Hi

This may just reflect my newbie status, but I can't figure out how to shape eva butt caps and trim pieces for a woven graphite grip. I ordered components from Mudhole, both the kit and "extra" pieces, but the trim and butt pieces extend well out from the 0.92" tube (size 16 Aero Comfort reel seat). I'd like to sand the end caps and butt section flush with the tubing. If I build everything first, then sand, I'm afraid of scuffing the carbon. I could try to sand the eva first, but I can't figure out how to mount the eva pieces to turn them...tried it once on a mandrel, and while it sort of worked, the center hole also got much bigger...like I say, newbie. Thanks!

Gator

FOr the trim pieces you can just put maskign tape on teh tubing and sand, 2 turns and 120-150-220 grit and you shouldn't have a problem. YOu will still have a tiny lip the thickness of 2 turns of masking tape, if that bothers you you can CAREFULLY hand sand.

The butt cap is difficult. YOu can turn a scrap piece of anything 2" long, and mount the butt cap on there and sand it that way. Then pop the butt off the scrap, and instal on teh back of the rod.

If you have the cap flush with the interior of the carbon tube, it's inevitable that you will be scuffing and scratching the butt in short order anyway through regular use. Why worry about hitting it with a little sandpaper? Be careful and sand the thing.

Thanks for the replies! The butt cap won't be flush with the tubing...maybe I'm being too cautious, but better to ask first than to screw up something that should be easy. Tape sounds like a simple solution. Should'a thought of it myself :(

FWIW I used these for the butt end.
[www.mudhole.com]
I just left a bit of the blank hang out the end of the carbon tube and used 1/8" masking tape as an arbor. Looks good and matches up with the OD of the tubing nicely.

On the handle side of the tubing....I put half inch wide blue painters tape around the tube, slid it into the aero handle recess, scored around the handle with an exacto knife, and peeled off the tape on the butt end of my line. I rotated the tube while spraying helmsman poly on it.....a few coats, wet sand, a few more coats, etc till I was satisfied. Count on at least a dozen coats. Peeled off the tape and glued it straight into the handle. This assumes a downlocking set up.

On the tip side of the handle I reamed a poly arbor and glued it on, filed it to shaped, and put some epoxy on to make a ramp. A few wraps of D thread and some guide wrap finish and you are done. But most of the time I use a few inch long EVA forgrip shaped sorta like a cigar cut in half. Takes a lot of sanding to get the diameter of the fat end just a little bit bigger than the reel seat.

To me, the EVA trim pieces looked cheap....and hope the above makes some sense.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.