I use 1/4" threadrod for turning cork. Slide rings on, put wingnuts and washers on each end and tighten. I then use the same threadrod to turn it on. In order to prevent the RodBond from sticking to the threadrod, I use nonstick cooking spray. Just LIGHTLY coat the threadrod with spray, slide rings on as you glue them and viola. It comes off 24hours later without a hitch. Works great for me. I was wondering what others do? My only concern is any cooking spray absorbed by the cork rings and then not getting good adhesion to the blank when I glue it up. Any ideas?, thoughts?

Hey Jon, I rub paraffin wax on a mandrel slide and glue cork rings, clamp down and After 24 hours I sand and shape cork on lathe then give it a sharp pop on a hard surface and the mandrel slides right out.

I get a good hold on the the grip while the mandrel is held in a vise and twist the grip off. It will twist off just like removing a nut.

Steve

I'm glad you are able to get the cork off the threaded rod. Many have trouble. I use a smooth steel rod for a mandrel and use the paraffin wax to prevent the epoxy from adhereing to it. It will hold well enough to keep it from slipping while turning, but you can "snap" the grip off with a quick twist. Using the smooth mandrel requires the use of a cork clamp when gluing the rings of course, but most rod builders will either acquire or buy one as they go along in the craft.

................................

You would be safer using saran wrap over the mandrel. Cooking
spray will contaminate the cork. hence preventing a good bond
to the rod.

I use car wax. I believe it's carnuba. Works great. I ream the inside to remove any excess before epoxing to the blank.

I also use my cordless drill to unthread the grip from my all-thread mandrel. It's a big time saver.

By the way, I don' t turn the gip on the all-thread because it's not straight enough. After glueing the rings on the all-thread I take it off and slide it onto a piece of 1/4" drill rod for turning.

I use car wax. I believe it's carnuba. Works great. I ream the inside to remove any excess before epoxing to the blank.

I also use my cordless drill to unthread the grip from my all-thread mandrel. It's a big time saver.

By the way, I don' t turn the gip on the all-thread because it's not straight enough. After glueing the rings on the all-thread I take it off and slide it onto a piece of 1/4" drill rod for turning.

Wrap your threaded drill rod in plumbers teflon tape and you won't have any problem removing the shaped cork. The tape is expensive but I normally get several uses out of one wrapping.

Dear Jon: I would hesitate to use any release agent on the inside of a cork ring as it may prevent adhesion to the blank. All my cork handles are turned on a mandrel, and they are tight. I also have no glue lines. I use a cork gluing clamp. I use Devcon 2 ton. I begin with the mandrel on which I place a ring of "junk cork" this is on so that the washers and wingnuts dont ruin the ends. All rings after this are glued(epoxied) on the outer edge of the ringto about 1/2 way in keep the glue from the mandrel. I use a spatula, and turn the mandrel with the ring on it as I go. When the epoxy is applied, I seat the ring against the next ring and twist it to get a full 360 coverage. Yes you will have the excess squeeze out. Dont worry about that now. Proceed down the mandrel until you have all your rings aligned they way you want them to look. One other suggestion. Find the 2 corks with the least amount of pits. Use these for your ends. Dont forget the junker on the end and clamp it up. You can overtighten them if you need to. Squeezing out what seems like all of the epoxy. That thin coverage is all you really need. After twenty minutes or so, I remove the mandrel. After 24 hours, I release the clamp. Reinstall the mandrel, and turn it as needed. This has failed me only once. I got a little sloppy, and epoxy got to the mandrel. What did I do? Popped it in the freezer for a week and drove it out with a lead shot hammer. Yes the force needed bent the mandrel. OK so I needed a new mandrel. But I never got sloppy again. Keep it at least 3/8 away from that mandrel, and you should be fine. This board is great. It keeps everyone in the learning curve. Good Luck

havn't built a cork handle yet, but i thought you shape the inside of the cork and apply it to the rod, clamp, let dry, and then shape. it may sound dumb but i don't understand why that wouldn't work. glad i read this before i built one. tom, just ordered your new book, rod builder magazine, and advanced custom rod building. guess i better read a couple books first.

No you can do it that way. But if you don't have long lathe for shaping the grip on the rod then you will have to make it on a mandrel and shape it and then remove and install on the blank. Either way is fine.

sounds like it would be alot easier to do it on the rod. i goofed earlier when i said i haven't used cork. i have used premade handles i just have not bought individual rings and done them. i willalso have a long lathe. i would guess that two four or five foot beds would be enough.

The bed will have to be as long as the rod section you are working on or the blank will whip about and break on the lathe. 10 feet sounds like plenty to me unless you are using extra long surf blanks.