I am planning on turning my first grip and have a few questions. The first deals with the design concept. How do you come up with the design pattern you intend to use. Since this is my first time turning a grip I do not have cork, burl, or burnt rings on hand to put next to each other and see if I like it. Is there an easy way to visualize the look of the finished grip before hand? Next questions are about the mandrel. I will be turning on a wood lathe between to chucks using a live chuck in the tail stock. Do I really need one of the oil harden mandrels to turn or can I use a steel rod cut down to size? I am probably going to buy a 5/16 mandrel, but I could use a smaller one for another custom handle I might build. I am planning on using mostly burl cork since most good cork is too expensive. I will also use at least one ring of rubberized cork. What is going to be the best adhesive to use? I have read people using Tite Bond III, Rod Bond, and Epoxy. Just not sure what would be best. If it matters I am going to be turning a grip for a switch rod. Front grip is going to be 10" with a 4" rear grip. Thanks again for the help.

Mike P.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/27/2015 06:41PM by michael prybis.

Look on the R.B. Meiser site, and in the photos section here. Remember you can use other things besides cork for a design, I've used the red rubber gasket material found in plumbing supply stores, black paper or rubberized cork gasket material, cork sheet from the craft stores, poker chips, acrylic, just about anything you can bond together.

Hi Mike,

Custom Fly Grips has free grip templates available on their website.

[customflygrips.com]

I've purchased premium burl rings from them, that I really like. Good quality and good color. I myself use burl for almost all my grips anymore. If you want to offset the weight, you can core them with some of the foam reel seat arbors.

I use Titebond III for natural cork, burl, and bark, but if I am gluing anything rubberized, plastic, metal, or other non-wood material, I'll use U-40 Quik-Bond for that.

Do a search in the photo section, to give you an idea what different grips with different materials look like.

Take care,

Chris



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/28/2015 09:29AM by Chris Herrera.

If you want cork to play with now is the time to get it: champaigne/wine corks nuked in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds each puff right up to like new and are great to play with.

There is a lot available on the internet to help you design.
Why not start in the photos section right here?

But in general:

Symetry looks good, that is equal spacing of whatever trim you have equidistant from rear and front of grip.

Repeated patterns look good especially if the pattern itteration can completely begin and end in the length of grip.

Sometimes minimalism is the best.
A single thin line often makes something vastly better than a sea of color. Be it grip or wrap.
A single line placed about 1/3 back from where the grip meets the reel set is great.
A Rolls Royce has a thin gold pinstripe down its side not a graphic hood-- a hot rod goes the other way.
Both look good to somebody.
Your call what you want.

There are tools you can make from paper or wood that keep this 'golden design rule' (google it) available and allows you to scale it up as grip length or wrap length changes.

Mandrels come under a lot of pressure and the longer they are the easier to get off true.
If money was no object mine would be made of tungsten.

A hardened steel mandrel is a good investment! Softer metals will flex more especially in the longer lengths like your 10" grip. As mentioned above, Titebond III works very well with cork and wood, but not for rubber or plastic.

As for design ideas, peruse the "Photos" section of this site, there are many great looking grips!

seeing that this is your first handle to make an shape , go cheep an KISS it , [keep it simple s&&$#d ] , I think for the first one . PS, keep the rubber rings for the start an stop ring on the handle , as they will take the wear an tare better over time than the other man made rings, I think

William Sidney
AK

Michael,
A great first grip to turn is a Tennessee handle.

Basically, you take a length of cork rings, glue them all together, sand and shape them down to a constant diameter of about 1.0 inches and your handle is done.

Glue the grip to the handle, wrap the rod, tape the reel to the handle and go fishing.

This is also one of the very lightest grip and reel seats that you can have that is also very sensitive.

Many of my soft water customers want this sort of grip and reel seat and nearly 100% of the ice rods that I build use the similar set up.

Be safe