I am new to this site and would like to introduce myself, my name is Michael but most everyone calls me FISH. I am a Florida native from Panhandle and a " Pier Jock" and inshore-near shore fisherman. I have been building rods since I was a kid ( I am now 45 ). I wrapped my first rod in a card box with a phone book for a thread tensioner. I have come a long way since then and have a professional rod building setup now. Custom rods are very popular in the Panhandle and us locals would not be caught dead fishing with a "store bought rod". First of I would like to thank you Billy for creating these unique eva grips and taking the time to share in their construction. There are a lot of fellow rod builders in the Panhandle and I need somthing to set my rods apart, these grips are it! All that said I will get to my question. Once you have properly glued the pieces how do you clamp it all together nice and tight so there will be no separation upon lathing? FISH

No need to clamp. MAKE SURE the glue (weldwood contact cement) is dry, press the pieces together one at a time. THen press them as hard as you can, I usually get them on the edge of a table and lean on it with my body weight. I will turn the grips right after that, I do not wait. Done properly, the only thing that will cause the seams to pop open is if you stretch the grips...even if they are forced onto a mandrel they run the risk of popping open. For teh rod they must fit onto the blank llike a cork grip would fit.

HAve fun and post some pictures when you are done!!

I know Billy would have told you this - contact cement is applied to BOTH pieces, allowed to dry and then pressed together (as he wrote).

Thanks for your quick reply. I was about to create an elaborate clamping system assuming they had to be clamped. I can't wait to get started every since I saw my first You Tube video. I purchased a Delta midi lathe and extension. Bought what I could from Mud Hole as far as evablochs and strips, but as you Know I am limited on colors. I am having trouble placing an order from your site. Can you e-mail me instructions on how to place an order? I clicked on the link but it is not taking me there. I am eager to get started I just need material now,. Do you sell the sheets of eva also? Not the strips but the square sheets. My e-mail is customrodsbyfish@gmail.com. Not to get to long-winded but I noticed my e-mail address is hidden on the post, how do I change that? Thanks, from the "new guy" FISH

I have played with clamping them together All it does is push the pieces and they slide out of alienment
After the glues sets for time said I put the pieces on a mandrel snug fit DRY first Then glue Then slide the pieces together and give a slight push

Bill - willierods.com

Thanks again Billy.

Thanks Ken, Billy seems to really know his stuff!!!

Thanks for the heads up!!!

Michael
Yes. Billy Vivona does more work with EVA (sectioning and resetting) than anyone else that I know of.

THanks. I do a lot of EVA grips, and I've done workshops to teach others for teh past few years. THey are so much fun to make, but there is a bit of a learning curve and the machinery to do them the way I do them isn't cheap.

When and where is your next workshop?

Bill has a lot of vidios on you tube
[www.youtube.com]

Bill - willierods.com

That is where I first saw the grips...I have been gettin set up to build my own every since...

Glad people watched some of those videos

Just wish I had the room for all that Expensive cutting equipment LOL

Bill - willierods.com

know what you mean...glad my living room is tile...it has become my rod shop and office now!