Belly grommets: yea or nay

[nightfighter]

I seem to have received or traded for a number of plugs that do not utilize belly grommets. Thoughts. Pros/cons.

[stripermaineiac]

I've used a load of wooden plugs over the years an everyone that didn't have a belly grommet or one that wasn't epoxied in looks like someone took a saw to the wood around the belly hole. for what it cost in time an effort an price of grommet it's cheap insurance. The plug holds up better an longer. Plus the broken wood lets water soak into the plug and get under the sealer you soak with. Eventually the paint job will fail too. Just my 2 cents. Ron

[Ed White]

When I started epoxy sealing I was told that the epoxy firms up the wood enough to eliminate the need for the belly grommets, and this seems to be true, none of the plugs I made without them seem to have suffered any noticeable damage or water intrusion. Another benefit is less galvanic corrosion caused by the dissimilar metals in close proximity to each other, hooks/swivel/grommet. If I can find one of those plugs that's not hooked to another hundred plugs I'll try to get a picture.
With all that said, I still like belly grommets, I think they finish the hook holes nicely.

[BigFish]

I agree with everything stated above....I love a nice, finished, professional look and durability!! I take pride in the finished plug and grommets finish the look! Doesn't matter as far as improved fishing or not but......nice to have a little extra glint of metal from time to time?

[The Dad Fisherman]

I like the clean look they give on a finished plug. They help with the softer woods to keep them from fraying around the hole....Hard woods can take the abuse better.

[Chunkah]

I like the finished look they provide and the insurance it gives me against damage when using softer woods. A 1/2" forstner bit recesses them nicely and Duco Cement seats them securely.
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[Slipknot]

sometimes I use them and other times I do not, I guess it depends on the plug.

I don't usually use them on a hardwood needlefish

one thing I hate is when using a plug and the grommet comes loose and hangs there

wish I had a tool to crimp the inside of the grommet

[stripermaineiac]

I use a dab of epoxy to hold mine in. Plus they're epoxied over to add a bit. Epoxy is a good quick fix when one comes loose. Ron

[Rockfish9]

IMHO.. a plug without belly gromets looks unfinnished... also, they do serve a purpose.. they protect the end grain that is created by drilling that hole for the swivel...galvanic corrosion only occures when you use brass swivels on stainless wire.. and then only if the swivel lays on the gromet.. aside from that.. the gromet has little or nbo effect on the corrosion...if you use a # drill and press fit the gromet with dab of epoxy , then epoxy the plug.. good luck getting them out... I agree with slip though.. nothing more annoying or ugly as a belly gromet dangling on a hook...

[JohnnySaxatilis]

Originally Posted by Slipknot

one thing I hate is when using a plug and the grommet comes loose and hangs there

wish I had a tool to crimp the inside of the grommet

First thing that came to my mind, wicked annoying and has happened on the few plugs i carry with the grommets

[piemma]

Originally Posted by nightfighter

I seem to have received or traded for a number of plugs that do not utilize belly grommets. Thoughts. Pros/cons.

I have probably made a couple a thousand plugs and never use a belly grommet.
I do use a drill bit on the hole after I drill it that flairs the hole out so the swivel doesn't get hung up on it if it were a straight hole. As for the paint wearing and water soaking in, that's why I use AYC. Cedar doesn't absorb water.

[stripermaineiac]

True about the ayc but that's goin to become hard to get acording to what a few of the suppliers are posting and what the wood managers in Washington state are claiming.

[BigFish]

If the grommet hole is snug and you swirl some Devcon 2 ton epoxy around the wall of the grommet hole then put the grommet in.....it will NEVER come out! EVER!!

[piemma]

Originally Posted by stripermaineiac

True about the ayc but that's goin to become hard to get acording to what a few of the suppliers are posting and what the wood managers in Washington state are claiming.

I just bought 75 linear feet of 2x2the spindles for $100. 1D select clear.
Cedar 4 Sales offers Cedar grilling planks Alaskan yellow cedar
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[BigFish]

I have enough AYC to last me a looooong time!

[ProfessorM]

I too prefer the grommet
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[numbskull]

I dislike AYC
I like grommets

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by numbskull

I dislike AYC
I like grommets

Maybe AYC dislikes you back.....

[blondterror]

I am a grommet guy and I like to bend my grommets (by hammer tapping) to the contour of the plug and use a dab of epoxy to lock them down in a snug hole

[stripermaineiac]

An easy way to recess them is to get ahold of the drill bits that Mike at M&D has or contact splashinplugs directly. Short of that you need to use 2 drill bits or have them made at a machine shop.A little extra primer sprayed in the hook holes makes the grommets fit tighter.

[Pete F.]

I thought gromit was a cartoon charactor.
I don't use them.