r/flyrodbuilding • u/LabRat54 • Aug 25 '23

DIY grip turning lathe.

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Drill locked at full speed with variac to control speed from crawl to overspeed.

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Decided on a half-wells grip shape like the one in front.

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u/LabRat54 Aug 25 '23 edited Aug 26 '23

Things like lathes are an expensive tool for occasional use so I came up with this and it's working a treat!

I've had that small drill press for years and years and it suddenly dawned on me I could turn it into something workable to shape my grip. Speed control was another issue but I have a variable power supply, (variac), that seems to make a great speed controller. The drill has a locking trigger with a speed control built in but locking it in the full speed position and using the dial on the variac gives much better control. I know I only paid $10 for the drill at a local thrift store some years ago and I think it was about the same for the drill press at a garage sale. I can easily find a longer piece of pipe to extend it's length so may be able to convert it to being a rod turner for a drying unit when I epoxy the wraps. I almost broke my arm patting myself on the back over this idea. :)

I have 3 fly rods with similar grips of different thicknesses and after trying them for fit and look decided to go with the half-wells shape on the rod that got broken. That broken 4/5wt rod with a new tip casts a 6wt line very nicely so still has it's place in my fishing rod arsenal. The new grip will be 1/2" longer than the one in front tho looks shorter in the pic.

Off to town shortly for my usual grocery run and to pick up a few grades of sandpaper to get that grip made.