I am now trying my hand a turning my own cork handles. So far; so good. I have encountered one problem for which I could use an answer. For the most part, I use sand paper to shape the handle, working my way from 60 grit down to 400 grit, progressively. I can put a tenon on the end of the handle without too much difficulty, but I am having trouble creating a nice sharp edge to the shoulder. I imagine that a 'gouge' would solve my problem, but I have no idea which sort of gouge I should acquire. I asked the guys at 'Woodcraft' and they just gave me a blank stare. (When I told them I was turning handles for fishing rods, they pulled up a youtube video and were stunned that it could be done with sandpaper. I found their revelation a bit disconcerting.) For those of you who do turn your own handles: what do you recommend? Additionally, I have also tried EVA foam. Would I use the same gouge for that, too? Thanks for the help.
Slainte,
Hunter

From ghoulies and ghosties,
and long leggedy beasties,
and things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord deliver us!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/14/2017 06:29PM by Hunter Armstrong.

Hunter

I've not used a gouge. I have used a file that I used for carving cork duck decoys and it worked OK. But I prefer sand paper strips and a sanding block.

The process I use is to apply several turns of masking tape to define the shoulder, cut strips of 60 or 80 grit paper with a width about equal to the length of the tenon, and turn down the tenon keeping the paper as close to the tape as possible. Then square up the shoulder of the tenon using a light touch with a sanding block. Finally touch the shoulder edge with a piece of 320 or 400 grit paper.

I rough my cork down with a round nose scraper. This is the only way to get it concentric - sandpaper tends to float over any hard areas. It does not cut equally all the way around the circumference. Start with some type of cutting tool.

[www.youtube.com]

You can get nice, square edges with a file held against the cork. Rough the shape in with your sandpaper, if you like, then use a file pressed against the shoulder edges to nicely square things up.



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

Hunter,
Correct on the use of a file.

I use a triangle shaped file or a flat file to cut the tenon.

The file will quickly cut through the cork, so be careful on the force that you use with the file because the cork can go very quickly.

Good luck

Thanks to all. A file does make sense.
Slainte,
Hunter

From ghoulies and ghosties,
and long leggedy beasties,
and things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord deliver us!

I use a file that is flat on one side and slightly round on the other. The trick is to turn the cork at high rpm. Use the file to shape then sandpaper to smooth out. To get a sharp edge where needed use a small block of wood under the sand paper. I have found a gouge tears up the cork too much.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/14/2017 06:41PM by Lance Schreckenbach.

sharp parting tool !

I use a parting tool to cut tenons. I use this thing to get it concentric, and into a close, rough shape.

[www.amazon.com]

Great tool

If you're looking for something just to square up and remove the radius from the corners of your tenons a skew gouge works well.

Working with cork, I have found that a file works many times better than any sort of gouge or parting tool.

Simply put, the file does not gouge up the cork.

Good luck

As Rodger stated the file doesn't rough up the cork or cause chip out .
with a file you can take it down to size and just glue it up as the little surface roughness gives the glue more surface area to adhere to.

The best day to be alive is always tomorrow !!
Think out side the box when all else fails !!!
Wi.

Best to get grip round and concentric is Stanley Surform halfround file.
LIGHTLY touch to cork as turning. Makes for very rough and pockmarked surface. So onlu use it to obtain roundness and then wet or dry.
Herb