Hello,

I just picked up a nice Lamiglas 8 1/2 foot. The builder had wrapped the cork all the way into the seating area, so in order to attach a reel, you have to crush a portion of the cork.
I'm thinking I can just cut the excess off, but in case it goes the wrong way, I had a few questions about the pits in certain areas.

First, would you suggest filling the pits on the cork handle, or removing completely and recorking it?
Is filling the cork handle a good option for repair, or is it just putting a bandaid on the issue?

I will update with photos if needed when I get home from work tonight.
As is, the rod is usable, I just do not want to damage the cork further by fishing it before it is repaired.

Sorry if this is a jumbled mess of a post, I am just getting coffee through my veins.

-Brandon

Sounds like it's too nasty for filler by itself, but if the shape is right (yes photo will help) you might be able to use filler to give it a little better strength in compression, then wrap with Winn's grip tape, the stuff designed for fishing rods, about $10.

Brandon,
Photos would be good. Without seeing them, my initial response is “KISS”, Keep It Simple Stupid, although I certainly do not think you are stupid. Use a very sharp, new razor blade to shave off the required amount of cork to allow the reel to be positioned. It is unfortunate the builder did not foresee the issue. You did not mention if this is the rear or fore grip. In either case, a replacement grip will have to be installed from the butt of the rod unless all the guides are removed to allow the grip to be typically installed from the front. With the blank being tapered, larger at the butt, you will end up with a gap under the front of the replacement grip. The gap would have to built-up for a solid mounting of the grip. As for filling the pits in cork, that is personal preference. Personally, I do not fill the pits in favor of considering it part of the cork’s natural charm, adds a little grip and my hand cannot feel them. I also feel that at some point, any filler is going to fall out anyway. If it is really lousy cork with craters instead of pits, filling may be OK, but I cannot imagine a custom rod being built with such inferior cork.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

Ill get some pictures posted when I get home. I definite dont want to wrap it, as it was done nicer than I could. Im still waiting to do my first rod.

The crushed cork is on the butt side. The pictures will definitely help. Sorry i didnt post them initially!

Brandon,
This happens all of the time.

The repair is simple.
Just use a flat bastard file to file the cork grip in the area where it has been crushed to remove deformities. However, it may be just better to leave it alone. If the reel has crushed the cork in such a way that the reel foot makes a perfect fit to the cork grip - and covers up any crushed cork - leave it alone and enjoy the rod. If that is the case, with the reel in place the crushing will be covered and you will have a perfect fitting reel seat to the underside of the reel foot.

To fill the pitts in the grip, just go to the big box lumber store and buy Elmers Light Oak filler.

This filler is a near perfect match to the bulk of natural cork handles. If I am going to do this, I will do the following.

I purchase a bottle of simple green cleaner.

Then, I use the cleaner and an old tooth brush to really scrub up the grip - all of it from one end to the other. This cleaning will remove all of the dirt, grime and any loose cork.

Then, set it aside for several days to insure that the grip is completely dry. Then use the filler to fill every void leaving the filler a bit higher than the level of the grip itself.

The first thing that I do after letting the filler dry for a day is to use acetone to wipe down the cork grips. The acetone will save you a lot of work by removing all of the excess filler and leaving the overall surface smooth.

Then, after the acetone has completely dried, start with about 150 grit paper and sand. Continue sanding going down to at least 4000 grit and possibly 600 grit paper for the final finish.

The finished grip will look like new.

Once you have the materials -Simple green cleaner, tooth brush, Elmers light oak filler, acetone, sand paper - you will be able to quickly and easiy take care of any cork voids on any of your cork grips.

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If you happened to be fortunate enough to own a full length rod lathe with a variable speed motor you can do your sanding on the lathe and clean up a filled cork grip in only a couple of minutes.

Here is a picture of a temporary setup that I made with my power wrapper and a 1/2 hp variable dc electric motor connected to a temporary head stock to turn the full length rod for some grip shaping and clean up.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

If you want to turn a fully built full length rod, it is imperative that you use a variable speed motor as the drive motor. The reason is that a fully built up rod with guides and a reel seat on it is NOT a balanced system. i.e. as you start to spin the fully built rod, the rod will start to shake and shudder and if accelerated to a speed that is above the speed of harmonic destruction - the rod will began to oscillate and finally explode due to the uncontrolled harmonic vibrations.

But, with a variable speed motor, you can start the rod turning from 0 rpm, and increase the speed to the point where the rod just begins to shake. At that point quickly reduce the speed just enough to eliminate all of the shaking. At that point you can sand as you wish with no worry about rod damage from excessive speed. Just do NOT turn the rod speed faster than that point.

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If I am working in the rod shop, I also have this drive system made from the motor and gear train of a 24 volt rechargeable drill motor. I have a 24 volt pedal controlled power supply as a power source for my dc rod wrapper motor, so I just remove my normal head stock motor and replace it with this drill motor and chuck. Then, I follow the same rules as above to bring me up to the maximum speed just short of shaking and do the sanding from that point. However, I use this motor very infrequently, because I do not like any dust at all in the rod shop and do a lot of cleaning in the shop both before and after using this motor for sanding. Hence, the normal use of the shop in the other building for my dirty work like sanding and shaping. No sanding dust in the rod shop and no dust on the rod to get under the finish.

Take care

I have used a coarse file to make coarse sawdust out of wine corks [which I happen to have free access to] and have stirred the coarse cork-dust into a glob of "GOOP" adhesive until the glob became almost entirely cork dust. I lightly reamed out the hole in the cork grip until the bottom of the hole was larger than the top and used a dental trowel to pack the cork/GOOP mix into the hole and remove excess glue/cork on the surface of the grip, then lightly wiped the surface of the GOOP/cork patch and the adjacent cork grip with a soft rag soaked in acetone and let the GOOP harden. I have fly-rod grips that got this treatment more than 10 years ago and still look good - not perfect, but nearly unnoticeable good.

The rod doesnt look as bad as I remember on the cork. I must have been thinking about a different one, but all the tips are definitely helpful.

Sorry it took so long to get these photos. I had to find a place to upload them first.










Sorry the pictures are so huge.

Brandon,
Actually you have a hidden hood reel seat.
This is actually my favorite type of reel seat.
Using this technique lets the person fishing have the palm of his hand only on cork which makes it very comfortable for a long day of fishing.

Your rod will really sparkle, if you first wash and scrub the grip along with the entire rest of the rod with simple green and a tooth brush or hand brush.

Rinse well and let dry for a day.

Then, use your tube of Elmers light oak filler to coat the entire grip - making sure to fill any voids. Then, let it dry for a few hours and then take a paper towel with acetone to go over the entire cork area, removing excess filler. Then a final sanding
with 150 grit on down to 400 grit and you willl have a very refreshed looking rod.

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The photo in the bottom of the picture is a rod with a hidden hood handle:

[www.rodbuilding.org]

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p.s. In the future, when posting pictures, go to the "photo section, post the pictures.

Then in the forum; paste the link that you can copy from the photo section when you have your pictures on screen.

Oh good! I was afraid someone ruined a Lamiglas or it was built incorrectly.

I'll definitely give your rejuvenation tips a try!


Ah I didn't see photo section

Brandon,
Pictures are indeed worth a thousand words. You have a very nice hidden hood reel seat and, as Roger, I like them a lot. I am still not a fan of filling cork and no filler is going to repair the chunk of cork missing on the edge of the hidden hood. There are ways of replacing individual cork rings within a grip but a good rod lathe is a must along with some experience which would be a benefit as well. Personally, if doing anything at all, I would clean it up as per Roger’s instructions, lightly sand with 400, coat it with U40 Cork Seal or Casey’s Tru Oil, fish it and enjoy it. While the hidden hood reel seats are very nice and indicative of a custom rod, all are probably vulnerable to missing chunks of cork just like yours unless the utmost of care is exercised.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

Mark,
Copy your comment about missing cork for conventional cork and the hidden hood reel seat.

Since I still prefer the hidden hood reel seat, I now use the brown rubberized cork rings. Since the rings are made from cork dust and rubber cement, there are no voids and work very well for use in a hidden hood reel seat.

But, because these rings are much heavier than conventional cork - due to the presence of the rubber cement in the rings, I only use the cork on the insert where the reel seat is placed as well as the two rings in front of the reel seat that covers the hood.
This is very tough rubber, tough to sand, but once sanded down - very long lasting with little maintenance.

[www.mudhole.com]

roger wilson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> Then, use your tube of Elmers light oak filler to
> coat the entire grip - making sure to fill any
> voids. Then, let it dry for a few hours and then
> take a paper towel with acetone to go over the
> entire cork area, removing excess filler. Then a
> final sanding
> with 150 grit on down to 400 grit and you willl
> have a very refreshed looking rod.


I was curious if you actually mean to coat the whole cork handle with glue/filler. How much do you use? Thin coat or a decent amount?

Would there be another good cleaner I could substitute? Would murphy oil soap + warm water work for the cleaning?

Brandon,

Yes, first clean the cork grip with a good cleaner. One example is simple green. But, if Murphy oil soap works - use that or any other good cleaner that dosen't leave any residue behind.

Then, after drying use the filler to first fill any pits and obvious defects in the cork grip. But, then after doing that, I put a thin film of filler over the entire grip. The result of this is that after using the acetone to do a wipe down and initial removal of the dried filler,
you will have any tiny defects filled as well as any obvious voids or defects that you have first filled.

Then, do the sanding finishing with 400 or 600 grit paper .

I rubbed down the lamiglas with the murphy oil, and used a clean rag to scrub it, holy crap guys. I'm going to do this to all the cork I have.
I need to get the sealant and filler still but just ... cleaning the cork makes it looks brand new.

I don't know why I never thought of doing that before.

And if I haven't said it already, THANK YOU for letting me know my rod wasn't retarded, just special (custom). HAHA

I am going to throw a bmax3 on there because that is my only new age casting reel.

On a side note, I just tore apart 2 Penns and fixed up my 109LH ... first time ever taking those apart, so I feel accomplished tonight.