I am getting ready to turn a few cork handles but I am having trouble find some tools to do so. I really really really don't want to buy the cork lathe that I have seen on a few different sites. I have been looking for just the rollers, but I can't seem to find anything that is decent priced. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Scott

Our roller supports for our RL100 Cork Lathe Setup work great. USA made by me. That's right, I build them myself. Check them out on our site, scroll down the page, here is a link:
[www.flexcoat.com]

There is alot to making these things and they are worth every penny.

Email me at flexcoat@gmail.com if you have questions

Flex Coat Company
Professional Rod Building Supplies
www.flexcoat.com

Check out an Aircraft supply store and you will find a number of different sized rollers for the aileron cables. Just put the right size o rings in the groves. I have used them for many years.

John Cates Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Scott
>
> Our roller supports for our RL100 Cork Lathe Setup
> work great. USA made by me. That's right, I
> build them myself. Check them out on our site,
> scroll down the page, here is a link:
> [www.flexcoat.com]
>
> There is alot to making these things and they are
> worth every penny.
>
> Email me at flexcoat@gmail.com if you have
> questions

John,

I like that setup but I don need the drill holder just one set of rollers is it possible to but just that?

Like Randy I use rollers with O-rings in them. They are available at any hardware store. They are the bottom roller on screen doors and cost less than $5 and work great

Tom

Scott

Email me

flexcoat@gmail.com

Flex Coat Company
Professional Rod Building Supplies
www.flexcoat.com

Scott,
Here is an example of a bullet proof rod rest that I built several years ago for use on my full sized rod lathe.

The rollers are inexpensive skate board bearings. Skate board bearings are widely available from many sources, including the big @#$%& site.

You can buy a dozen rollers for about $6.

I purchased the aluminum from a scrap yard for about $5.

Then, a couple of rods that I use for the vertical supports to hold the horizontal bars that hold the rollers.

On the full sized rod lathe, I just picked up a surplus buffer motor for $30. The shaft on this motor is threaded 1/2 X 20 which is the same thread as a standard 1/2 inch chuck. I put on a $5 surplus chuck and I was ready to mount.

The lathe bed is a simple pine 1x8 with a slot routed down the center of the board to secure the rod rests.

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However, if you are just turning cork on mandrels, just pick up an inexpensive used lathe from any used source, like Craigs list, want ads, @#$%& sites, or used tool stores.

You should have little trouble finding an adequate lathe for $50-$75.

roger,

you don't happen to have any photos do you?

Scott,
Please send me an e-mail and I will send them to you directly.

Roger

hflier@comcast.net


p.s.
By the way, which pictures - exactly - did you want to see? If I don't have them, I will take them.
Roger

I have used these in the past, fit them with o-rings

[www.savacable.com]

[www.savacable.com]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/10/2013 08:11PM by Barry Thomas Sr.

i just recently built a cork lathe and had the same problem trying to find an affordable solution. my criteria was that they needed to be economically priced, durable, and dimentionally acceptable for the project. Posiblities I considered were rc plane wheels, roller blade wheels, robot wheels, dish wahsing rack wheels, and a few others. These either lacked bearings, were overpriced, or too large.in width or heigth. I finally came accross the page below and decided to build it with garage door rollers as described.
[globalflyfisher.com]
I purchased the 2" nyllon model with ball bearings online. Came in a pack of 10 cheap! Can't speak to the longevity of them but the initial test was awesome. I like the thought of an o-ring wheel though, but for the price of these things thought they were worth a try. I figure tape is cheap too for wrapping the blank extra if needed.

I see in your photo 5 there already seems to be considerable wear on the wheels. How much use to get to that stage of wear?

Brandon,

I like that thank you.

I don't know John Cates - nor that he makes the Flexcoat Cork Lathe. But I think that it is the best tool to turn cork grips right on the blank. I have used the same lathe for past 8 years. I did choose to change the "O" rings once in that time.
IMO it pays to just pay the $180 for the lathe as-is. Just add a 2500RPM corded drill and you are set to go.

Herb