Cork Reamer

shipnfish2006

shipnfish2006

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Joined
May 10, 2007
Messages
579
Where did you guys that build rods get your cork reamers? I checked lowes website and I saw that they have a 10" round file but I'm not sure if the diameter would be right or not. I'm kind of hesitant about ordering one from cabelas because I feel I can get the same thing somewhere else for cheaper.
 
If you have one, take an old rod blank, put some glue on it, and roll it in some coarse sandpaper grit.

When you buy them from cabela's that's all they are.

Here's a thread on some makeshift reamers as well.

http://www.rodbuildingforum.com/index.php?showtopic=16334

Although, the cabela's ones are less than seven dollars.

http://tinyurl.com/2o8cuy
 
I don't have any old blanks but i have a bunch of dow rods laying around, but I'm not sure how they'd work. I might just have to break down and get the ones from cabelas and have to wait until next weekend to start my rod.
 
As long as whatever you use is about the same diameter as the blank, you will be ok. If you ream the grip a little too wide, you can put a few rings of tape on the blank for a snug fit. I'd take a power sander to the dowels and see if you can get a good taper in them. I'm sure you can make it work.
 
I went to the local surpluse store and baught tapered files in various sizes for a quarter each. They don't have handles on them but they work. Problem with them it they don't file evenly and I often get handles that are shaved unevenly.
Also, check your local fly shop. They may have a laith and tapered drill bits and files you can use right there. That's what my local shop does, but somebody stole most of teh tapered bits.
The old rod blank/dowel rod things like a great idea. So much so, that on my next rod that's what I'mm going to use.
 
All of the above and I put tape on my blank when I epoxied it anyway. Just a couple rings to give it something to hold onto. I used a small round file.
 
Ok I think I have a good handle on the cork reamer. Now my next issue... Do you guys use regular epoxy for gluing the handles and reel seat to the blank or is there something special out there that works better?
 
Use the same epoxy you are using for the real seat. I use the flex-coat 2 hour epoxy and the 5 minute epoxy in the past. Be sure to sand the blank where the grip will go with 400 grit sandpaper in a circumferential (not up and down) the blank.

Reaming preformed handles is a pain in the $#!!!. I started with the cabelas reamers, then baught those expensive Batson dream reamers. I busted the smallest one in my drill. I try to hand ream most of the time but when doing a really long spey handel, you just need power tools at times. Now that I turn most of my own grips, I ream before I glue the rings together, whetehr it be on the blank or in my clamp. Its MUCH easier to ream one ring at a time.

I will say this, I have used the smallest cabelas cork reamer in a drill with good sucess. Just go slow and don't let it heat up too much. 10-15 seconds at a time.
 
I use devcon 2 part. It comes in a plunger style dispenser. It last for a dozen rods, give or take a couple.
It's like $2 at Walmart in the hardware section.

As an aside, Gander Mountain had the same product for for $14.
 
Just make sure your epoxy cures slow enough to be able to make any corrections in eh alignment. Once its set, its set.
 
Get a good set of reamers. Yes you can make a set but if you are not going to make your own handles making a mistake at 20 dollars a shot?? The choice is yours. I usually only use the smallest one and roll the cork in my hand with the reamer it takes a little longer but works for me. I don't and will never use a cork check so it has to be good or I start over. 5 min epoxy is the only way to go for me. I have used longer setting epoxy only to set the rod down and have the reel seat turned. I'll hold or watch for the 5 min.

Joe E
 
I do use a clamp with the 2 hour epoxy.

The great thing about rod building is that there are many ways to do it. You will make mistakes finding the way that works for you. Once you find the way that works for you, do it the same each and every time and you will get better and better results.
 
Wouldn't you know it I got home and it turns out my Dad had a tapered metal file that worked perfectly. I reamed out all of my cork and prefit all of it to see how it came together then epoxied the rear grip to the blank. I decided to let the rear grip set up then put the rod handle and foregrip on tomorrow night when I have more time. Hopefully I'll get to start on wraps this weekend if I can find some time.

Last assembly question (Actually really not even related to the assembly): When you're all finished and you apply your signature, rod info, and what not, do you guys do anything fancy around the information? I thought about wrapping thread at the beginning and at the end of the writing kind of as a decorative personalization to my rod. Then also do you put any epoxy over your name to "seal" in the writing?

Of all of the videos Ive watched and directions I've read none of them really get into any kind of detail about personalizing the base.
 
I like to put wraps around the personalization, then finish over the entire thing. You can put wraps at both ends if you want. I put the rod info (i didn't personalize) between the hook holder and the grip, so there were wraps there already. I just epoxied over that.

Also, you can personalize on a piece of scotch tape to make it look perfect, put that on, wrap the ends, and then finish over that. If you're careful, it will be invisible. It also allows you to mess up a few times when writing.
 
I typically put a wrap at each end. I use a fountain pen with acrylic ink and decals. Especially if using decals on a matte finished blank, make sure you put down a thin coat of finish beforehand. If using a label of any sort, make sure to apply the label from center to the edges working bubbles out as you go and all the edges well applied. In general, I think doing an inscription is easier to get a good result with than with decals........
 
Depending on what kind of pen/ink you use, it can be quite tricky to finish the rod. I use gell pen and the ink will smear when touched.
If you ink runs and doesn't dry completely, you will have to cover the lettering without actually touching the letters. The finish can touch it but not the bristles.
 
Yeah, that was the one area I wasn't completely satisfied with my rods. I mean, my handwriting is bad enough without having to do it 6 times over because I screwed it up when trying to finish over it. I let the signature dry for over 2 days on the last try and it still smeared. The good news is it will have no affect on the casting..
 
Thanks for the replies guys! I read on one of the websites that they use model car paint for the lettering. I'm not too sure how that stuff dries, but I like MKerns suggestion if it doesn't.

Thanks again guys, I'll post some pictures of it once I finish it. Which I doubt will be this weekend. Too much other stuff to do...
 
Signature wraps are special or should be special. Some are fancy and some not. I frame my signature on flat 1 and rod information on flat 2. If the rod is for someone than their name goes on flat 1 on the other side of mine also framed. I use a black 0.5 mm permanent marker.
 
This is what I do with trim wraps:
The first one is exactly 14" from the but of the rod. Then the infor I write goes in that spot.
If I build a rod for someone else or to sell, another (elaborate)wrap goes at 20".
If I build for myself, I put small wraps matching the colors I use in concentric order at 16", 18", and 20". This acts as a ruler on the rod and verifies the large fish I catch; which is not very many.

Of course you could go all the way to the stripper guide in any incriment of measure you like.
 
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