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I have a 4 pc. graphite rod that I want to reduce the O.D. of the cork grip by 1/8 to 3/16. It is cigar shape now and I want to make it into a western style half wells. I have access to a metal lathe. Can I do this to sand it down without damage to the rod blank? Thanks , Dave
Dave,
It can be done one a metal lathe. You just have to be very careful to not damage the blank.
I think that I would try to chuck up on the reel seat as far as I effectively could, using some tape to protect it.
I would support the blank with rollers close to the grip, rather than a live center at the end of the rod section.
I'm sure there are other ways of going about it...I'd just be scared of ruining the blank.
When I turn a grip on a rod that I am building, I chuck the rod blank into a scroll chuck just above the grip. I wrap a few layers of masking tape around the blank and tighten the chuck just enough to hold it, very light pressure. I have a cup fixture that I made to hold the butt of the rod in the tailstock. I usually use my wood lathe for this, since the hole through the head stock of my metal lathe is not large enough for most blanks to pass through it.
If you are only taking off 1/8 inch, then don't use very coarse sandpaper. It is easy to get some divots that you would not be able to smooth out. I would not use anything coarser than 100-150 grit for this.
Good luck,
Ted
It is a tricky proposition to turn down a grip with the reel seat and guides mounted on the blank. I would be very careful. Not sure how you would go about it unless there is no guide on the but section. If that is the case, then put the blank thru the headstock with a few layers of masking tape to protect the section of the blank that will be in the chuck jaws. Then you just need a way to support the reel seat for concentric rotation and you will be in business. Just take it slowly and don't put too much pressure on things.
If you're able to do it the way described by coo2, then I would use a collet chuck because they hold the item all the way around the circumference, not just on three or four points like a scroll chuck. Select a collet that is slightly larger than the blank, wrap the blank with 2 or 3 layers of masking tape where the collet will be and slip the collet down over the masking tape. Guide the rod section through the head stock and carefully hand tighten the collet chuck. Then, secure the base of the handle/reel seat with the tail stock. You could use a live center with a small piece of scrap wood between the live center and the reel seat. Start the lathe on a very slow speed to make sure there is no wobble or vibration and sand slowly without applying too much pressure.
Jim Smith
That is a lot of cork to be removed. I think I would start with a sheet of dry wall sanding paper and cut it in half length wise, maybe add some kind of grip on each end, although I am not sure that is needed. Dry wall paper, first is not paper, it is a open mesh with grit on it, the mesh keeps the sheet from clogging.