Hi all,

I have recently purchased one of these spinning handles from Janns Netcraft: [www.jannsnetcraft.com]

I would like to shorten the rear grip section by about 2.5 inches before I fix it onto the blank.

I have only used pre-formed cork grips so far and have never done anything involving cutting and gluing cork. I don't have a lathe - just basic hand tools.

I would like some advice and tips on the following to ensure I get a reasonable result:

1. I will need to work out where to cut the grip in two places, so that the two remaining ends are of a similar diameter.

2. Should I try to cut between two cork rings or is anywhere along the cork OK?

3. What should I cut the cork with - razor blade, hand saw, hack saw, serrated kitchen knife etc?

4. Are Rod Bond / Quick Bond the best product for gluing the cork back together?
(Should I apply enough glue to get full coverage, then wipe off the excess that oozes out?)

5. I am thinking of standing the handle on its end with a little weight on the top until dry

6. I am hoping to be able to sand over the join to get a nice neat looking appearance. What number 'grit' sand paper do you recommend?

Any tips to help me get the best possible result would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Dale
Hobart, Tasmania, AUS



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/24/2011 07:20AM by Dale Holmes.

Hi Dale.
you seemed to have answered your own questions......just cut the cork where you want with want you want.. a good idea to cut the middle out if there are tenons on the ends. glue them back together with a water proof glue, then sand it back to the shape you want......use 100 grit maybe to start off then get finer down to, lets say 160 grit.....
its fairly easy.... razor blade would be fine....or a serrated knife, not a saw of any kind, the teeth will pull or push bits off the cork....

cheers
Owen
eyrerods.com.au

I cut mine all the time with a fine tooth hack saw blade No problems If you have a drill you can put a scrap piece of blank into it - brace the other end mark where to cut and you will get a straight edge as it turns

You now have a lath LOL

Bill - willierods.com

Dale,
Another good thing to do, when you are gluing the grip back together is to use a center shaft to keep the grip straight.

If you want, you can use the actual rod blank to hold the grip straight. If you don't want the grip to be glued to the rod blank, while gluing the grip together while gluing the handle together, you can use a wrap or two of waxed paper over the blank, before putting the handle on the rod blank. i.e. glue will not stick to the waxed paper, so you can glue the ends of the grip together, keep the grip straight, and then, when the handle is glued up; you can then go ahead and do the handle, and reel seat glue up to the rod blank.

If you happen to have a drill, you can also insert a shaft of the largest size that will fit into the drill. If you happen to use threaded shaft that is readily available from the hardware store, you can use it as a clamp.
Put a few layers of masking tape on the bulk of the threaded shaft to have a slightly loose fit on the shaft. Glue the handle together, and then, using a washer on each end of the handle, slightly tighten a pair of shaft nuts down on the washers to clamp the handle together. The built up shaft will keep the handle straight.

Then, just put the drill in y our lap, spin the shaft and handle to use sandpaper to clean up the glued up joint.

Take care
REW

Thanks for the replies

Roger, that is a great idea about using the threaded shaft and the drill. Its simple and I can see that it will work perfectly.

Dale

Dale,
With a drill and a threaded shaft, you have some of the basic components that are used to make a basic lathe.

Mount the drill solidy, add a tail stock and you have a lathe.

This is a picture of such a basic lathe made from available parts - The picture was found on another internet location.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Roger



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/24/2011 07:33PM by roger wilson.

This is my drill lath which I have used for many years And it works very well : [www.rodbuilding.org]

Bill - willierods.com

if you any of the ideas above , do use a coating on all metal parts, bees wax works well, even on the masking tape, glue will not stick to the wax if no bees wax, stickey candle will work

my2 cts