I enjoyed the creative ideas for cork turning solutions. I have similar issue for consideration…
I have a beautiful (custom) John Channer Hex Boo’ Rod (may he rest in peace). John and I miscommunicated with regard the handle shape. I wanted a half-wells grip, and got a reverse half-wells grip. As I would like not to disassemble a brand new rod, I’m wondering if there is a way to turn the intact rod to remove the lip in order to make a western style handle. I’ll only have to remove a total of maybe 1-2 cc of cork, if that.
Alternately, as doing what I’m talking about seems on the surface of it to be ill advised, can any of you suggest high attention to detail rodmakers who would roduce a good product, rod disassembly or not?
No idea if YOU have the ability or not…??..and it MIGHT depend on the reel seat you have ( whether its counterbored into the cork itself??) but otherwise its a “chuck it up” in the lathe operation while the lower section of the rod is supported with a steady rest…and “sand” it down.
As Sully pointed out, just chuck the lower section of the rod into the lathe. You’ll want to protect the reel seat with some kind of padding. I normally just use painters tape.
Support the ferrule end of the section, again making sure that the rod finish is protected.
Turn it slowly and use a medium grade of sandpaper. Take your time. once you get close to the shape you want, step down the sandpaper until you match the existing finish. You may want to oversand the entire grip so that it matches.
Should take less than twenty minutes to do it, and if you don’t marr the rod, it should not degrade the value at all.
Sorry Moose. Images are well out of the range of my technical disability. Thanks though Z.
So, how do I keep the hex shape from interfering with the concentric axis requirement for turning the cork? Is the technique to use the ferrule female end as the point of rotation for stabilizing the axis? How high is the risk to laquer on metal ferrule on a non-impregnated Boo’ rod? Friction is my biggest concern… rotate it on felt for example? The issue with that seems to be the variable in that case is the pressure requirement for sanding the cork. Thoughts? I recognise that I can’t rotate the ferrulr around a point that sits into the ferrule.
I suspect I can do the work. Rigging for it shouldn’t be too difficult. Preparation, patience and a clear vision of the final product seem to be the biggest requirements.
What i mean to say is, don’t use machinery. I’ve glued cork rings together and then shaped that into a grip with nothing more than rasps and sandpaper Dana. I would use masking tape to protect the area above the cork and below the cork, i.e. the winding check/hozzle and a few more inches above that and also the entire reel seat sans cork grip.
Now that i’ve isolated the work area, i would be able to remove the cork in the area of the grip so that it would be transformed into what i wanted it to look like, this provided that it can be done by simply removing some cork.
My left hand becomes a slow lathe while my right hand moves the sandpaper lengthwise along the cork grip where i need to remove some of the same. From what you describe, that shouldn’t take long. Key here, i would think, would be to work slowly and check concentricity often.
Not knowing what the cork grip on your fly rod looks like exactly, i have no way of suggesting much more. If you have a lathe, well go ahead and there are lots of ways to support the female ferrule end of the butt section so you won’t mar the finish, but were it my fine bamboo flyrod i’d use the above mentioned method (of old) and i’d rely on my hands alone, well my hands and some sandpaper from 150 grit to as fine as it takes to match the existing texture of the present grip.
I’ve “adjusted” shapes with only sandpaper, too, Dana. Just go slow!! You can always take more off … but you can’t put it back!!!
Listen to the Moose!!
Mornin’ Betty, want to have some big fun? Glue up some cork rings and then sit out on the patio or related and hand shape the cork grip of your dreams, one that fits your hand perfectly. You will be amazed at how much fun it is and how easy it is…but then you knew that !
John’s passing was a shock to a lot of the bamboo rod makers. He was a much respected member of our community. It is sad that John isn’t here to make it right for you. You might want to contact his good friend Harry at Harry Boyd <maker@canerods.com> or another maker close to you. It is a simple process to turn down the front of the grip if you have the right tool… that being a lathe with a big enough headstock bore to pass the stripper guide. It is unlikely that you can chuck up the reel seat and have the rod turn true. Be aware that turning down the grip may reveal cork defects that will need to be filled. You have a fine fishing instrument made by a quality craftsman, I’d put the effort into having the job done by someone like him.
Larry Lohkamp
The Bamboo Butcher
Carving Fine Bamboo Fly Rods
No stress Dana, three long deep breaths…slow in through the nose, really slow out through ya mout…three times should take almost a minute…then you’ll be ready for another nap ! Heh, heh…
George , I’m trying the breathing thing…because…I have a custom Z-Axis…not made for me…the handle is a little large for my tastes so I have been thinking of getting it turned down a little…and after reading these posts I may give it a try but I have absolutely no rod making experience so I know what Colorado means:wink:.
Here i thought you built flyrods ducksterman, so yeah, i can see where the breathing exercise will help…heh…
It’s easy to make a grip smaller or a different shape but it’s really hard to make one bigger if it winds up too small or a weird shape. I always have a picture of an actual grip or a rod with a grip how i want the one i’m reshaping to look, plus i go really slow…i mean really slow.
One thing i discovered, even though i don’t have particularly large hands is that larger grips work better for me streamside. For example, the old Leonard grips just wear me out but then i’d bet i’m doing something wrong. My 9wt grip is actually smaller (store bought) than my home built 3,4 and soon to be 7wt grips. I stumbled onto this fact by casting a rod that had a grip made from 1.25 inch rings that hadn’t been shaped. Interesting.
