Grommets
 

These things annoy me and thus I haven't installed them on any of my hardwood plugs. As for my pine stuff, It looks like they may be necessary, but I'm experimenting on some of my pine stuff with 1/4" holes and using 330# krok swivels which are pretty narrow and fit perfectly in a 1/4 hole. Add the epoxy coat for toughness and it makes me wonder if you even need these things at all, even on pine?
Lets hear some opinions...are grommets like chrome on a Harley(just for show) or do they provide meaningful protection?

I'm assuming you are referring to belly grommets which are not necessary. They help to protect the swivel holes from breaking down and dress up the plug. I think it just comes down to personal preference.

For mysel I countersink the holes and forget about it. If I'm trying to make a pretty plug I'll use a grommet. I seal w/epoxy though, so even cedar gets pretty stong after sealing. If sealing with another method I may make a different choice.

Look at builders such as Habs and Tattoo. Both have great fish catching plugs that last, and no belly grommets.

necessary, probably not. i think they are more than just window dressing though. they help protect the wood from getting split and splintered in a critical area, lots of abrasion and contact there, especially on a plug that sees a lot of water, action and fish. for the low price and ease of installation, considering all the time i put into each plug, why not give them that extra edge? i don't do it for looks, i paint over a lot of mine anyway.

I like using them! I like a nice finished look to my plugs! I guess you either like them or you don't! Some guys think the swivel bangs against the grommets and adds a little "tick, tick" to the sound of the plug?? I guess there might be something to that! I just enjoy using them!:uhuh:

You spend $2000.00 building a plug whats another 2 cents .:rotf2::rotf2:

Do you! love! grommets! as much as you! do! the exclamation poiint?!!!!!!!!!!

They work ..keeps swivel from wearing out wood .
easy enough to install ..just be careful I ran into a situation where .341 grom's were not same size as others . both diameter and depth .
Just make a test hole and heck for fit [separate pc of scrap]

i like em , don't luv em, like em

Yup! I do!!:uhuh:

No grommets for me, I epoxied a ball rasp into a handle and just ease the edges of the 5/16 hole.

i read that and laugh....then cry at the truth of it!:biglaugh:

I tend to only use the belly grometts on boutique plugs

I use them on everything accept thin profiled Needlefish....I just like the clean look they give.

Kevin.....use these.>!!!!!:rotf2:

I use them, but paint then in so they don't show .. I fit them tight and then marine epoxy them in .. I feel the are needed under the weight of the fish to prevent the barrel swivel from working on the edge of the hole .

You need a grommitizer, then you'd like them.

Guess i will have to make some more.I just left the toolroom lu tools are being produced.:uhuh:

Lu, I'd use them more if I had a tool that would crimp them in place . I tried makiing a tool like that out of a pair of split ring pliers(not the kind of split rings we use on hooks).
Do you make a tool such as this? maybe I could make you something:huh: a spray booth or something

Snap ring pliers?

I was thinking about this for a while, just haven't run out and bought a sacraficial pair to try it. I wanted to put them in like the old CCB ones that have the dimples to hold them in.

Sure would like to see the Lu tool that shapes them as well.:uhuh:

ya that's it Bill, snap ring pliers

it didn't work so well, I used a cheap pair

I'm pretty sure Stan Gibbs and Stan Kuzia came up with something. I'm just not good at toolmaking.

Get a brad point drill of the correct fractional size and the grommet fits tight enough that once epoxied it isn't coming out. When you bend the grommet in the grommitizer it becomes slightly oval which makes it fit tightly.

You can grind the tips of a snap ring plier to put a dimple inside the grommet instead (NIB's method).

Here is a simple grommitizer you can make for yourself (Lu's is better) http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripert...ommitizer.html

Heddon used grommets, or cups originaly to help protect the plugs from hook damage, the grommet protects the area around the swivel from being damaged and thus allowing water to enter through the damaged area, thus splitting the plug..weather this actualy works or not, who knows.. I use them and have a step drill that does the drilling and spot facing in one shot...., IMHO, a plug without grommets in the belly holes looks un finished...

Funny you mention this i have a great idea for putting dimples in the grommets i am going down a list of tools i am trying to finish as soon as i get these done i will make you one Bruce you can give me your opinion on it.I will try to get a rough one made by plugfest at the least you will get a good laugh out of it as it will probably have a bunch of gears and levers.:wall:

My two old musso plugs look like the grommets were punched from the inside and were a real bitch to get out. The inner wall of the grommet looked like it was punched into the body of the hook hole and seemed to work well, so I understand what you're saying. Not sure musso did this or if the previous owner of my plugs did, but its a good idea.

if you use the right size drill there is no need for any tools. Look to letter size drills also and 64th sizes. I also do most of my machining off the belly holes so I need them to be precision. Mine go in snug and after epoxy I challenge anyone to remove them, without ruining the plug. Every time I see Stan K. he tells me about that tool, been well over a 15 years now. I just tell him to use the right size drill:).I am also not a fan of the counter bored hole look. i like the smooth grommetized look much better, but to each his own. just my useless 2 cents, peanut gallery, devils advocate, observation.:fishin:

I didn't use them on my maple stuff last year and I did not have any problems.

For plugs with a lot of action like poppers and pencils I think they do offer protection to the wood around the belly holes which takes lots of abuse form the swinging hooks.. For swimming plugs I like them as they distribute a little more weight on the belly of the plug which should lessen roll.

I countersunk mine this year so I don't have to deal with rounding them over. I've painted them before but sometimes the paint chips off the grommets

Good advice Paul...most of my belly holes were done before I had the grommets in hand. I drilled the belly holes based on the grommet specs, but they were in 1/16 increments, not 1/64. Needless to say if I asked you this question weeks ago I wouldn't have started this thread, my grommets would be tighter fitting, and perhaps my disdain for them would be less...:huh:

Lesson learned is always consult the Professor first....:think:

Be-ing a Hand Carver :smash:I like using them! it gives MY PLUGS a nice finished look . I need all the HELP I can get.:uhuh:
GOOD LUCK GOOD PLUGGIN:buds: