So it Saturday and I’m not fishing, decide to revamp one of my old Conoflex rods. Good old fiberglass composite 3m on the dot but it’s heavy so I decide to take off the sponge grip which seems to be extra ordinarily thick. And behold, underneath the sponge there is an Aluminum/Alloy tube covering, I guess this explains why the rod was so heavy! Back in the day weight was certainly not an issue. I’m going to remove it, just hope the blank runs through the grip.
Conoflex grip
- Thread starter DJP
- Start date
Compass Two
New member
Best of luck with the refurbishment.
Those old Conoflex were heavy due to the resin content mostly, and, depending on the model, they came with aircraft quality aluminium handle of 1 and 8th or 1 and a 4th inch in diameter...
The usual construction, was that the blank was epoxied to either an inner fit, to a depth of about 5 inches, or, there was another method which the blank was epoxied to a spigot which in turn, was epoxied into the Dural handle.
Oh, and that Duplon sponge had to be thick, because it was notoriously difficult to work it to shape, in thickness less than 3/8ths inch.
So, if you had a 1 and a 1/4 handle, plus the sponge grip, then you needed massive hands to be able to hold both the handle and the reel, if using it in the reel-up position.
rgds
Compass Two
Those old Conoflex were heavy due to the resin content mostly, and, depending on the model, they came with aircraft quality aluminium handle of 1 and 8th or 1 and a 4th inch in diameter...
The usual construction, was that the blank was epoxied to either an inner fit, to a depth of about 5 inches, or, there was another method which the blank was epoxied to a spigot which in turn, was epoxied into the Dural handle.
Oh, and that Duplon sponge had to be thick, because it was notoriously difficult to work it to shape, in thickness less than 3/8ths inch.
So, if you had a 1 and a 1/4 handle, plus the sponge grip, then you needed massive hands to be able to hold both the handle and the reel, if using it in the reel-up position.
rgds
Compass Two
Thanks Compass Two, and welcome to Sealine!
That is more info than I bargained on, I've decided to keep the aluminum on, I just removed the sponge and the grip seems the right diameter now. I'm just going to cover it with the soft part of Velcro for grip.
I want to use the rod for Yellow tail fishing so the extra lenght will help me with distance, because the rod has a very slow action I don't think the extra lenght will hamper the landing of fish. The extra weight I'll just have to manage, don't want to shorten the rod to 2.4m.
That is more info than I bargained on, I've decided to keep the aluminum on, I just removed the sponge and the grip seems the right diameter now. I'm just going to cover it with the soft part of Velcro for grip.
I want to use the rod for Yellow tail fishing so the extra lenght will help me with distance, because the rod has a very slow action I don't think the extra lenght will hamper the landing of fish. The extra weight I'll just have to manage, don't want to shorten the rod to 2.4m.
I'll fish with this rod untill I manage to break it! LOL!
So I finished my project yesterday, velcro grip 9guides instead of 6, Blackwood but (I stainded it dark Oak after the pics and then put marine varnish over to seal it sanded the rod down a bit (pp200, pp300). Cost me nothing cause had everything lying around.
I'm pretty chuffed, first time I changed all the guides on a rod and worked with velcro grip, havent cast it yet but hopefully I'll get to it as soon as the weather gets better.
So I finished my project yesterday, velcro grip 9guides instead of 6, Blackwood but (I stainded it dark Oak after the pics and then put marine varnish over to seal it sanded the rod down a bit (pp200, pp300). Cost me nothing cause had everything lying around.
I'm pretty chuffed, first time I changed all the guides on a rod and worked with velcro grip, havent cast it yet but hopefully I'll get to it as soon as the weather gets better.
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Mangi wrote:
In ons garage, wonderlike plek, kry random goed daar!
Weet Brights en Builders Warehouse verkoop dit het 6cm breedte (met gom) voor gebruik en 2.5cm agter (sonder gom). 2.5cm breedte werk makliker, maar die wat klaar gom aan het sit makliker op (hoop dit hou). My volgende projek gaan 'n elbe waverunner wees.
In ons garage, wonderlike plek, kry random goed daar!
Weet Brights en Builders Warehouse verkoop dit het 6cm breedte (met gom) voor gebruik en 2.5cm agter (sonder gom). 2.5cm breedte werk makliker, maar die wat klaar gom aan het sit makliker op (hoop dit hou). My volgende projek gaan 'n elbe waverunner wees.
Nice work, DJP!
In the past, most surf rods were constructed using the aluminium tubing for the butt section - this is not too bad as it provides good stiffness/ rigidity, the only real drawback being the diameter/ circumference and the possibility of corrosion when saltwater creeps in and does its thing.
That X-Flock shrink grip (like Enigma uses on the rods he builds) will work great over aluminium butt sections and probably provide a good seal against saltwater getting in ... looks good, too!
In the past, most surf rods were constructed using the aluminium tubing for the butt section - this is not too bad as it provides good stiffness/ rigidity, the only real drawback being the diameter/ circumference and the possibility of corrosion when saltwater creeps in and does its thing.
That X-Flock shrink grip (like Enigma uses on the rods he builds) will work great over aluminium butt sections and probably provide a good seal against saltwater getting in ... looks good, too!
