Are there any good sources for large plugs for rubberized cork rings? I am using rubber rings as the hurt cap on handles I've been turning directly on the blank and outside of making my own it would be nice to find prefabricated plugs. Any help is much appreciated.

NOTE not all rubber cork rings are the same COLOR try your supplyer they might have just what you need
or make your own from one of your rubber rings or use a plane CORK ring [a touch of class] I think

William Sidney
AK

Nate,
I am not particularly excited on making my own plugs either.

But, if you do need to make plugs, this plug cutter works very well to do the job.

I just have some extra rings and use a drill press to drill out the size plug needed. i prefer to make the plug a bit large, and then use a reamer on the last ring so that the plug is a perfect fit. Depending on the ring, one can get one or more plug out of the ring. It helps if you can purchase some large rings with no hole in them for more material to use with the plug futter.



[www.harborfreight.com]

Adjust the speed of the drill press, so that you get good cutting; without over heating or destroying the pug you are trying to make.

I also like to use rubberized cork for the butt cap since it is such a tough material.

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Another option for a butt cap is to use a rubber chair leg cover. These come in different sizes and they turn down nicely. Then, one can turn a tenon onto the end of the rear grip and the correctly sized chair leg end cap will do a wonderful job of creating a butt cap.

If doing this, I generally make the butt caps about 1/2 inch wide. I turn down the cap on the lathe to the same size as the finished size of the rear grip - past the tenon. Then, when it is correct, I just use a ginsu knife, or a razor knife to trim the butt cap to its final thickness of about 1/2 inch. I use a piece of metal shafting of a near size to the inside of the butt cap - chucked into the chuck of the lathe. If necessary, add a bit of tape to build up the shafting to the size so that the chair leg cap is a friction fit onto the tape coated piece of shafting.

Chair leg caps like this are readily available at your local hardware or home improvement store.


[www.homedepot.com]

For the initial shaping, I just use 80 grit sand paper held against a sanding block to shape both the end as well as the sides of the cap to size.


Good luck