Phillip,
I agree with you 100% on the use of round files to use when creating grips.
Here are the files and the prep work completed on the files to make them useful to me as I do the work:
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www.rodbuilding.org]
I have an abrasive disk cut off wheel that I use when making changes to the files.
I first cut off any end on the file that is triangular shaped that is commonly used with these files for a handle.
I use all of the files in a variable speed drill to do the work for me.
I use a lathe, and a grinding wheel to first create the round end for the file to fit nicely into a drill with zero wobble run out or wobble.
Then, when that work is done, I use a grinder and belt sander to sharpen the ends of each of the files.
This allows me to start larger sized files into grips that don't actually have that sized initial hole.
The major reason that I prefer using a file, rather than any sort of drill bit, is that any drill bit that I have ever used when working with cork, is that the cork tends to be ripped out in chunks, leaving voids on the interior of the grip.
However, files, because they "file away" material, there is never any chunking going on in the interior of the ring or cork grip.
To accumulate the files, I have always been on the alert when being anywhere and have gradually found all of the different sizes that I need.
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Another thing that works very well for various aspects of rod building are conventional manual and drill driven 4-10 inch long significantly tapered reamers.
For example:
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www.google.com]
