Sunday I was puttering in the shop and was cleaning up wood scraps for kindling. A couple of 2x4 scraps that had been ripsawn to 1.5 square caught my eye. They both were about 8 or 9 inches long. So I slapped them on the lathe, sharpened my gouges and turned a couple of grip styles I have wanted to try. One worked really well, the other one still ended up in the wood stove. No gluing, no re
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Can anyone shed some light on the pros and cons of wood handles vs cork handles for fly rods. I am new to rod building, I am about to start my third rod and am considering turning my own grip. (I am a custom woodworker by trade). My concerns are more of comfort and sensitivity. Thanks Doug
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hey guys i want to buy a wood lathe i went down to the local tool store today ,all i found was full size (36)" i think that a little too big what size lathe is good for turning handles a guy i know has a ten inch table top but he wants too much for it
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I recently purchased a Grizzly mini-lathe and a set of Andy Dear's mandrels. Not wanting to spend too much money on a drill press, I bought a drill stand from Sears or should I say a mini-drill press. The drill press is the one where you use your drill as the power source and it cost $40. In all I have spent $120 not counting the mandrels which my son gave to me for Xmas. I made my own cork c
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hi, I am trying to find out if Renzetti or anyone of our sponsors sells just the 3 jaw chuck from their lathe, I am in the market for a lighter weight quality chuck, for adapting it to fit a #1 Morse Taper wood lathe headstock, so all I need is the chuck. thanks in advance!
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Since most of my experience is with fly fishing, my exposure to other grip materials is limited. Cork is fine, but I'm sure there are other materials that have the same characteristics but different look. How would EVA foam or Hypalon work for fly rods? The colors of these materials intriques me...
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Hi all, I am in the process of getting a lathe set up for turning wood grips, checks, reel seats and cork. It is a full size lathe, with adjustable speed. Since I do not have a drill press, what is the best way to center bore my stock to accept a 1/4" mandrel? Any tricks greatly appreciated. Also, I'm looking for a basic (cheap) Jacobs chuck with a #2 Morse taper. I've had trouble fi
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I am looking to purchase my first lathe and what to know what would be a good set up. I wish to turn and finish rough to fine cork. Have a thread/spool holder. No plans on weaving, or turning wood. Can someone give me 3 options. Is there a article in the rod maker magazine that lists all that is available and how they were rated?
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I am still in search of some new lathe tools. I have seen some that were made of chrome vanadium steel. It also says its hardness is 50-60 Rc. Can someone tell me the difference between chrome vanadium steel and high speed steel. Also what does a hardness of 50-60 Rc mean.
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Can anyone offer any suggestions as to how make my $129.00 Harbor Freight Lathe into a variable speed machine? Can it be as simple as using a standard light dimmer switch? How about using a foot operated pedal? Thanks. Steve Swadinsky
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Thanks for all the help with my drying box (again) - I appreciate it. I'm looking to get a machinist to make a set of Rollers for me - I can find Aluminum for him to tap and do whatever he needs to do. I am having a hard time finding wheels/pulleys for the rod to rest on. Anyone know a source for these? Clemens used to have them, but each wheel was $18.76 (2"OD) - I rather not spend almost
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After shaping a cork grip what is the best way of filling holes in the cork. I have saved the cork dust. What should I mix with and best way to apply.
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i was turning a cork grip on a 5/8 mandrel on my wood lathe useing the chuck off my clemens lathe when the teeth broke off the jaw of the chuck causing the mandrel to fly out at 2800 rpm and into my chest. other than a sore spot and a pair of possibly soiled underware no worse for the wear. already ordered a new chuck. but it shows how quick things can happen. hope this never happens to anyone e
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On the photo page there is a sort of lathe machine. It's white and nothing like I've seen around. Is this the Renzetti lathe I hear about? I don't see how you could fit a rod into it or is it just for turning grips and handles. Odd looking but I know it has to be made special for something that it probably is very good at!
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The set includes: 1/4" gouge 1/8" gouge 1/4" round nose scraper 1/4" diamond parting tool 1/8" standard parting tool Has anybody used these tools? Are they any good? My intended use is for reel seats, butt caps and grip inlays.
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Where can I get a good, cheap, durable wood lathe? I am wanting to start turning my own handles and was wondering where I can find one. Every where I look its $200 Or More. I do not not have that big of a pocket book. Thank you Lance
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I am about to order a metal lathe, i am looking at one under 800. I want to do NS seats and hardware, wood inserts and cork grips. Can some one give me some suggestions for a good one. I have a couple in mind, but would like to know your opinions Thanks in Advance Brian
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I am about to order a metal lathe, i am looking at one under 800. I want to do NS seats and hardware, wood inserts and cork grips. Can some one give me some suggestions for a good one. I have a couple in mind, but would like to know your opinions Thanks in Advance Brian
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For a lot of basic and also some advanced information on lathe usage, wood turning and finishing, log onto this site and do some exploring. Hope this is of interest and help to all. Stan
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I am considering the Renzetti rod lathe and want some comments from actual users. Can it turn reelseat inserts and wood handles or do I need a seperate lathe for that? Got my mind pretty much made up on it and am planning on ordering it Monday morning but just wanted some user comments.Also if you were ordering one what additional items would you order to have a complete lathe? Tom Bradshaw
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For turning wood... which is better, a high torque motor or a high rpm motor? What rpm range is desirable 0 - ?
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Does any one have a Pacific Bay Professional Power Wrapper? If you are using one can you tell me the pros and cons about it. I want to buy a power wrapper but I don't want to spend $600.00 on one. Thanks!
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I'm thinking of building a rod lathe to turn cork/eva grips, probably something like flexcoats with an eletric variable speed drill, my question is, has anyone built one using roler blade wheels for the rod supports if not what did you use, also what is the optimal rpm to turn the rod.. Thanks, Brad....
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Good morning Rod Builders, I was going to wait another day or two to make this announcement, but I just can't hardly contain myself anymore, so I have decided to do it today! I have just added to my website a list of woods the I will be offering for sale specifically designed for the Rodmaker who already owns a lathe and turns his own reel seats, hosels etc...Most of th
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Looking for a connection: I visited a professional pool cue custom builder this afternoon and looked over his selection of exotic woods. He has blocks of every immaginable wood from ebony, ten types of burl to snake wood that he makes custom cue sticks. He has remnants of wood that look like they could easiby be turned into reel seats. He has the ability to shape, finish to a mirror surface a
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Okay, I want to try out turning a cork handle. Since I plan to do this on the rod blank, what is the best way to chuck the end? Leave a bit of blank showing to attach to the chuck after the rings are glued? Cut off flush or add a rubberized ring and plug over the end to finish? Glue a scrap piece of blank on the inside of the butt to chuck then cut it off when finished? Chuck on the last rin
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I'm a life long fisherman and about to take the plunge into the world of rod building. I've looked at several different wrappers from the major manufactures and I'm still not sold on one. I'm looking for a high quality unit that I can build on as I progress in technique. I just hate to throw out something you just purchased because you bought a starter kit, or a unit that has limited capabiliti
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I have just purchased a Jet JWL 1236 lathe for turning cork grips and eventually custom reel seats. Will be turning cork on steel mandrels, 1/4" generally. Lathe has a live center in the tailstock but does not come with a 3 or 4 jaw chuck - must purchase as an accessory. Lathe takes a 1" x 8tpi chuck. Would appreciate any suggestions for the type of chuck I should purchase for the
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I had a chance to use a lathe and turned a bunch of wooden fly inserts that fit a Struble D-1 downlocking reel seat. Can anyone help me find other skeleton hardware that these will fit into? Kenneth Prager
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When putting hardwood accent rings in a cork grip, what is the best way to polish and finish the wood without affecting the surrounding cork?
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