TackleKraft Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Hola. I was curious to see if anyone here has removed the cork foregrip from a rod that it's already on. I dont know what all goes into building a rod but it seems like it might could be removed to give a little more sensitivity/weight reduction. I'm not brave enough to slice into one of my own yet but figured someone might have gotten creative. -Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark G Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Here's a link to an article that shows the foregrip removal along with making a split grip and handle extension: http://www.georgescustomrods.com/split_your_grip.htm I hope that helps, mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TackleKraft Posted February 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Thanks that looks pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TackleKraft Posted February 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Please forgive my ignorance but when he says finish by wrapping with black thread..is this the same thread that you would wrap a jig skirt with? That seems like a lot of wraps..is this right? Although that could simple task for you rod builders...I have no idea. Thanks again -PreSchool Rod Wrapper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattman Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Please forgive my ignorance but when he says finish by wrapping with black thread..is this the same thread that you would wrap a jig skirt with? Well...rod building thread. I don't have any jig thread, but what I've seen is heavier gauge than a standard A sized rod building thread. It doesn't really matter though...just need something to cover up the ugly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedude Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 you can also paint the blank with testors model paint (i've read anyway)... either way you will need to use some flex-coat or similar epoxy finish to coat the newyly exposed blank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattman Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 Honestly...a blank doesn't need any coating. But...to get rid of all the ugly you'll create by ripping off a grip...you'll want to cover it with something. Paint, thread, shrink tube, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HookUp Posted February 15, 2008 Report Share Posted February 15, 2008 FYI Size A rod building thread works great on jigs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedude Posted February 15, 2008 Report Share Posted February 15, 2008 i just did this the other night. VERY easy. pretty much the same instructions as in the "split your grip" article. Once you have the cork off, sand the glue down as smooth as possible without getting down onto the blank and then use some size E wrapping thread (E is easier, but A works too). Finish it off w/ some flex-coat. I was even able to save the rubber winding check, which i just moved down against the reel seat once the cork was off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhorlings Posted February 15, 2008 Report Share Posted February 15, 2008 Awesome man! I was wondering how to get the BPS fore grip apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stream stalker Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 I am wondering the same thing! How much heat must you apply to the foregrip to loosen the cork? What kind of heat source can be used? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedude Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 no heat needed. the lighter in the pic is just sitting there because i'm messy and unorganized:lol: i use it to get bubbles out of the epoxy finish... all you need to get the cork off is a razor and some pliers... then a little sandpaper to remove the glue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stream stalker Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 Well, I gave it a shot last night. I took an old, cheap rod and went to work. I decided to split the grip and remove the foregrip. Everything you said was correct. I cut the cork with the utility knife and removed the cork with pliers. Now, when I got that done I began sanding the blank. Only problem was the glue, I found, was impossible to sand off. It seems the glue on the blank was not uniform, but was in big globs on the blank. I sanded and sanded but could only get very little of the glue off the blank. Now the split grip area of the blank had more glue than the foregrip. So after sanding as much as I could, I decided to just finish the job. Now, I did not have rod makers epoxy. All I had was five minute Devcon Epoxy. I figured what the heck, I am going to try it. I had bought some cheap, kids paint brushes at Wal Mart and squirted my two part expoxy out, mixed it, and took my paint brush and applied the expoxy. You know what, it worked quite well. No bubbles and provided a very nice shiney cover to the blank. The whole thing turned out better than I thought it would. I figured the first time I tried this it would be a disaster..........but it wasn't. Thanks "the dude" for all your help. I just wonder on the next rod I do if the glue will be that bad again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattman Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 Heating the old epoxy helps soften it. Then it can be scrapped off with a utility knife blade. I actually use a large #2 X-Acto. Thanks to Loomis and those Recoil guides...I redo a number of the BCR rods. Stripping everything off right down to the naked blank and then doing a whole new rod. A little heat does wonders for softening grip epoxy, thread epoxy and rod finish. I use an alcohol torch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedude Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 Heating the old epoxy helps soften it. Then it can be scrapped off with a utility knife blade. I actually use a large #2 X-Acto.Thanks to Loomis and those Recoil guides...I redo a number of the BCR rods. Stripping everything off right down to the naked blank and then doing a whole new rod. A little heat does wonders for softening grip epoxy, thread epoxy and rod finish. I use an alcohol torch. i will have to try that - do you ever have a problem with overheating the blank? I've always read (hence why i ask) that you could over heat the compound in the blank that bonds the graphite and it could weaken the blank so i've always been too scared to put a flame too close to it. I guess it wouldn't be a big deal behind the grip since there's no stress behind the reel seat really. Stream Stalker - i'm glad that it worked out for you with that epoxy! You can also try a small light-wire wheel for a dremel to get that glue off, just be gentle with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stream stalker Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 maybe I could not remove the glue because I was not using tough enough sandpaper? I was using medium grade...........what do you use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feldermannLures Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 after reading this thread, i decided to do this to an old Bass Pro rod i had laying around, turned out pretty nice, I'll post pics later. I went to Lowe's and picked up a heat gun for $24 to loosen up the epoxy from the grips, it worked great. After heating, the epoxy came right off and I was able to smooth it out using some fine sandpaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhorlings Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 I get back into town from Mexico (all business... no fun) this weekend and will be doing it to at least one of my rods. I do not have the flex-coat yet though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattman Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 An alcohol torch allows you to "puff" heat in a concentrated spot. You can slowly bring something up to temperature then. And the epoxy you are trying to remove will actually start to smolder and burn if you get it too hot. At the fist whisp of smoke, stop heating and your blank will still be just fine. Sand paper just isn't the best thing to remove glue with. Probably one of the last things I'd reach for. Either the glue is too resiliant and the paper can't do its job because the glue gives too much and when it does come off it clogs your paper, or the glue is too hard and removes the grit from the paper. Heat does a good job softening up for a scraper to do a good job. A scraper held at 90 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HookUp Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Yo dude. Another thing you could have done was bailed on the winding check and put in a tapered epoxy ramp. Use 5-min and slowly build up in steps. I got some detailed instructions around someplace if you like. PM me and I'll remember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedude Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Yo dude.Another thing you could have done was bailed on the winding check and put in a tapered epoxy ramp. Use 5-min and slowly build up in steps. I got some detailed instructions around someplace if you like. PM me and I'll remember. i've used those on a couple ice rods before - nice thing about the checks on the BPS rods is they are the exact size of the front of the reel seat so just slide 'em down and presto! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
