I am wanting to buy a lathe to turn and shape cork. I read through many posts about many different lathes,but I need some guidance on what all I need. I am oblivious about all the attachments that I will need . Can someone give me a list of most common attachments and accessories. I have been using My wrapper up till now and am tired of the cork dust . Someone please help. Also I live in the Houston area so if someone has a setup they are wanting to get rid of locally I may be interested. Pictures of a complete set up would be great.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/03/2013 11:48PM by tony rodriguez.

Tony, if you are in Houston, contact me. I may be able to help you. My e-mail is: oldbasque@gmail.com.

Turning cork on the rod blank and turning cork off the rod blank will require different equipment. Which do you want to do (or both)? Do you ever plan to turn wood with lathe tools or will you just be shaping cork (again, different tooling and setup)?

I too got tired of cork dust, so I bought an inexpensive vacuum cleaner and use the flexible hose held in my right hand and anchor the strip of sand paper above the opening with my thumb and the other end in my left hand. It picks up 99% of the cork dust and the rest is easily vacuumed up. I keep the end of the hose about 1 inch away from the cork.

I would like the ability to turn cork without it mounted to the rod blank. But would be nice to have the option of both. Also I have no plans to turn wood but If spending the money would like to have the option which I am sure will happen.

i guess the size of the lathe will be determined by the size of the grips you will do. I do 99% fly grips so I can get away with a Rikon mini lathe. anything bigger than about 14" an you will need to go up in length. I've know several people who have gotten great deals on lathes on things like craigslist etc. and if the price is right don't pass up a full size.

Tony,
If you want to turn handles on a blank, you need a lathe bed that is long enough to support both the drive motor as well as the full length of the rod.
A 10 foot length works nicely.
I made a lathe for turning cork.
Basically I used a 10 foot long board, with a 3600 buffer motor mounted at one end with a 1/2 X 20 keyless chuck mounted on the end of the buffer motor.

When turning, I insert a solid piece of material into the chuck, and then size the material - either by sanding down, or building up with masking tape for a nice friction fit on the inside of the new rod blank.

Then, down stream, I use 2-5 ball bearing rod rests to support the spinning blank. Since the rod rests are bare ball bearings, I put two wraps of masking tape around the blank - anywhere the rod rest will touch the blank. This will keep the rod rests from marking the blank when spinning the blank.

The key thing = when using a high speed fixed rpm drive motor is to be very cautious when turning the motor on. You want to avoid having the blank go into destructive oscillation. You need to be able to move the rod rests up and down the blank, and place the rod rests on the blank where there is a null in the oscillation of the blank. By placing the rod rests at these locations, you keep the rod blank from destroying itself due to destructive oscillations.

---------------------------
For lathe off the rod handle turning, I use a typical midi 1/2 hp lathe with MT2 head and tail stock fittings. Then, as needed, add chucks and tail stock pieces to be able to do the turning that you want to do.
Normally a nice three and 4 jaw chuck for the head stock -- a couple of different ball bearing tail stock pieces to support the end of the mandrel. Also, the use of a couple 1/2 inch keyless chucks with an mt2 attachment to be able to use in either the head stock or tail stock.

Be safe

I turn all my handles OFF the blank or rod
It is a lot easier to do Then when done ream out to fit the blank

Bill - willierods.com

Bill, I do just the opposite.. I turn all of my cork on the rod blank Just the way I learned over 40 years ago. I have never had a handle come loose, and all the cork is perfectly aligned with the center of the blank. I think it is also easier to have the reel seat and butt cap aligned with the cork and the blank. I think individually fitted cork rings just make a better, more secure handle. That is just my opinion and I am sure others will have theirs. Roger, by the way, I can turn up to a 9 foot rod blank to shape the cork on a 4 foot lathe bed with very little problem. A trick that an old time rod builder taught me when I made some of my first rods.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/04/2013 05:12PM by Randolph Ruwe.

Maybe I am to fussy - Or lazy
If any thing does not look RIGHT I don't use the handle

So if it is already on the blank ---- What to do Cut it all off - Wast all the expensive cork rings

Naa- make another then ream to fit the blank

To Each There Own
I can maybe reuse some of the bad handle Front half back half ????

Plus if the blank is not set up right You can -- SNAP -- a tip section real easy
Too Much Bother to make them on the rod -- Plus Ain't got the room

IMHO

Bill - willierods.com

Hi Bill, what is it that hasn't looked right to you regarding your handles? I am just being curious here and not judgemental. I have never had a problem using rings or EVA or Hypalon for that mater directly on the blank, so I am up for learning something new. :>)

I prefer to turn on a mandrel and then size grips to fit the blank. Blanks deflect too much for my comfort level while spinning at high speed. I found grips I turned on blanks to be out of round and off center if measured with precision instruments. This was not something that was readily apparent in a finished rod, but I knew it was not as well made as it could be so I stopped doing it years ago and made a resolution to turn on mandrels only - it wouldn't be the first time I have been accused of being overly picky, but I sleep better at night doing the best I know how.

John, I have found just the opposite to be true. I use expanding mandrels to center the blank while turning, and I doubt that the grips could be found to be out of round or off center. It is nice to hear opposing views, and I am glad that you like your method.

Randolph

Why do you ask

I always try different things Some times they don't come out well

most recent is a handle with Yoga Cork Builders were saying it was too soft

Came out very nice [www.rodbuilding.org] Not glued on too the blank

Ya always got to experiment

Bill - willierods.com

I have also found that a FAST turning keeps it centered - Slow makes it like an egg LOL

Plus with cork if you make a longer handle then the lath will do

Do it it two sections measure each section Then glue them together A little sanding and you can not tell

Don't know about wood ???

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/04/2013 07:44PM by bill boettcher.

bill, I was wondering what type of problems that you experienced is all.

First time I tried it

I almost broke a tip of a rod It was to much work to set up Too much time And just a wast of time and labor

Bill - willierods.com

Was the problem with the tip caused by the tip section whipping around?

This is what I turn cork and EVA on. Works very Well

[www.rodbuilding.org]

[www.amazon.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/04/2013 09:13PM by Barry Thomas Sr.

Randolph,
I have to agree with you with respect to turning on the blank.

For certain types of handles, I don't think that you can do an excellent job of turning a handle off of the rod. For the handles that use a hidden hood with a very thin layer over the blank for the reel seat- it would be nearly impossible to do it very well off of the blank.


But, on the blank - no issue at all.

Other types of handles, really make a lot of sense to make on a mandrel just because it is quicker.

Be safe