flechero

There are several ways to turn cork... You can buy a lathe or set up an old drill for a cheap and easy cork turning station. The pics show a drill mounted to a board with a dryer vent's hose clamp. I turn most of my grips on this one. I use a 1/4" mandrel or a 1/2" mandrel (the 1/2" is made from a high grade bolt with the head removed and size trued.) this one is the set up clamped to a rubbermaid bin to catch the debris and showing the tools I use for shaping. I start with the sureform (cheese grater) to remove epoxy and quickly reduce size - then to the drywall screen for almost all the final sizing and any contours or rounding... I have better luck doing this part by freehand than with any jigs. After that it depends on who it's for if I go to sandpaper. The correct speed with a drywall screen leaves a velvet like texture that I like. You can put a coat of automotive wax on the mandrel to prevent sticking of the epoxy or if you are careful you can glue up on a 1/4" threaded rod or bolt with a wing nut. I always get a little on the bolt but it breaks loos easily enough if I hold the bolt head with a wrench and "unscrew" the cork. ...lol Good luck, have fun and don't forget... to take pics along the way! Keith

We call them Bullets. It's a local thing... after getting used to hearing it all the time, I started calling them Bullets also. Coincidently, we also call the 8oz "blue" cans- bullets... :

I think you will be shocked at how long you can go on 6 gallons. The boats I have used with portable 6 gal tanks (and there have been many) will go a LONG way.

I am hoping his is the same way... He has to pull his weight and save the family some money, also! ;D

Nothing too fancy... What I drive: 2002 GMC ext. cab 4x4 What I want: another one- but with about 110,000 fewer miles on it and no tear on the driver's seat, arm rest! ...lol

Maybe she'll be cool with the old- "but honey, I saved almost $100 bucks on it!" ;D

Try searching for a link that was posted in the past, they compared a bunch of different lines for stretch and break strength vs. # ratings. Surely someone saved that.

Recurves (and longbow) for me!

Kind of what I was thinking... I figured he would have already been in.

Yup, it's common in the McLennan county area! ...lol

Yes, I always reshape the feet. Among other things, it helps the thread climb up more evenly. I use a small needle files on the ramp and chainsaw files on the bottom to shape for the blank. It only takes about 30-60 seconds per guide foot, once you get the hang of it. The only caution I have is that if you file or grind it "too perfect" you'll have a very sharp edge which could cause a blank failure later. (400-600 grip paper can be used to round back out the sharp edge) And on black guides, I always re-color them for consistency.

LH retrieve reels were not available when most of the older pros started out. I couldn't say when they started to become easy to find but I never noticed them until sometime in the early 90's.

Ronnie is a class act, I bet he calls it good. We all screw up now and then. Anyone seen the kettle?

Are you kidding??? Holy cow!!

So is pass interference. But it changes the outcome of games all the time.

+1

It's obvious that what I was thinking, isn't making sense to some. This was a pretty innocent topic that lost traction. Perhaps I tee'd it up wrong, perhaps it was something else. Probably best, as a group discussion on starting it off wright isn't working. It wasn't a rant though.

Zel, I won't cite specific posts, people or threads. It wasn't actually directed at anyone, just a general trend that seems to be on the rise. Something I have noticed for a while and a few friends who lurk only have also mentioned this as a reason they are visiting less. Wow, you completely missed the point. I could be doing other things than just trying to irritate 10,000 people... 9,980 of which I don't know. If no one cared because "it's the internet" this place would be no better than that place nwga ended up. Sad. So this place is no better than bassmaster? I'm surprised that you, as a mod, would say that. Or was that a polite way of saying I'm welcome to leave? My whole point is that the reason this place is touted as the bast bass fishing site is that there didn't used to be so much of the "typical" forum behavior. I didn't say this place was bad, or even close to that... just a trend of "sudden expertism" seemed to be on the rise. BR is still the best, IMO, but the mile wide margin has closed a few feet. I'm sorry if that steps on a few toes. :-/

The intent is not to call anyone out. I purposely did not mention any specific threads or people... at most it's a subtle reminder to be mindful of the question asked or consider the needs of the original poster over our own bias.

Seems like we've had a population explosion of experts at BR!! Maybe I have learned less than I thought over the past 25 years. :-/ I'm amazed at how many people went from novice to sudden expert in some cases just a few short months (or a few hundred posts). I'm learning lots of new "facts" about guides, cork, blank power and action, rod design and all sorts of other rod and reel related info..... it's like starting over! In all seriousness, I feel bad for those who are just starting out and look to us for info... much of the advice lately has been poor. Somewhere between price and preference, many people have lost the ability to suggest based on an original poster's needs. Sorry for the rant, it's been bugging me for a while. I figured that since it was rod/reel related, I'd post in this forum. (although there is a perfect, topic based, Mod opportunity, left wide open) ...lol

Yes, Alconites are rated to handle braid. (any # test) Actually it's the lighter braid that is worse, the smaller diameter is harder on a guide. Alconites are fine for your application.

Ok, you said you'd post the number or order details once you got yours... I "need" a set. ;D Would you mind posting the source, or if not will you PM me the source? Do you know what the IPT is with the 5.4:1 gear? Thanks

Assuming you measured 1 to 1 as the instructions call for, could you have mistakenly used/bought the Devcon 90 second, 2 minute or the 5 minute epoxy? I have only seen the 90 second epoxy set that fast. Sounds like you either bought the wrong one or got a mismarked unit. I also use the fluorescent bulbs when in the garage and haven't had any reaction. The epoxy sets by chemical reaction, which throws off heat, the heat itself is not the setting property per say. There are certain slow set epoxies that can be greatly accelerated with added heat. (Smooth-On and a few others come to mind) but I haven't seen Devcon differ more than a few minutes (3-5) in the "30 minute epoxy"

Way to sum it up!

You think avid and I could even get the boat in the water before it got called on political or religious grounds? ;D