I've wanted to do a nice foam/hypalon inlay in a rod handle since I saw the one that Billy V had with him of "sponge Bob square pants" in Charlotte last year. One thing or another just kept me from trying this handle beautification. Anyway - now I want to try this and I'm looking for any "how I do this" assistance for an inlay that I'd like to do - a fire-breathing dragon inlay. So - How do you remove the material under where the inlay will go? - OR What have you tried that didn't work as well as you'd hoped?
Is this easier to do in firm material (cork) than it is in EVA?

Good questions Ken. I too have a keen interest in learning the best way to do these type of foam inlays. I'll be very interested in the answers to your questions.

Ken, search here, last year or the year before I made a REALLY long post with basically how to. You can also send me an e-mail, when I get the time I'll asnwer the Q, and you can post here if you like. I'm making one pass through the boards, and am going to be busy the next couple of days or I'd just answer here.

You dig the grip under teh inlay out with an exacto knife. I use a dremel in a drill press, Mike Barkley posted a pic a month ago, and I posted the link to the other picture of it which Mike Joyce threw up in 2004.

Fire beathing dragon is possible, if you have a picture include it in the e-mail and I'll look at it and clean it up for you so you can use it in an inlay.

Ahhhh The power of the Dragon......Will look forward to seeing this one.

Thanks Billy, I'll do a search under your name. I did try a search but "inlays" returned a ton of unrelated stuff. I've posted the dragon - cut from blue foam ... working on the red/yellow flames now

Ken, you should have kept reading this post - LOL!!! I love reading old posts and seeing the person asking teh question actually posted on teh thread which I found with the info, lol.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Ken, this is old, but I really havent' done many inlays since. This info is how I personally do it, I'm sure there are other ways but I do get decent results. I'm gonna check the photos now. good luck & have fun!!

Thanks Billy! Maybe I'll get this done for Charlotte ! I'd love to get the dragon on a rod breathing fire