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Grips - Protection

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Does anyone know where I could purchase some reasonable clear covers for grips to keep them from getting soiled when a rod is used for demo.  (Tom Peters)

Golden Witch has them, I think at 5$. (Ralph Moon)

REC also carries the shrink wrap tubing for grips.  I bought 100 feet about 5 years ago and have been using it ever since.  Doesn't ??? Clark in the PNW sell some of the shrink wrap, too?   (Harry Boyd)

REC has clear shrink wrap for grips, don't remember how much.  (John Channer)

Down here  in the south, us rednecks use the plastic bag the Sunday paper comes in.   A little masking tape to hold it in place and you're set to go.

(I had one guy ask me if I was building rods with masking tape grips)

Seriously, I wouldn't use them for demos, but then I wouldn't use anything on my rod for a demo.  I think of all the plastic covered cork I see in Walmart.  ("You Rednecks keep your grubby hands off my clean rod!!!")  I cover mine strictly to keep them from getting soiled while I'm finishing the rod.  (Terry Kirkpatrick)

REC has shrink wrap for cork grips for $ 0.55 per foot.  (Bill Lamberson)

You might consider asking Chris Raine for some. Seems like I bought about  15 feet  or more for about five bucks.  (Mike Shay)

Try Golden Witch for some clear shrink wrap.  (Paul Blakley)

Where can I buy shrink wrap for my cork handles? (David Bolin)

2" flat stuff on Ebay.  (Jerry Foster)

Golden Witch has some or you may try this site www.shrinkwrapstore.com.  (Dave Cooper)

I am currently struggling with those clear plastic shrink sleeves.  I have tried all sorts of heat settings, distance etc with the heat gun but always end up with wrinkles and crinkles.  I even tried heating while rotating the rod in the lathe.

I would appreciate any hints, tips, secrets etc.  (Rick Hodges)

Fortunately, I only use the shrink wrap to keep  muck and dirt off  the grip while I finish the rod and I remove it before I deliver to the new owner.

But the way I cope with the same problem you outline is that I shout a lot and swear a lot.  Doesn't help with the uneven wrap, but makes me feel a bit better about it.

I guess that the problem is that shrink wrap big enough to fit over the thick bit is too big to shrink right down to fit the thin end. All the rest is as smooth as you would want it, but it gapes and wrinkles at the tapered end of the grip.  I buy my wrap from REC.  Maybe someone sells a product with a bit more variation built in.  Anybody?  (Peter McKean)

I have never tried these, but as a winemaker of many years I heat shrink those bottles capsules in water just under boiling and it works perfectly. At first, I did try to heat shrink these with a heat gun to no avail and matching your experience.

There is a heat gun type of device used commercially to shrink these capsules and it works by providing heat on all sides simultaneously.

That is the secret and also why slipping the dry capsule on the bottle top and inverting the bottle and dipping it in near boiling water for a count of about 3-5 will make a perfect unwrinkled heat shrunk capsule. The entire capsule must simultaneously shrink or it gets wrinkled.

I don't know the exact application you are using, but this may give you an idea.  Let us know please.  (Dave Burley)

I slide the shrink sleeve over the cork grip and then use a heat gun on high for shrinking the sleeve. I begin in the middle of the grip, always rotating the rod section and slowing working toward one end of the grip; be sure to keep the rod far enough from the heat source so the shrinking goes very slowly as you rotate.  The sleeve will shrink towards the end; that is where you want the sleeve to look all crinkled as it is pushed off the end of the cork; this part will be cut away when you are finished. Then go back to the middle and work toward the other end in the same way by rotating the rod grip while repeating the process to the opposite end of the grip. This approach works if you are careful and take your time; go slow is the watch word and always keep the rod rotating as you heat.  (Frank Paul)

I always do my shrink wrap in my lathe. I cut the wrap to extend 3/4" beyond both ends. My heat setting will be about 1/2. I start at the fattest part and as the wrap clings to the cork I move either way to the ends of the grip. The ends of the wrap will be wrinkled. I cut them off even with the ends of the cork. Takes about 15 seconds to shrink the wrap.  (Lee Koeser)

Thanks guys for all the input.  It looks like I have some experimenting to do.  I never thought about starting with the sleeve long and just cutting off the crinkled end.  I am also tempted to try cranking up the heat gun oven to about 175 and sticking the whole grip in.  Maybe I should try that on a practice piece first.  I will let you know how it works out.  (Rick Hodges)

Anyone out there have any experience with this Birkenstock Cork Life sealer product (or similar)?  Comes in a little jar w/applicator; non-latex; dries clear; used on cork shoe soles.  I used to use that rod builder's cork sealer, but never liked the dingy color it turns the new cork.  For those of you who do use some sort of sealer/protectant on cork grips, what do you use?  (Bob Brockett)

Barry Bauer got me to try U-40 - reluctantly.  Pleasantly surprised.  Works great.  Just be sure to use one coat only.  Otherwise, it starts to look coated if you goop it on.  (Darrol Groth)