I've built a number of rods, so far the grip has always been solid from the reel seat to the butt cap. Now I have two new projects, both with Fuji split grips and seats, and . My question is; the butt grip has the end cap already permanently glued on. In my previous builds I was able to ream to size through the aft grip. Since the butt grip has the cap already permanently affixed; how are you guys reaming the butt grip from the reel seat side?! I think my only choice is to size a dowel on my wood lathe based on the rod butt diameter and hope the winding check covers the reveal of the larger front end hole diameter. Am I on the right track? Thanks for taking a minute to respond.

G'day Greg

Have a look at the flexcoat videos on the sponsors box on the left it maybe helpfull.

cheers

Ray Balmforth
Figtree
NSW
Australia

I drill mine out slowly increasing in size till it fits. If you go to quick it will crack. Don' ask how I know this.

Thank you gentlemen. The videos were helpful. Your comments are appreciated - as well as the warning about drilling! I actually do know how you know that, because I had to teach myself the folly of drilling to find the bit grabbing and ripping the cork!

Tight lines to you both!
Gregg

You can also drill them out all the way though
ream to fit
Then put a plug from an auto interior They are plastic get several sizes from say Pep Boys
A little glue pop it in

Or

You can drill them out ream then depending on the END CORK pick up several of the same rings sand After glued on Mix the dust with a glue fill the hole Let dry sand

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/2013 06:27PM by bill boettcher.

Good ideas! I'll try this on the second build (plugging with some matching cork using dust with the glue). Thanks for the tips.

Or a plug

Bill - willierods.com

Gregg,
Pick up a set of these plug cutters for $5. These plug cutters will let you cut plugs - ranging in size from 1/4 inch up.

Drill, or better yet, ream out the butt of the handle. Use a reamer to ream the grip as usual. Then, use a plug cutter to cut a cork to the nearest size as large, or larger than the hole. If the hole is a bit large, just use a counter sink reamer to enlarge the hole enough for a nice fit on the plug.

Interesting that you mention this. I just finished up a dozen handles last night for rods, and used the plug cutters to cut the plugs.

It of course works better if the butt cap is cork, and if you have solid cork rings of the same type cork to cut the plug. If you have an eva butt cap, then you can cut the plug from a eva grip.

Finally, a third option is to slip the grip onto a straight mandrel of the appropriate size on your lathe, and then use a razor to cut the butt cap off the end of the grip. If you use a piece of tape on the grip and butt cap - before cutting the butt cap, you can use the tape and marks on the tape to align the butt cap to the grip when you glue it back on. Of course, with the butt cap off of the grip, you can just use your typical reamer to ream the grip, glue on and then put the butt cap on as part of the glue up process, aligning the marks on the cap and grip for a perfect match.

The down side of this method is that any slight imperfection in cutting or regluing the butt cap will be more visible with this method than drilling the butt cap and plugging it.

Of course, if you have a decorated butt cap, then perhaps cutting the butt cap off the grip might be the better option.

Be safe

Thanks Roger! I was thinking about cutting the end off the grip but they are the Fuji grips with dark cork on the end of lighter cork, and definitely not the same density etc. Then when you mentioned using a razor blade on the lathe- it made sense, I'll give this a go as I've used razor blades on foam and balsa on the lathe with good success in getting straight parting lines. The tape and marks is a great idea to line everything back up.

I found a way to align round wooden parts with accuracy when gluing,maybe you've tried it; I use heat shrink model airplane covering. It shrinks tight, aligning the two pieces radially and pulling them together at the same time. After the glue sets I use an Exacto to slit almost through the covering and pop the plastic off. It's like a poor mans version of a vacuum press. I got the idea watching a buddy use hat shrink tubing in a similar manner, but not wanting to spend money for the large diameter tubing. I cut the plastic about a half inch longer on each end of the assembly and shrink the ends first, causing the plastic to wrap over the ends, letting them cool for a minute or so before shrinking the middle which pulls everything tight. I think if I try your razor method and use my model airplane covering clamp method to re-join the pieces I'll likely get good results.

Gregg,
Also, remember, you don't need to cut the butt cap off exactly at the edge of the butt cap. You can cut the butt cap off at 1/16th to 1/8th inch up the grip. If you are going to glue it back on, it is sometimes easier to have the same type cork to glue back together, rather than reattaching a different type cork.

---------------------
It is interesting that you bring up this point. I just had a situation last night. I had built up a bunch or rear grips using cork rings. On some of the rods, I have extended the blanks. As a result, I had calculated the necessary length for the butt grip.

But in the ensuing days and for a couple of other reasons, a couple of grips were glued together missing one ring, which made the grips too short. The grips were turned down and finished. It was only then, during the rod assembly that the error was noticed.

I first thought that I would have to scrap the grip and start over. But, then thinking about it for a moment, I realized that I could cut the finished grip apart, add one ring, and reglue it. Then, put the grip back in the lathe and refinish the grip. So, I used my thin abrasive wheel chop saw to split the grip. Then, added a ring, and glued back up. Now, just have to turn the grip back down and rebore the new ring and the grip will be good to go.
For gluing, I used Titebond III which works very well indeed for gluing cork to itself.

To glue the grip onto the blank, I still use slow drying epoxy that sets up in 30 minutes. This gives a longer work time than 5 minute and makes it easy to glue up all of the grips, and reel seat in a single glue mix.

Be safe