I am considering purchasing a Flex Coat cork lathe. Questions for those of you that use this device -

How do you drive the rod blank? How do you attach the rod blank to the drill?

Is is sturdy enough for heavy sanding on cork grips? What about shaping foam grips?

Are you happy with the lathe? Would you buy another one?

I could build the drill stand myself. Are roller supports available separately - from Flex Coat or from some other supplier of rod building tools?

Thanks for your input.

I have no idea how the drill grips the rod, but that thing is really expensive for what you get since you also have to either have a buy a drill. In the long run, you'll be better off with a real lathe, a Jet or PSI Turncrafter or even a Grizzly. Then you can also turn wood for reel seats, butt caps, winding checks, pens, pencils, etc.

The best deal for roller supports that I have seen is from sponsor FishSticks4U on left. It's in their online catalog (the part is a little hard to find, send Robert an email if necessary), it's in the Parts for the Forecast Rod Wrapper section, it is Part # WRAP10, and costs $16 for each complete roller assembly, if I remember right.

Regarding the flex coat drill lathe,i got hold of a copy of the flexcoat video and copied mine from there.The rod is held in the chuck via building up a drill bit or similar with masking tape to fit the inside diameter of the blank.I have shaped the round eva buttons for extension handles with mine,however i tried using a lesser quality drill which wasnt fast/powerfull enough and spoilt the first handle i built,so i would tend to say the drill is more important than the stand. The other thing being for the rollers ,i got my 12 year old son kitted up in mask and goggles and gloves to gently allow the blank to spin in his hands,after all the rods we were building were for him and his little brother.

Always remember the fun is not always in the end product ,its in the build up!

I have one of the flexcoat cork lathes, but I haven't used it in years. I constantly had problems of the drill coming loose from the rod. It was also very hard to get the drill mounted straight so it is difficult to turn true handles. Many years ago I upgraded to a Delta Mini lathe and I wish I had done it earlier. I still use the supports that came with the flexcoat cork lathe with my flexcoat speed wrapper when I am turning something very fast. Bottom line, if you have a flexcoat wrapper, then the supports are nice but the mount for the drill is tricky.

Steve, give me a call at 804-746-9711 I have some information that might help with your decision

Steve,

Its perfect for turning handle on the blank.

Very happy.

So how do you users of other lathes (like the Delta or PSI) spin your rod blanks for shaping cork or foam handles? Drill bits and tape stuffed inside the end of the blank?

Do the other lathes come with rod supports? Or do you build your own?

Just trying to research all the options before I make a lathe purchase.Thanks for your input.

For the mini lathes like the jet, delta or psi, you do not turn grips on the blank. They are wood lathes, so they have a headstock and tailstock. Most people use the mandrels that are avaliable from Andy Dear. They work great and it is much easier than turning a grip while mounted on the rod.

Keep one thing in mind about turning grips on the blank, A screw up can cost you a blank!! Also if you screw up part of the grip while shaping, you are faced with removing the old one from the blank (at the cost of probably wrecking it) and make a new one.

By shapeing/finishing on a mandrel, the worst that you can do is mess up the grip and you can often fix that. I have done both and prefer to glue up and shape/finish grips on a mandrel, ream and install on blank after it is finished
Just my opinion!

Mike

Jason et al,

Turning on a manderal is not easier than turning on the blank? If so ...please explain.

A handle assembled on the blank is a much better handle (structurly) than one done on a manderal and then reamed and retro fitted in the blank.

Of cource I'm speaking on terms of Tennessee handles and not short pieces of cork.

I have fixed enough "crushed" Tennessee handles to see the caveot. If reamed too much on the inside you create a cavity that leads to ultimate failure.