Built just a few rods so far but loving it. I messed up with an EVA rear and fore grip. 2 piece rod. Bottom half 28 inches and its tapered from 0.65 to 0.57(butt) (yes thicker up top). Foregrip 8 inches 1/2 diameter. Rear grip 14 inches 1/2 diameter. Did some reaming of the grip but not a ton. Mixed the resin part a and b accordingly and put a fair amt on. Had no luck at all sliding it more than just a few inches . Actually tried butting the rear grip on first from the bottom- no good. Then tried to put the fore grip on from the top. Is there a trick here or just need to ream more.
Help appreciated , thanks

I don't ream eva. Size the ID so it's as close as you can find...it'll stretch.

Slide it on the blank to see where it stops. Remove the grip, and then go several inches ABOVE that spot & liberally apply your epoxy. You will slide the grip down over the epoxy and spin it around. You are wanting to coat the inside of the grip. The epoxy will act as a lubricant, and you'll be able to slide it down the blank. It may not be super easy, but it will stretch and will eventually get where you want it.

Good luck.

Please refer to the FAQs page here for how to install EVA, easily.

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Can' t follow all of the instructions because:
The second piece of the rod is only 28 inches and between the rear grip , seat and foregrip it will take up the entire section. I will not have any rod to lube up prior to putting on either the rear grip or foregrip. Because the diameter of the rod is larger at the top (0.65inch compared to 0.57 butt ) of this second piece of rod I tried putting the rear grip on from the bottom. So when applying the grip I don't have any rod available where I can apply epoxy. After this failed , I tried putting the foregrip on from the top - again no rod to put epoxy on other than where it would fit.

Hope this makes some sense. Ordered more grips and going to try it again

Shoot, or do I put the 2 piece rod together (I tried installing the grips without the rod assembled) and then put the grip on according the the instructions above? If so, sorry for the rookie question. Im now thinking I should have assembled the rod

Well you could certainly do that. Or, put some epoxy inside the grip as well as on the blank. The trouble you're having is that the grip acts like a squeegee and is just pushing the epoxy (lubricant) down the blank ahead of it. If you can get epoxy between the grip and the blank, you'll find it goes on pretty easily.

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I think the key here is as Tom & I stated. Use something to get epoxy inside the grip. A wooden dowel or even the tip section of your rod will work. Just liberally coat the piece as I stated, slide the grip over it, and swirl it around inside the hole. Then it "should" slide much easier on your butt section.

Best of luck to you.

Mark,
For this case, I would simply ream the grip so that it is a nice slip fit over the blank - with no stretching. Coat the blank with epoxy as well as inside the grip and slide it on from the butt of the rod since the butt is smaller then the top of the grip will be.

In spite of advice to the contrary, I just don't like to stretch EVA and never have. I just install the grip as if the grip were a cork or other fixed diameter grip and it has worked very well for me over the years with no extra effort.

Choose the method and execute it well.

Be safe

Something that works for us is to do the epoxy above where the grip starts to "grab" the blank,
but also to pour a good amount of alcohol down the blank just above the top end of the grip before getting to the "grab" point.
Enough so there is a slight "trickle past the bottom end of the grip.
This helps lubricate the grip on down, yet will dissipate and the epoxy then sets up to secure the grip.
Use a clean rag to clean it all up afterwards.

Best wishes,
Ron Schneider
Schneider's Rod Shop
Mountain Home, Arkansas
[www.schneidersrods.com]
mtnron40@yahoo.com
870-424-3381

thanks for all the suggestions, I've already got a few guides on the top section (2-piece) of the rod so I'm not going to mess with it. There's no guides on the butt section so my plan is: I'm going to ream it closer than before , lube the heck out of the inside of it (something I didnt do before) and start from the butt section mounting the fore grip first, reel seat , then rear grip (again the diameter near the foregrip is larger than the rear grip by 1/16. I think I got a better feel for what I need to do.
Wish me luck. THanks

Sure, he can ream it. Buts also having issues getting g a .5"I'd Eva grip over a .51"od blank. I was just trying to point out the obvious...lubrication.

But what works for you works best. Different methods to reach the same end. That's never a bad thing for the masses.

Thanks Jay. Good point.. Emphasis on the lube which I clearly didn't do well last time. And as Tom said the grip I used acted like a squeegy and took the lube I had on the blank with it. That grip only moved an inch or two. Lesson learned - hopefully.

Installed the grips and real seat yesterday. This time a success. I reamed the 0.5ID a bit (rod diameter was 0.57 at the but and 0.65 at the proximal portion (2-piece) and lubed the heck out of it. Thats where I messed up previously as general instructions for doing this assume you have more rod to work with allowing the epoxy to inside the grip before it gets snug. I had a spare blank laying around that I used to slide the grip down first to get the epoxy inside. Much easier this go around and lesson learned. Thanks everbody!!!!

Great news, Mark. Success is always sweet. But the best part is the experience you'll carry forward to future projects.