Over time, as the quality of cork continues to fall due to world wide supply issues, one can sometimes do better with respect to final appearance and quality of finished grip by using cork rings 1/4 inch thick to build the grips. Yes, there are twice as many rings to build the grips and you need to figure the cost of rings plus assembly effort. However, because the rings are thinner, it is easier to see and verify the finished quality of the cork since defects are not hidden by the thicker cork that is only exposed when the grip is turned.

Be safe

Why bother with cork at all ?? Burl has a natural color ring and no holes at not bad prices or all the other materials that can be used for handles Or even just seal the cork and leave the holes

Bill - willierods.com

Many builders may be familiar with a few older fly rods that featured grips with 1/4 inch rings.

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Never used 1/4" rings Should they be filled
Plus ya got to be carfull Fillings do tend to fall out unless the handle is sealed
Unless
A good glue is used and mixed with cork dust Then Maybe it stays in

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/16/2015 05:12PM by bill boettcher.

Bill,

The idea is that by using thinner rings, interior pits will be easier to see and therefore weed out. However, this may also require that you discard a greater amount of cork and will also require you to do twice the glue-up as you would with thicker rings. If your criteria is for a more flawless grip, this is a good idea. If your idea is to save money, head in another direction.

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Or if I want to glue rings faster or beter quality I should get them at $2.50 a ring
That is why I do not fill anymore And I like the look It is natural on the cheeper stuff

But when I try to give ( reasonal ) prices and get people not coming back and parts prices going up What the heck can ya do - Give the rod away

I have read here that some build for the price of PARTS and let then go for that ???

Just to be a pain - What about the Poured grips and glass sleves glued over Builders love them Put them on ever rod --- Not cork - harder then cork

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/16/2015 05:49PM by bill boettcher.

As a custom rod builder, you have many options. The key is figuring out which ones suit which customers.

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Sure
It is a custom rod A cork butt handle is no good for rod holders in saltwater use
I tell them - They don't lessen - I want to seal it - No They like the feel
When it comes back to me They will have to pay
It is like - thin walled rods and the lure hits the rod - It breaks later I am not good Faulty blank - Please
I love the post on the batson blanks Thicker walls ( durability ) This makes sense You can only go SOO Light before it gives !!!

It seems like a lot of this is Common sense

Bill - willierods.com

Tom is correct. The primary reason to use the 1/4 inch cork is to be able to see any flaws that might be hidden in thicker cork that would need to be filled.

Also, a lot of time, when the cork is advertised as a given grade; often the 1/4 inch thick grade is a truer grade, since it is not so likely to hide hidden faults.

Bill - For certain rods, other materials than cork make wonderful grips. But there are some folks that want cork and only cork for a grip. So, as always, the customer always gets what he/she want.

Be safe

The trouble with "grades" is, there is no standard nor representative sample behind them. "Flor" can be sold as the worst possible cork imaginable and that would still be correct. What does "AAA Grade" really mean? Where is the standard that defines what it constitutes?

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Maybe some trade offs here.........fewer flaws.....more seams!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/16/2015 11:40PM by Phil Erickson.

Phil,
I just finished a build on a rod, using the 1/4 inch cork. The seams were actually quite pronounced on this particular lot of cork. I think that often, the seams are more visible with certain types of cork and ring preparation by the manufacturer than some others.

At first glance, I was a bit bothered by the seams, but at 2nd glance, the seams actually added a bit of additional interest that is actually going to work out just fine.

Be safe

To me, making visible seams by tinting the epoxy or incorporating cork or thin automotive gasket materials won't add too much weight can be visually appealing.

[www.rodbuilding.org]
[www.westsystem.com]

Now that looks real nice

Bill - willierods.com

I agree that it is much easier to "read" a 1/4" cork ring than a 1/2" ring.
But I don't like the whole grip done with 1/4".
I alternate 1/4" with 1/2" and that cleans-up the grip a lot.
Problem is - I buy cherry picked cork and there are no places that offer cherry picked in 1/4". So there is some waste - as there is with cherry picked 1/2" anyway.
Herb

That grip would surely POP with a coat of some kind of clear over it

Bill - willierods.com