Gluing Cork

I am about to glue up my first cork grip. I got to thinking about glues and what I have read that folks use. The biggest share seem to use epoxy of one kind or another. While I have all kinds of epoxy, why epoxy for gluing up grips? Why not one of the polyurethane glues? Seems to me it would grip the cork as well as it would heart wood. For that matter, why not a carpenter’s glue?

For cork to cork I use Titebond III. Some like to use Rod Bond. For wood to cork I also use titebond. For Bone to wood and wood to wood I use Polyurethanes. I found with cork that the poly’s left a hard ridge that wouldn’t sand at the same rate. If you use cork and craft foam I use contact cement in the red can.

Certain glues leave ridges that are hard to level out as mentioned by baitwaister. Also glues like most carpenters glues dry white in color and you will end up having glue lines of white show through. Best thing to do is use some Titebond or Ultimate Gel or any 2part 5-10min epoxy from your local hardware store. All work good for cork.

Steve

I am a retired cabinet maker/builder of fine furniture with many years of experience.
I do not know how many rods I have built. several hundred cork grips from scratch.
I have tried almost all the “glues” on the market. My vote will have to be for the Aliphatic resin glue.
( Tightbond) It has been around in the cabinet shops for over 40 years. I have used it as a pro wood worker and rod builder.
I would say more Pros use it than any other product. It cooks off under pressure for at least one hour. I made my own grip clamp, years ago, still use the same one. Have never had any problems in making a beautiful cork grip using it. Now for gluing bamboo strips into a rod, is another thing. Works for me!

Denny

Thanks for the quick response, guys. I wanted to get this glued up so I could move on to another project.

As I did add a couple of craft foam trim rings, I used the WeldWood Contact cement there and, after going to 3 different stores to find it, Titebond III for the cork. This is going to be a 9’, 4pc, 8w for my lawyer, so I glued up a fighting butt, as well. I made a cork clamp similar to the one Yonks made for his switch rod project. Once I got the cork clamped and measured the two sides of the clamp to insure I had even clamping pressure, I pulled the mandrel. I will slide that back in when I am ready to turn things and after the glue is dry. The fighting butt is glued up on a piece of threaded rod.

Very cool. Sounds like you’ve got it down.

I’ll have to look for some of the WeldWood Contact cement for adding in the trim rings. My last handle I glued up with Rod Bond, and I’m not impressed with it. Much more visible glue lines, and it doesn’t sand as easily as the Tite Bond II that I use if I don’t add foam. I suppose I could try TBIII, but it looks darker than TBII, and I don’t want glue lines. TBII is rated for outdoor use, just not continually submerged use. I figure that even TBII is overkill, and TBIII is more insurance than I need.

I just did two grips using TBIII. No glue lines. Just clamp tight and wipe off the excess glue that squeezes out with a damp rag then sand to shape.

Does anyone use Pliobond? I read that from several rod building sources several years ago before my first attempt at making my own handle. I’ve used it on several handles since and never hand any problems. It’s flexible, waterproof, sands easy and there are no glue lines at all. It’s best to let it set overnight (I give it several days usually), but then I’ve never been in that much of a hurry to glue up and turn the handle within the same hour.

I’m not going to post pics as yet, but have done two grips. First, the craft foam accents suck. It didn’t much matter what I tried, they would not level out with the cork, but insisted on standing a tad above it.

I also discovered that the rubberized rings are tough and do not want to sand at the same rate the plain rings or even the burnt cork rings want to. Those were tooled with turning gouges to the approximate shape and then sanding was done to finish things off.

The second grip came out much better and I am very pleased with it. You guys and gals will get to see it when the rod is finished.

First, the craft foam accents suck. It didn’t much matter what I tried, they would not level out with the cork, but insisted on standing a tad above it.

Kevin there’s some tricks to using the craft foam that will work for ya. One thing is to make sure you coat the foam rings very well with epoxy when you glue them up. If they are saturated well with epoxy then it takes a lot of the “sponginess” out of them so they sand at a more even rate with the cork. The other thing you can do if they are still sticking up a bit over the cork is to wrap the sandpaper around a popsicle stick and use the thin edge of the popsicle stick to sand down just the thin foam flush with the cork.

Steve

Clemens used Duco Cement. For me Weldbond works great, really useful glue.

I may try the epoxy on the next one. I used contact cement on this one and it was super spongy. I’m still steamed over how I couldn’t make it do what I wanted it to do.

I have found with the craft foam that I have to do the sanding with a sanding block or the popsicle trick. Another trick that has worked for me also is to stretch the foam when I glue down the handle. Get the base of the handle set,grip below and above the foam ring and pull gently towards the front of the handle until the foam stretches even. I have also, while on the mandrel, pushed them together and that makes them stick up higher sand as normal leaving a litlle raise and then stretch tem out. Both ways are a little dicey as I have pulled handles apart before. EVA works a little better but you have to cut into sizes and not as good a selection of colors.

Unfortunately, Elmer’s apparently no longer makes their yellow carpenter’s glue with Aliphatic Resin in it. It was a sad day “back-at-the-ranch” when I used the last of my gallon and discovered that I could no longer get it I have glued up numerous cork handles with it, and have even used it to laminate the wood strips for the bow, and the bow to the handle insert, of the landing nets I have made. If, as Denny says, Titebond is an Aliphatic Resin type glue, then I wholeheartedly endorse his comments. I have used Titebond II and now am using Titebond III, both of which I have been happy with. (Denny: Dummy here has never read the Titebond labels! Thanks for the info. Just used it based on recommendations and ‘testimonials’.)

aged_sage

No more Elmer’s Carpenter’s Glue? Now, that royally sucks.

I have used PC super epoxy with great luck. I also use it gluing the cork to the rod.

Kevin, I think he’s saying no more yellow carpenter’s glue with Aliphatic Resin in it. Not just with a different type of resin or binder.