Gluing Cork Rings

[Sully]

Fishbum

What I would reall like to see is how you support the end of the rod on the port side of the headstock. Any chance of a picture of that?

Brad

You can make a "steady rest" to support the end opposite the headstock. Like the "roller rests" that manual rod wrappers have. I made one out of plywood with rubber rollers in it...and a wide base...and would lay a bag of lead shot on the base so it couldnt move. It was tricky and sort of a PITA...but I HAD to have something because the bed on my lathe was only about 20 inches or so long.

[mr. blur]

here's my support...built w/ poplar and two cork rings...


incidentally when I shot that pic I was removing a cork grip that I wasn't happy with from the rod. rather simple process actually - turn down cork to just above the blank and sand off each flat. took about 5-10 minutes.

[Sully]

here's my support...built w/ poplar and two cork rings...


incidentally when I shot that pic I was removing a cork grip that I wasn't happy with from the rod. rather simple process actually - turn down cork to just above the blank and sand off each flat. took about 5-10 minutes.

Yes sir! Another proud Jet owner...

[herefishy]

Wow! Didn't we just go through one of these?

[MontanaMoose]

...when admin returns something will happen.

Merry Christmas herefishy,

MontanaMoose

Wow! Didn't we just go through one of these?

[Denny]

As all of you know this is a family site. If your post has been deleted you already know why. If not then I would say you need to sleep it off.
Come on guys, why? It is a long time until we can all get out and fish.
Play nice and I will just enjoy reading.

Denny Admin

[Greg F]

I use flexcoat rod builders epoxy glue on the rings, and I made this "lathe" for turning. I used a drill guide for the other chuck that supports the other end of the rod. I rub a candle on the 1/4" rod before glueing up the rings. It holds well enough for turning, but the grip slides off when I need to remove it.

[Midwest Custom Fly Rods]

I use "Ultimate gel" for cork rings. Really almost any 2 part epoxy will work good though it's all just what you start using and get use to using more than anything.

Steve

[jchanner]

Fishbum;
The next time someone tells you you shouldn't be using a bamboo rod for King Salmon, ask them what they think they were caught on 50 years ago when bamboo was all there was. There have probably been more big fish caught on bamboo than both graphite and fiberglass, we all know there were more big fish back then<g>.
I make bamboo rods, too, and I turn my grips on the rod so there is no chance of it not being centered on the rod, I used a few preformed grips when I started, they not only looked like the junk they were, it was very difficult to ream them true with a hand reamer. One of the first serious tools I bought was a lathe with a hole thru the headstock so I couds turn a proper grip on the rods, a simple shop made rest the correct height supports the free end and the grip is turned between centers like any other workpiece. I haven't used a tool bit like Fishbum does, but will try one after I figure out how he shapes it. I don't build graphite rods, but if I were to, I would probably make some inserts out of wood to go into the end of the blank so I could chuck it into the lathe without crushing it rather than use a mandrel. Something I learned from Ralph O'Quinn, the owner of U-40, is to put a thin coat of epoxy on the ring, then scrape as much of it off as you can before pushing it up to the next ring, it takes very little epoxy to glue the rings together and getting rid of any excess helps to avoid glue lines and keep from having a hard ridge between the rings.

john

[fishbum]

I had promised a few pictures.



I have made a whole set of these cutters over the years. The hole in the center of the cork is always in the center.



Rings for a 10' 6" two-handed salmon rod. The small cut outs are used to make ferrule plugs. I have been known to use them as "bobicators". That is bobber for most of the fishing world and strike indicators for the fly fishing world.



This is the lathe bit I use for the first pass on my cork grips. The grips are so much easier to sand to shape when they are round to start with. The idea come from a wood auger bit with a spur that leads the cut as you bore a hole.

I did not put up a picture of my steady rest. It is very simple. A piece of 1" plastic pipe about a foot long clamped to an upright on th eoutboard side of the lathe headstock.

fishbum