My first attempt at reaming a cork handle resulted in a 1" split running lengthwise at mid point of the handle!
I made a reamer using a 3/4" wide 100 grit strip that I epoxied to an old salt water rod.
At first I teamed by hand for 1/2 hr and wasn't getting much done so I chimed the reamer in a cordless drill which is when the split occured!
Is this common with cork handles?
I got the handle kit from Mudhole.
Tom

You can't force anything into cork, nor force cork onto anything. Yes, it will split.

You have to work slowing and carefully. Fortunately, cork cuts easily so it doesn't require speed or power. Just simple hand work which goes quickly nonetheless.

.................

Get the 36 grit strips from mudhole and use it

Bill - willierods.com

Go to the link below and download the instructions for constructing reamers.
[www.mudhole.com]

Then go to the link below and note that the abrasive is wrapped in a spiral such that the space between each turn of abrasive is equal to the width of the abrasive tape.
[www.mudhole.com]

Go slow with the reaming - lower RPM for the drill and not so much pressure forcing the grip up the reamer. There is a lot of heat being generated and the torque is more than you might suspect. The material being removed from inside the grip has to go somewhere, so make certain the drill is turning so as to permit it to escape.

It is also best to run the drill in reverse so that the reamer does not "screw" itself into the grip!

Thanks for the quick replies and info!

I can see after reading the replies that my mistake was using to fine of an emery cloth and too much forcing the reamer into the handle.
The fine emery did heat up quite a bit when using the reamer in the drill and the emery soon became clogged with fine cork dust.

Also,I have read where some builders use round files as reamers but am a tad confused with this.
I have several round files starting with almost needle size for jewelry making all the way up to 1/2" or maybe even 5/8" round files but they only taper for a short distance and then become completely round which won't match the taper of a rod blank.Am I missing something with this?

I've never worked with cork before so this is all new to me!

Thanks again,,,
Tom

If you can make your reamers from blank sections of different sizes with the 36 I made mine so to fit my drill If too large for the chuck I added a section of smaller size glued into the end ( check for straightness IMPORTANT ) I roll them on my wrapper rollers to check If off center it will wobble
The grips fit better with the Tapered sections as blanks are also tapered

Bill - willierods.com

Tom

Yes, you certainly can use round or rat tail files to ream a cork grip. It's not as easy or quick as a reamer, but it can be done.

Put the turned grip on the bench, insert the file, then made 3 or 4 passes through the grip, all at the same place. Then roll the grip just a bit and repeat. By filing & rolling, filing & rolling you can ream the grip ti fit without being off center. Again, it's not the easy way, but it works.

Unless you are very fortunate, a reamer's taper will rarely exactly match the taper of the blank. So, use a reamer to get close then finish with a file.

Below is a link to a Flex Coat 'how to' video using a power reamer.
[www.flexcoat.com]

I also wrap my grip tightly with painter's tape before reaming. I still ream slowly with a drill, but it keeps the grip from twisting.

Thomas,
I use only round files to ream grips.
You are right that files are only tapered for a certain distance. But, by keeping a variety of files on hand, you can ream the part of the grip that you need to the size that you need.

I use corded variable speed drills running in reverse when I ream grips. By running in reverse, the file does not screw itself into the grip and split the grip. Rather, the file is forced into the grip while it is spinning backward, removing cork as it goes.

I also keep a blow gun with a 10 inch smaller nozzle that will fit all of the way into a grip as it is being reamed out. Every few seconds, the file is removed, and the air compressor and high pressure air is used to blow the dust out of the grip.
If there is a butt cap on the end of the cap, I use the blow gun nozzle to get to the bottom of the hole, so that the dust is blown from the bottom of the hole up and out of the hole.

A picture of the files that I use when reaming grips:
[www.rodbuilding.org]

To get the files to look like this, I will use a chop saw with an abrasive wheel on the saw to cut the handle end off of the file.
Then, I put the file into my lathe chuck and after insuring that the file is running true, use a grinder to shape the end of the file to a true circular end so that it may be chucked into a drill and have the file run true with no wobbles.

I also grind a point onto the end of the file and grind a cutting tip into the end of the file as well.

Then, I just select the file needed to do the reaming at hand.

I normally have 3 corded variable speed drills plugged in and on hand with a different file in each drill. Then, I use the appropriate file as needed to do the reaming for the part of the handle that is being reamed at the time.

Normally, it will take me two or three minutes to ream and true up a typical cork handle.

For wood handles, I simply drill out the center hole as needed to accommodate the largest part of the blank. Then, I arbor up the rest of the blank with masking tape to have a uniform fit of the blank into the handle:

A picture of the lathe setup drilling out the center hole of a wood grip for a blank:

[www.rodbuilding.org]

I also have a variety of aircraft extension bits that are 12, 15 and 18 inches in length to be able to do deep drilling as needed to quickly clear out center holes.

Be safe



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/2016 11:57AM by roger wilson.

Being that I just got into rod building I don't have a "stash" of old rods to make reamers out of.
Trying to match the exact taper is next to impossible at this point.
Although I've read bad reviews on the reamer set that Mudhole sells I ordered a set to at least get my feet wet and I can move on to other options once I get the feel of the whole reaming thing.

I think this will give me options using files and reamers.

I bought 4 old rods for $12.00 and 3 other old rods for $5.00 at 2 different flea markets but after using a micrometer and calipers to check the tapers,none of them match the rod I'm building.
I found 1 that was close and that's the one I made the homemade reamer (that failed) out of.

I watched the Flex Coat reaming video and they make it look very easy to do!
Kinda like watching a figure skater in the Olympics,,,,looks easy but you don't know how difficult it is until you get on the ice and take a few falls!

Thanks again for all the help and info!
Tom

what ever way you finish up using go slow an keep the dust out of the hole it will bind up , the flew coat is the best way but I am a small builder an don't have a lot pf old rods
[I have none ] Lot depends on how long the handle is , I use Mud hold, wands , files , an the series 5 wands with the handle no one works for me I use them all

William Sidney
AK