Hey so I just received in the mail a premade cork grip from an online source where I can't really return it, and its really good quality, but the ID of the grip is way bigger than the OD of my blank... is it possible/advisable to use masking tape bushings inside the cork like I would for a reel seat, or should I just use that grip on a bigger blank and make or buy another grip for this blank??

jh



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2014 08:30PM by Jeffrey Hanson Jr.

If you use arbors be sure you place them close together and use lots of epoxy.
Any voids will feel spongy and the cork can crack there.

Wind heavy thread or cord in a narrow spiral fashion up the blank where you wish the grip to reside. Coat with epoxy and turn/screw the grip into place. You don't want it too snug so size your thread or cord to allow a light, snug fit.

............

thanks guys. I definitely am afraid of weak spots, so I was thinking to make a bunch (10 or so) of evenly spaced 1/8" masking tape arbors to minimize the gaps and such, but I like this cord idea too. the hole in the grip seems to be pretty evenly reamed, so there's a bigger gap between cork and graphite at the tip end of the grip than at the butt end... tom, would it be wise to perhaps double-back on the spiral wrap from the tip end a few inches to snug it up more where the blank has a smaller OD, or will the screw motion mess things up by turning against the grain? also, the gap is between about 1/16 & 1/8 of an inch on either end, and this is a 5wt fly rod blank, any suggestions on a cord material?. this is my second rod, and many thanks for all insight!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2014 10:40PM by Jeffrey Hanson Jr.

The type of cord that you would use for tying meat to cook.
has good thickness so not a thousand raps
it absorbs the epoxie well.
and don't forget to prep the blank before you wrap.

Curt

PS its called butchers twine

awesome curt, thanks

Jeffery,
Very simple.
Just use masking tape to build up bushings of the appropriate size.

Leave a gap between each bushing and the next one, so that epoxy can go from the blank to the grip.

You will be just fine and it will only take a few minutes to wind up the bushings.

Good luck.

p.s.
As long as you leave a gap between the masking tape bushings for epoxy - you will not have a failure.

I would'nt be rich, but I might have enough for a down payment on a Prius if someone were to give me a couple of bucks for every reel seat or grip repair I've had to do because of masking tape or cardboard arbors.

Grant,
The only reason that masking tape or cardboard arbors fail, is that there has not been a sufficient amount of glue, or glue in the wrong places used.

Having said that, yes many production arbors of all kinds have failed, becuase of insufficient amounts of glue, or glue in the wrong place.

Be safe

repairs CAN be done with masking tape
BUT
Wrapped so there are or is room for the glue to adhere to the seat AND the Preped blank
Not solid tape

Bill - willierods.com

Folks -
I'm sorry but I can not for the life of me figure out why anyone would use masking tape for bushings when fiberglass cloth drywall tape is available - or the method Tom & Curt outlined using butcher's cord

Pretty simple.
Masking tape is ultra simple to use and especially for thin bushings is much more convenient to use than any other type bushing.

But the good thing about rod building, is that everyone can use what ever method that they choose to make the rods that they build.

As always - be safe

Pretty simple.
Masking tape is ultra simple to use and especially for thin bushings is much more convenient to use than any other type bushing.

But the good thing about rod building, is that everyone can use what ever method that they choose to make the rods that they build.

As always - be safe

ken

If I have more then say 8 - 10 turns of tape for a snug fit I go reel seat bushings
or as said some kind of twine for a snug fit

Bill - willierods.com

I really like that drywall fiberglass tape suggestion , I'm gonna scrap the masking tape next build and give it a try!

Seriously - fiberglass drywall tape will always out perform masking tape as long as you fill all gaps with epoxy- it works just like re-bar and cement and will not deteriorate like masking tape does.