reading them, and obtained a lot of information about rod building. I have just started building my first rod.

I am building a 7-foot inshore popping rod. I purchased a cork handle kit, but I didn't like the style of the butt cap that came with the kit so I purchase a cork composite cap that I did like. The handle kit and the butt cap are the same brand.

I was putting all the pieces together before I began reaming the handle and I noticed that once the butt cap is glued in place, the edge of the butt cap that meets the handle isn't flush. The edge of the butt cap is slightly higher (wider?) than the handle.

At this time I'm assuming that I'm going to glue the handle to the rod, glue the butt cap to the handle, and sand the butt-cap edge until it is flush with the handle.

I hate assuming anything. Is this the way to go?

Thank you.

Gary

Probably. If the butt cap has any taper to it, you might also just sand back the face, or cut it back, so that a slightly smaller face then contacts the end of the grip. Of course, this will shorten cap by a hair or so.

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The butt cap he is talking about is tapered the other way, it gets bigger. I have used those butt caps and had to sand every one of them to match the OD of the grip. That is, when using the pre-made cork split grips. I always glued it to the grip then sanded to match after it dried.

J.B.Hunt
Bowling Green, KY

Jay said it right on the money. I used them before and did the exact same thing.