Hey, stupid question but has anyone ever tried turning the bottom handle glued to the blank and with the tapered part of the blank in the chuck? So the male ferrule in the chuck instead of the typical butt section. I'm trying to find ways of turning the bottom handle without having to use a butt cap or cutting a plug to fill in the bored hole. I have a power wrapper so I could use some supports to hold the blank still? Or would the blank spin too oddly? Thanks!

Yes, I've one it many times. Put some tape around the ferrule to protect it and don't over-tighten the chuck. The rod may have a tendency to "walk" out of the chuck so take care and go easy.

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Sid,
One can do it, but one needs to have rod rests set up on the back end of the lathe to support the blank and to keep it from whipping and destroying the blank.

Of course, you need to have the length to accommodate the length of the blank and then the lathe on the bench.

Another option, if you want to do this idea in a reasonable way is to use arbors on the blank so that the blank is a constant diameter from the butt of the blank up to the front of the rear grip.

Then, you can do this job in a very simple fashion if you just use a constant diameter piece of stock that is made to be the same diameter as the built up rod butt. You can easily do this by using masking take to build up the piece of solid stock that you chuck into the lathe.

Then, you can use a rod rest near the butt end of the rod, to completely support the butt grip as you turn the butt of the grip.

By using this technique, you don't risk damaging the rod blank, since you don't have the grip on the blank when you turn the butt section of the rod grip.

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Although all of these methods work - they are time consuming and in the one case risk damaging the rod blank. So, I have found that it is just so much easier and you achieve essentially equal results by turning the grip in the lathe with a hole bored into the end of the grip to accommodate the turning shaft. Then, use a tapered plug to plug the turning hole after finishing the grip. Then, simply sand the hole flush after finishing.

Another option that I used for many years would be to cut a tenon into the end of the grip as it is being turned either on the lathe or on the blank. Then, a nice fitting butt cap is made and sized to fit perfectly on the grip over the tenon. Finally, the butt cap is glued onto the tenon at the end of the grip and you are finished.

Good luck

Are you making the end of the bottom grip out of cork, wood, or what?

The bottom grip will be natural and rubberized cork so it shouldn't take much to sand it down.

Thanks for the input guys. I have a power wrapper that I plan on using to turn the grip and it has 3 supports that I could use to support the blank.

Sid,
No brainer - I do it all the time. BUT do not put the male ferrule into the chuck.
I have a procedure that connects the male ferrule to the chuck without ANY chance of damage.

Email me for an explanation if interested.
Simple procedure but too long to go into it here and I want to insure that you don't do it incorrectly that is why I will not do it here. We will probably have to go back and forth a bit with our communication..
Herb

You can slide a snug fitting thick rubber hose section over the male ferrule and chuck the empty end of the hose, if you're worried about damaging the ferrule.

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Sid,
If you are using natural or rubberized cork, it is so simple to just ream a hole in the ring that is being used for the butt cap.
Glue it up at the same time as the rest of the grip.

Turn and shape the butt cap at the same time as the grip.

Finally, take the grip off the lathe, make a tapered plug to fit the hole, glue it in and sand it flush.

I have tried all sorts of shaping the grip with the complete butt cap in place, but the plug is so simple that any other method really does not warrant the effort.

Be safe

I use a set of inexpensive plug cutters to cut a plug out of a solid piece of matching cork and then taper the end for a tight fit into the hole at the end of the grip.

[www.harborfreight.com]

Even if you only use the plug cutter/s a few times it is worth the investment to just have on hand.

Place the appropriate sized cutter in your drill press. Place a matching solid cork ring under the cutter and quickly cut the necessary plug.

Be safe

I solved the same problem by making a few short mandrels out of bar stock. I select the mandrel that is slightly larger than the butt OD and plan to do a little shimming at the front end of the rear grip as it all mounts from the back.

I bore a hole in the last rubberized about 1/3 of the way through, then pre-drill the other rings and mount them on the mandrel. Glue up and clamp as normal. Turn on the lathe, keeping the mandrel short. Shim the front half of the grip to fit as you mount it to ensure a good bond. The amount of shimming will depend on the taper of the blank from the butt OD to the OD at the front of the grip.

Always more than one solution to our rod building challenges. Use what works best for you.

Terry

Thanks guys! I'll be gluing up the handle this weekend so I'll give it a go! Herb, email sent! Thanks.

Sid ...

What Tom said about the rubber hose is money <> Much better then tape

We lathe mill all grip upper and lower assemblies on the blank for all of our two handed rods, and have done literally thousands this way.

One stabilizer/roller on the reel seat, another in the field ... Male end secured to the power head using a three dog chuck.

Our lathe bench has a jug full of various ID cut to length hose sections to allow a snug fit over the male end.

We cut them 1.5" or so

Make sure the hose material used is not too ridgid, and have rather thick walls. We use fuel or air line hose material ... These are perfect.

Avoid vinyl hose material (usually clear or red, somtimes black) ... Too thin, and too ridgid

... This is important <> If the hose material is too rigid, the dogs will not snug the hose to the blank.

If not snug <> The power head can then spin the hose on the blank which is "not good" !!!

Feel free to call if you have any questions.

Also, put about 6 turns of heavy duty painters tape under the rollers/stabilizers, this to dispurse heat and eliminate marring the blank and/or reel seat.

Have fun with the build.

Bob Meiser

Bob, you are simply the best! Thanks for all your help! Can't wait to finish the rod!