Turning Cork

[Steven Wilson]

Turning cork, otherwise known as stupid lathe tricks. One my other hobbies is fishing and I decided to learn how to make my own rods. I thought I would include a picture of my first efforts. I turned the cork handles for the top and bottom rods after glueing up 1/2" thick cork rings to make the blanks. I have a couple of mandrels and you put the cork blank on the mandrel, chuck it up on the lathe, rough it out with a roughing gouge, and then do the final shapping with sandpaper (80 grit). Final sanding is 100-600 grit. The process goes real fast and requires good dust collection. The middle rod is a commercial handle assembly. I'm planing on building a couple of more with this style of handle so I thought I would use a commercially available handle as a model for future efforts. The cork rings for the top are a light cork / dark cork press up, the middle ones are normal light colored cork, the bottom is burl cork. It's kind of fun and something else you can do with a lathe.

[Robert Cox]

That top one is very striking.

I like it.


Shame though, that you wasted that burl on a fly rod...... :)

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Those are really cool! There is no end to the things that you can turn on a lathe!

Now who is going to turn the first cork bowl!?!? :)

[Jerry Clark]

Looks great I like the top one for color and style.

[Rick Prevett]

Cork bowl? I predict cork pens in 3....2.....1.....

[Gary Max]

Leather rings---nah-- leather would not like getting wet.--but I have seen leather pens and made cork ones.
I like the second one the best.

[Steve Inniss]

Steven,
Thanks for posting that -those grips look great.
I used to tie fly rods years ago, but purchased the grips which were all pretty standard.
Where do you buy your cork? -Steve

[Steven Wilson]

The rings used in the top came from Lamar reel seats; the bottoms ones from Cabela's. The middle rod's handle set (a St Croix part) and the other cork I have (for some Muskie rods I'm building) came from www.mudhole.com. I've also noticed that REC components sells some very nice FLOR grade cork that's rather expensive as are their fly rod seats.