Re: Finishing cork grips without a lathe?

feeds@yuku.com (agedsage) — Sun, 31 May 2009 19:40:20 GMT

Under the watchful and jaundiced eye of my rod building mentor, I did the cork handle on my first fly rod using nothing more than a four-in-hand file and sandpaper. It is a cigar shaped handle and is by far the most comfortable handle of any of my numerous fly rods. It ain't bad visually either.

aged_sage

Re: Finishing cork grips without a lathe?

feeds@yuku.com (ShenRods) — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:47:26 GMT

Actually you don't need a great lathe set-up - I still use my initial crude lathe set-u[ for most of my cork turning, ferrule stations, etc. Years ago I even fitted my ferrules using this crude set-up. I now have a SB 10K that I now do all my ferrule making and fitting on. I have to use it for turning the grips on my two-handed rods that I make.

Re: Finishing cork grips without a lathe?

feeds@yuku.com (cross creek one) — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:56:43 GMT

I use a home built lathe for turning cork reel seats, but I would be terrified of chucking up a rod in that contraption and I turn the cork on the rod. I use the same method many before me have used--turn it in my lap, by hand, over a trash can. I start with a rasp, then drywall sanding mesh, then progressively finer paper. It doesn't take that long and it builds strong hands and wrists! If I were going to make rods for a living, I'd get a decent lathe.
-CC

Re: Finishing cork grips without a lathe?

feeds@yuku.com (marcusw) — Fri, 22 May 2009 13:08:17 GMT

Contrary to my instructor's directions - I have taken to making up cork grips on short lengths of dowel slightly smaller in diameter than the rod butt and then use a drill press. This saves having the length of a blank whipping about a which really limits the wobble - and I find it easier to use two hands in opposition to each other when in a vertical plane as opposed to horizontal. Also for some reason my eyes seem better at judging the shape as it develops in the vertical. It...

Re: Finishing cork grips without a lathe?

feeds@yuku.com (kimk) — Thu, 21 May 2009 22:00:47 GMT

The guy who taught me to build graphite rods lived one town over from Digger, and he also used an electric drill held in his lap. The cork is glued up on the blank. A drill bit is selected is a very loose fit in the hollow butt of the blank. The bit is wrapped w/ masking tape to make a tight fit. and chuck it up in the drill. Important -- if the seat has not been mounted, wrap the blank butt with masking tape or it will split. For bamboo I just wrap the blank with masking tape and chuck it...

Re: Finishing cork grips without a lathe?

feeds@yuku.com (mattcliff) — Thu, 21 May 2009 20:47:18 GMT

In my penniless youth I turned many grips, including some very nice ones, on a threaded rod chucked up in an electric drill mounted in a bench vise, with the free end of the rod stuck in a cardboard box to steady it. Truly a high-tech rig, but it worked.

I don't think I would have the guts to chuck a bamboo blank I had just made into an electric drill, and it sure would be unwieldy. But then, I've never seen the point of turning grips on blanks, since I prefer a rod to...

Re: Finishing cork grips without a lathe?

feeds@yuku.com (ShenRods) — Thu, 21 May 2009 15:19:44 GMT

Another option is the Digger Degree method (in the video) - use an electric drill - make a holder for the drill and chuck up the end of the blank - You also have a build a steady rest a simple one with 3 small wheels works. Use Painters tape to tape the blank to protect it. Turn the drill on and you can sand the cork nicely.

Chris

Finishing cork grips without a lathe?

feeds@yuku.com (canetuck) — Thu, 21 May 2009 13:23:11 GMT

I'm not able to invest in a lathe right now.I would like to know how others who don't own a lathe turn their grips.I'm familiar with Thomas Penrose's method shown on his site.I'm considering something similar to this.Would a sewing machine motor have enough speed and torque to turn a grip?Any ideas and pictures of your setup would be appreciated.
Jason