Hi guys I’m wondering the process you guys use to ream out a rear grip on a spey or switch rod. Do you ream out the cork then glue up or glue up then ream the cork then glue on the butt piece? Trying to find best practice.

I glue, ream, apply butt cap and then mount it.

I like to glue up the rings, then ream, and then shape.
If there is a mistake to be made, let it be before mounting.

Best wishes,
Ron Schneider
Schneider's Rod Shop
Mountain Home, Arkansas
[www.schneidersrods.com]
mtnron40@yahoo.com
870-424-3381

Zack,
I have tried it both ways.

From an effort view point, it is much easier to ream out each cork ring to the appropriate size before gluing.

Then, when you glue up the grip. Just take a threaded rod of about the right size, and use tape to build up the threaded rod to be somewhat smaller than the size of the actual rod blank. The temporary tape arbor helps to keep the reamed out cork rings centered when gluing.

Then, when it come time to reaming the completed grip, it is only a few passes of the reamer to size the inside of the grip for a perfect fit on the rod blank.

I epoxy upper and lower grip on the blank ring by ring. The turn to shape on lathe.
Herb

I've made a fair number of spey grips. I glue up the rings on a mandrel, turn them on a drill press (using sandpaper). I then use a "dream reamer" chucked that into a hand drill and ream out to fit the blank.
Longer grips can be a little nerve racking but I've never had a failure....

Thanks Gents. So far to date I've put them on a mandrel and glue up, shaped then mounted. My Rear grips have been the same but keeping it centered on a lathe with the butt piece glued on has proved difficult and I've noticed my shaping of rear grip has been a little off axis. Its worked but I'm not super happy with that yet. Unfortunately I don't have drill press to do it as stated above.

Zack
I do it the way that you do. Glue rings on a mandrel, shape the grip , ream, then mount on the blank.
Rog

I build it in 2 sections , [ worry about not getting the mandrel loose on long grips ] I put the sections together , shape , & then ream , I never totally take the mandrel out of the rings / grip till I am ready to ream ,

William Sidney
AK