Day All On the few rods I've built,I've added Burl Cork Rings to St.Croix Handle Kits for lenght and Apperance. When adding the rings I'm finding there not square on the upper and lower diameters(slight angel,funnel effect). My ? is,when you talk of turning New Cork,How are you doing this? Are the handles fully assembled? I've tryed turning them w/ a Sewing Machine motor,altought it has worked,I
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Lot of questions lately about cork cutting jigs. I just posted pix of the checkerboard/diamond jig and the slicing jig that are available from Custom Tackle (I have no affiliation with them) Mike
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I built a few rods about 20 years ago. They are still going strong with the exception of the reel seats. They are now spinning. Is there a way to correct this without rebuilding the handle/reel seat? Like I said, it was about 20 years ago and I don't remember how I built them. Thanks, Dan
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I'm trying to find a contact cement suitable for gluing up cork rings on a mandrel. Flex Coat 5 minute epoxy has been suggested, but I would like something that doesn't need to be mixed, and has more time to work with it. I'm a novice, so I want to be able to take my time. I hope to incorporate thin sliced wood inlays as well. So the product needs to work on different surfaces. I'd love to hear w
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Hello there flyrod builders & handcrafters Just wondering if there is anyone on the board that has a preference for cork reel seats?? I am getting me pennies togeather to build a 9ft 4 weight fly rod... I have only ever bulit one rod and that was a little 3 piece 6fter #4, and, with a little advice some of you guys kindly provided the little stick turned out awlright *Smile*... Cosmetics ar
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I have purchased a nice little cork cutting jig and was wondering what the best method for cutting slices to either alternate, or to "pie" cut these thin slices to alternate burl and lite cork. Is it best to anchor the cork ring to the jig with a screw/washer/nut? I attempted a single, thin,slice with ample appropriate sized washers inside the jig with just 3/32 of the ring revealed.
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folks, based on my measurments, it now appears i might be better off utilizing cork tape to establish the longer reaches of my long-handled baitcasting rod. i've got rubberized cork rings for the butt end and, if necessary, fore and aft of the skeletal reel seat for strength. i've mic'd the blank and based on my measurments i'd be hard pressed to have 1/4" of cork ring at the base and pre
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Ever since I saw the Tennesse handle in a magazine, I've loved the idea. Saw one last weekend and it looked great. That rod had a PacBay graphite ring. Does anyone know the cork quality of the St Croix Tennessee handle kits? Or can you suggest a better brand? We're looking for preformed as it is probably cheaper than building from individual rings. Also, are all the premade brands all bas
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first off those were GREAT articles Tom... surface prep and blank refinishing... soon i shall have all my components for rod assembly i thought this would be a good time to ask the professionals about the order of construction... here is how i see it happening (based on my reading this forum and a varitey of articles) 1. weight and balance rod - with the correct reel or reel weight (baggie of
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I have called several local auto parts stores, and they seem to sell rubberized cork is 1/8" thick sheets. I would really like to work with something thicker 1/2" would be best but even 1/4" will do. Do most auto parts stores have what I am looking for, but I'm asking for the wrong thing when I call? or should I look for someplace else for thicker pieces of rubberized cork (I h
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I'm just starting out building rods and was wondering what ti use to glue my cork rings together, should I use epoxy or another type of glue
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There seems to be 2 schools of thought: One says that the cork rings should be individually reamed out and glued to the blank, compressing them together as they dry. The other camp says that the cork rings can be put on a proper diameter threaded rod or mandrel, and using some means to keep the epoxy from bonding to the rod, the rings are glued up together, then reamed to fit the rod, and final
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I'm anticipating a problem with modifying a fuji ips 16 foregrip. I want to coat the scrap blank with something so that I can remove it after gluing the cork. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
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I tried a new glue today (new to me) while making a reel seat and I think it is going to be really good. Not that there is any shortage of good glues for rodbuilding but I like to try new products. It's made by Elmers and it's called "Probond". The info on the package says that it is a polyurethane glue, strength of epoxy without mixing, waterproof, 100% solids, bonds virtually
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I am interested in investing in a turning lathe. I have been shaping cork on a rodsmith but don't care for the dust on the same machine i wrap with. I have little woodworking experience,none on a lathe. How is the cork held in the machine? I was looking at a grizzly hobby with the power drill for power. How does a 1/2 " drill chuck and a 1 1/4 " cork ring hook up? thanks in advance Bo
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I'm experimenting with decorative hosels for spinning rod handles using wood/stabilized wood, and plexiglass trim rings. Is rod bond the best adhesive for gluing the wood and plexiglass together before turning? Should I sand (rough up) the surface of the plexiglass to achieve a better bond? Also, is rod bond the best adhesive for bonding cork rings to thin trim rings made from the various synt
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just picked up some of this polyurethane glue at wood crafters thinking it may be good for handle assembly in replacement for epoxy. any thought or experiences working with this stuff before I ruin some good blanks
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Hi all, Well, the supplies to build my first rod have arrived, and I feel pretty much ready to go at it, but I still havent decided on what kind of reamers I need/want. I basically have been going back and forth between the grit tape wrapped blanks and metal reamers from a hardware store. Can you guys give me the pro's/con's of each to help me decide? Thanks Scott Sheets
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Hey all, I was wondering if any one has tried shaping a cork grip on a mandrel before gluing the rings together. Then gluing the ring onto the blank. rings have already been reamed one at a time for the blank in use. then installed on a tapered mandrel.??? thanks
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I want an easier and less messy way of bonding my cork designs like the checkerboard and triangle. I dislike always using epoxy and I find that the GOOP marine contact adhesive and sealant works well when I was checkerboarding and tringling foam inserts. So my question is, will this GOOP contact adhesive hold cork together, or will my cork handle end up crumbling after use? Or doesnt it matter si
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I was just wondering if it is possible to use a carpenters wood glue for gluing cork rings together? I ask because a large bottle of elmers wood glue is far less expensive than buying epoxy all the time. Maybe not even for bonding them together in a row, maybe just for putting together the checkerboard or diamond designs from the custom tackle jig. I have a bunch of pieces of cork cut for the che
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I plan to make a custom cork handle about 9 to 10" long. Rather than build this thing right on the blank, I'm considering using a 1/4" rod about 16" long to stack, glue and clamp the individual cork rings and then turn the the whole thing on a lathe. Reason being, I concerned about any wobble that might occur if I build the handle on the longer intended blank that already has a r
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where can i find rubberized cork without a hole in it for a butt cap. I have looked at alot of different web sites and they all have holes in them. Any help is appreciated.
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I got my lathe today, so I wanted to try to turn a handle. What I did was put a length of 3/8in all thread into the drill, put masking tape around the all thread so the rings would fit snug and glue in the same place. Before I put the opoxy I smeared the masking tape with candle wax because I figured that the opoxy wouldnt bond to the wax surface. I was wrong. Now I have all my rings stuck to the
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Thinking of adding some black and/or green accent rings of EVA in a green burl cork grip. Questions: Can I use EVA rings cut from pieces of craft foam (thin sheets sold at local craft stores) or are they not suited to the job? I would really rather not buy a "batch" of colored EVA strips. What would be the best way to adhere the burl to the EVA: contact cement vs Rod Bond?
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Gentelmen. What is a grade of cork? Grade "A", "AB", "B" Is more quality cork only from Portugal? What kind of glues you prefer for cork rings? Epoxy, urethane....
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I'm still looking for the "power hump" style cork grips, does anyone know if these can be purchased? If not, has anyone ever made one....can you give me some advice/hints on best cork ring OD size and shaping method. Thanks again, Ken Saums
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Help! Handle is stuck on the madrel. I used wax and coated the shaft 3 times and buffed it out and glued the handle together on the madrel. I finished the handle and it won't come off. What in the #$$#%$ do I do NOW???????? I usually use the rod to make the handles and I think I am going back to doing that. This mandrel stuff is fo the birds if the handles won't come off. I tried ban
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A friend of mine has a small Orvis rod, 2wt. that has a cork reel seat with the sliding rings to hold the reel. He says the rings come loose a lot and would like to replace the seat with a regular threaded seat, either uplocking or downlocking. The problem I have is that the rod is extremely light and adding a seat with a wood insert would probably double the weight of the rod. Someone told me
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Anybody ever used 5 minute epoxy for gluing up cork rings? I need to build a rod FAST! Thanks, Steve
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