I need to do some cork repair on several older rods, hence I need a good cork filler that will hold up well. Mud Hole sells a Rod Builder's Cork Filler. Has anyone had any experience with this? Are there other products that I might look into. Thanks in advance. Clinton

I believe what they sell is Elmers wood paste or putty. Either that or similar products should be about as good as you can get. I do not think any of them will hold up forever.

Hello Clinton

Just go to the search button hit that and then type in cork filler, check "all dates" and you will have all the info you will ever need on cork filler.

Good Day!

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

The MH stuff used to be Elmer's Wood Filler - Golden Oak. You can buy it at WalMart or your local home improvement store just as easily.

Pretty much any filler is going to fall out with time. You could always experiment with epoxy mixed with cork dust. I've never been happy with the results I had, but I also haven't put a ton of time into that technique.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/19/2010 11:17AM by Alex Dziengielewski.

Alex has it right.
The filler that Mudhole sells is the Elmers Wood Filler - Golden Oak and it works about as any filler on the market or any that you might make up yourself using cork dust and various kinds of glue.

The thing to do when filling cork is to get the cork close to the finished shape and finish that you want. Then, use compressed air to really blow every thing out of the cork. You don't want any dust, debris or any loose pieces of anything in the cork.

If there is any dust, or any loose particles of anything in the cork, the filler will stick to the loose things and quickly fall out.

When using any filler to fill cork work in sections and firmly press the filler into the cork as tightly as possible. Especially for deep voids, you will have to fill them several times to get a good fill on the voids.

When I do handle work, I generally do the work on the lathe. The ability to quickly turn the handle helps a lot with the filling process. After I get the first good coat of filler on the cork, I will do a high speed wipe down of the cork with Xylene, or Acetone. Both of these products will cut the filler for removal of any surface filler. I will again, work in sections, wiping down the handle - often with the handle standing still - to remove the bulk of any of the filler that is on the unmarked surface of the handle.
Generally, when this initial coat dries, you will get shrinkage of the filler to some extent and the larger voids, if any - will need an additional fill of filler. Sometimes in one coat, sometimes in 2,3 4 or 5 coats you will have all of the voids nicely filled and still be a touch higher than the rest of the handle. Now, you can use a sanding block - sandpaper with a backing block on it to do a handle clean up. Be sure to use the backing block so that you don't sand out filler or parts of the handle that you don't want removed. If you use an unsupported piece of sandpaper during this final finish process, it is pretty easy to undercut parts of the handle that you don't want removed as you are restoring the rest of the handle to the finished appearance.

I would suggest that you experiment a bit on a scrap handle with filling and its different techniques, before you do it on a handle that you are going to use or sell. It is an easy process to do, just take your time and you will do all right.

p.s.

Often on the initial clean up of the filler, I will use a dull piece of wood as a scraper to remove the bulk of the filler that might be on the surface of the handle and not in the voids of the handle. If you do it when the filler is slightly damp, the filler cleans up quite quickly and it works better than sandpaper, because, sandpaper will quickly clog, if you are using sandpaper for the initial filler removal after the initial applicaion.

Take care
REW

Clinton,

I have been using the Elmers paste for several years and find it works very well. What will make all the difference in the world is your prep. I clean out all the craters and holes with a fine brush and then use a air hose to blow out any loose particulate that may be in any of the pits or holes. I have rods that have been in use for several years and they are holding up just fine. I do have about 4 or 5 different shades of paste to help match the handles I am working on.

Tight lines,

John Hernandez

Try Pit Paste, it's a Roddancer product and the best filler you will find.

Clinton What I do in a nut shell when I have bad pitted Cork is cut it out! An replace it with a fresh ring. Let it set over night and sand. If done correctly you make the old cork look new and the ring will never be seen

Good Wraps Bob

Bob,
That is fine, if you only have a singular bad spot in the handle.
But, most of todays lower quality cork handles have bad spots all along the length of the handle .

Roger

Roger with the system I use you can replace a whole 5 inch foregrip If I had a larger pot for water I could replace a whole 15 t018 inch rear grip without shimming one part. I have the system if you like. I hate fillers, because after a season of heavy use the filler will fall out.

Good Wraps Bob