So, a friend smashed the very butt end of trhe cork handle of his rod. In the rear hatch of his Subie. The rod is a Lami Competitor 5 power CC 705. Itr has the trigger type reel seat. Which, I think comes with the longer of the two optional handle configurations. First off, would you pay 25.00 fotr the damaged rod, and fix it yourself?

Secondly, how would you fix it? Cut off the damage, including the rod blance. Shape the cork to resemble the rounded butt end. Ream out 1/2" of the rod blank to accept a cork plug?

Or replace the cork rings, after somehow perfectly cutting out the damaged cork?

My reserved research tells me the rod sells for 65.00 to 99..00. Has or did at one time, have a factory seam. In the rod blanc, at the location of the handle. When using a 6'-6" blanc, and extend it to make the 7' model. Whch this is. My understanding is this is a economy model, and has a lifetime warrenty. Although this is not a factory workmanship issue. There must be a discounted repari option through Lami? Or a trade up option? Kind ofr winging it here. So, any help would be greatly appreciated. This rod is 1 year old, and used less than 6 times.

If you liked the rod, and if the rod - undamaged was worth $25 to you; by all means buy it.

If It were my rod, I would simply cut off the cork rings and make a new section for the grip.
In my case, I would simply take the appropriate number of rings, including a butt ring and glue them together.
I would put it on my lathe and turn down the short repair section to be a perfect match for the current handle. Then, I would bore out the repair section to match the diameter of the blank at that point on the rod.
Finally, using a clamp that would clamp in front of the front of the front grip and behind the reel section, use 5 minute epoxy to reattach the repair section to the rod. Then, be sure to clean up any excess epoxy, before it would began to set up.

When dry, remove the clamp and the rod should look like new.

I would expect that I would have about an hour of repair time and about $5 in cork for the repair of the rod.

------------------
On the other hand, if the rod has an unlimited warranty - then just have it replaced under warranty, even though it was not the fault of the rod manufacturer for the damage.

Good luck
Roger

Does anyone have any experience wiith this make and model of rod? (Lami Competition CC 705). Or could shed some light on it's two piece construtcion? Seam being hidden 6 inches up from the butt end, and under the cork handle?

Rolger, I should have thanked you for your respons. Please respond to my new findings that were posted as a new topic. Instead of a reply to this thred. Appoligies, my mistake. Operator error.

While contemplating whether to remove and replace the damaged cork rings or replace the forgrip, reel seat, and rear handle. I decided to see how cleanly I could remove the damaged area. If that did not fair so well. I could go on to plan B.

As it turned out. With no special tools at my disposal. I decided to use a exacto knife. Probably not really an "exacto". But a knife with the thin, break away blades. First, I chose the closest glue joint that removes all damage. My thinking here, was since I did not have access to a lathe. That would be the cleanest, squarest possible starting point, it all worked as planned.

I cut 1/8" from the cork ring glue joint, in a circlular pattern. Paralleling the glue joint. I then cut perpendicular to the glue joint. By placing the knife point, on the glue joint, and pushing the blade down to the blank. I decided on 1/4" intervals along the circumference. But 1/8" cutts worked better for breaking the cork, glue joint. By placing a thumb nail on the glue joint, and pulling or prying if you will. The cork broke away, very cleanly. On the rare occasion "help" was needed. I encouraged the sepperation by using the exacto blade. Once again, piercing the glue wit the blade.

I was impressed with the result. So, finish preping began. Using the blade, I lightly scraped what few cork crumbs remained stuck to the blank's surface. Next, lightly sanded the blank. Next, I noticed the cork was not square at the joint. The mating surface or surface to be glued to, was out of round. At some point, in the process of glueing rings together at the factory. One or more of the rings, were not a perfect 1/2" in width. We are talking a 1/16 or a hair more.

Being a perfectionist, and not knowing if this was a big deal. I place a big metal washer over the blank, and against the cork ring. That is how I discovered how inconsistant the finished joint was. I made a visual inspection to make sure it was not my doing. And sure enough, there is visual evidence of the problem in proceding cork joints. While stairing at the uneven cork joint, and washer. It occured to me. Place a piece of sand paper on the surface of the washer. Cut a hole in the sand paper at the hole in the washer. Place the blank throught the hole. And hold the washer/sand paper as paralled as possible. To even the cork surface, further preping and squaring. The sanding was working exceptionally well. But in the end, although the sanding really smoothed out the joint surface. The out of round still exists. I knew not to sand the entire surface. But to place pressure on the area needing shaving, and checked often to see where the cork dust was created. The dust was right where I intended to sand, not all the way around. But in the end, the entire surface shows sings of sanding.

Anyway, the prepped surface looks steller! Visually, appears much like a virgin cork ring would. One that had not been previously glued. Question: Do I worry about the 1/16" void? Or does the glue hide this? Or do I somehow place cork dust in there?

Since I do not have a lathe, or special cork ring clamping tool. How do I glue the (3) 1/2" rings and (1) 1/4" but pad together?. And how do I keep the rings lined up? Using 5 minute epoxy, what is used to remove excess glue from corks surface?

I agree with roger, in that the shaping should take place. Before glueing the rings onto the rod blank. Especially since I use a hand drill to do cork shaping. I am thinking of using a clamp, that I can drill a dowel size hole through. The dowel would keep the rings parallel to each other. And would leave something to hold onto, whild pulling the rings off of it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/2013 02:15PM by Wayne Hughes.