Custom Grip Part 2

Ok last time I parted of some Box Elder Burl rings that will be used in my custom grip. I cut them a little thicker than 3/8". The next thing I need to do is bore them out and get the surfaces flat and parallel. I have found the easiest way is to use a little tool I made up on my metal lathe which you can see in this first photo. It has a little nub left in the centre which fits into the bore of the ring. I can easily fit my hand over the metal button to flat sand each side. I measure with a vernier to make sure the ring is parallel. You don't need to use it on these thicker rings but I find it makes it more comfortable in your hand. It really comes into its own later on with the thin trim rings I am going to make.

I want to add some blue and white trim rings. The material I like to use for my trim rings is Corian. Ive got 1/2" thick sheets which I cut into squares with a slitting disc on a 4" grinder. I can chuck the squares in a 4 jaw chuck and centre bore them to fit my mandrel. Ive just shown the white rings here. The ring on the right has been put on the mandrel and turned round.

I can then take a 1/16"parting tool and cut the ring into several thinner rings.

Now back to my little tool again. As I want these rings to end up at .040" it would be very difficult to put even pressure on it or even to hold it for that matter. I can place the tool on the parted ring and sand in a circular motion on a pc of 120 grit paper. I use a vernier to measure the thickness as I go.

A finished ring at .040"

I have added the blue and white corian rings on either side of the Box Elder Burl. The front portion of the grip is Black Ash Burl, the middle is 1/2" Laguna Exotic Burl Cork. After parting and facing all the rings I put the unglued grip on my mandrel and rough turn the OD. The nut on the end of the mandrel squeezes the grip so it doesn't spin while turning.I always do this so I can get an idea if I like the colour scheme and layout. I find it hard to see when everything is rough looking. Its still plenty big and quite a bit of material still has to come off before I get to finished size. For this grip final OD will be approximately 1 3/16"

This is the fighting butt.

Notice the trim rings are nice and parallel and all the same thickness. I find taking care of the fine details is what really sets a grip off.

This is the grip before glue up. I have roughed turned a nice piece of Black Ash Burl which is going to be used for the reel seat. Here i get a final look to make sure I like everything before its glued.

Next job is to glue it up and bore it out to take the weight out of it. That's for another day. Come back and see how I do it.