Supplies cont'd, rod handle clamping jigs
Get some 1/2" threaded rods about 20 inches long, or as long as required based on the max length from your longest rod butt to the foregrip. Lock two nuts against each other on one end of the rods and bury the inside nut in a 2" x 6" piece of 1/2" plywood, with a spacing about 4 inches between the rods. Where the rod butt will rest I like to route out a depression to help hold it in place. Take a block the same size and drill two holes (same spacing) for the threaded rods and a hole about 1 inch diameter centered between the other two. This setup will be used to glue & clamp the rod handle on the rod.
Duplicate this same setup, but using the ¼” threaded rods, which closely match the hole diameter in your average cork ring. This will be used to glue cork rings together in small 4-6 inch lengths before reaming them out to go on the blank. The one setup for gluing up the cork sections will be sufficient, however as your building progresses you will want to make up a couple different length setups for clamping different length (rod butt to foregrip) rods handles up. I say that because running the screws up and down long threaded rods to accommodate all lengths gets time consuming.
In case I forget down the road, take a look at the picture on the right and make yourself a couple notes. That is the cork required to make up a 16 inch tenn. (no reel seat) handle for the 7 foot spinning rod I just finished. I glued them up in 4 independant sections, so they could be easily reemed out later to fit the blank. When set the cork on each side of the jig will separate in the middle, so you end up with 2 glued up handle sections on each side. At this stage be very careful you don't inadvertantly put glue between the sections. If you do, you will end up with 2 long sections, instead of the 4 short ones you wanted. It also works out better, although you can glue up in 2 separate clamps at the same time, if the cork sections are even.
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