A wooden control stick grip

[Tom BravoMike]

The grip in my 1984 Ventus is worn out and a bit sticky. I have always thought it would be nice to have a wooden one, e.g.:

https://www.cps-parts.com/catalog/elpages/taeakwoodgripstandard.php

Anyone has tried something like that? Are they much bigger/thicker than the factory ones? BTW, which inner size is it, 3/4" or 7/8" (before I get to the glider to measure it myself?) Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts.

[Tim Taylor]

I had a wooden one similar to the link in a Ventus b. It was ok, but I found it a little large. I tend to fly holding the stick in several different ways depending on the conditions. The wooden one was fine when you are holding the stick near the top, but it did not work as well when you wanted to have just a few fingers at the base.

[Eric Munk]

I think you’ll find it’s metric.

[[email protected]]

If you make a plug to hold the ptt switch, then foam bicycle handlebar tape works great.

[Tom BravoMike]

On Saturday, September 14, 2019 at 8:52:17 AM UTC-5, wrote:
> If you make a plug to hold the ptt switch, then foam bicycle handlebar tape works great.

Yes, I've been looking at some interesting bike grips, too. Some claim those made of cork are even better than the wooden ones:

https://ergonbike.myshopify.com/collections/grips/products/gp1-biokork

[Scott Williams]

On Friday, September 13, 2019 at 10:32:33 PM UTC-5, Tom BravoMike wrote:
> The grip in my 1984 Ventus is worn out and a bit sticky. I have always thought it would be nice to have a wooden one, e.g.:
>
> https://www.cps-parts.com/catalog/elpages/taeakwoodgripstandard.php
>
> Anyone has tried something like that? Are they much bigger/thicker than the factory ones? BTW, which inner size is it, 3/4" or 7/8" (before I get to the glider to measure it myself?) Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts.

I also was less than thrilled with the original ski pole grip commonly used on SH gliders. In my search for a suitable replacement, I found a few options which were either unobtainable or expensive. I only need a PTT and once read that U.S. military stick grip have been molded from black pigmented plexiglass since WWII. so I carved out a couple using a belt sander and polished them. I also carved out a phenolic version. I used a PTT "otto" brand switch.
pics on clubs facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/groups/381501291867080/

[Tom BravoMike]

On Saturday, September 14, 2019 at 8:21:03 PM UTC-5, Scott Williams wrote:
> On Friday, September 13, 2019 at 10:32:33 PM UTC-5, Tom BravoMike wrote:
> > The grip in my 1984 Ventus is worn out and a bit sticky. I have always thought it would be nice to have a wooden one, e.g.:
> >
> > https://www.cps-parts.com/catalog/elpages/taeakwoodgripstandard.php
> >
> > Anyone has tried something like that? Are they much bigger/thicker than the factory ones? BTW, which inner size is it, 3/4" or 7/8" (before I get to the glider to measure it myself?) Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts.
>
> I also was less than thrilled with the original ski pole grip commonly used on SH gliders. In my search for a suitable replacement, I found a few options which were either unobtainable or expensive. I only need a PTT and once read that U.S. military stick grip have been molded from black pigmented plexiglass since WWII. so I carved out a couple using a belt sander and polished them. I also carved out a phenolic version. I used a PTT "otto" brand switch.
> pics on clubs facebook page
> https://www.facebook.com/groups/381501291867080/

Sorry, but I belong to that minority species who has chosen not to have a FB account, hence no access. But thanks all the same.

[Chris Wedgwood[_2_]]

> Sorry, but I belong to that minority species who has chosen not to have a FB account, hence no access. But thanks all the same.

It wouldn't help anyway. Thats a closed group page. Goodness knows what they are trying to keep secret from the rest of us :)

[[email protected]]

On Friday, September 13, 2019 at 11:32:33 PM UTC-4, Tom BravoMike wrote:
> The grip in my 1984 Ventus is worn out and a bit sticky. I have always thought it would be nice to have a wooden one, e.g.:
>
> https://www.cps-parts.com/catalog/elpages/taeakwoodgripstandard.php
>
> Anyone has tried something like that? Are they much bigger/thicker than the factory ones? BTW, which inner size is it, 3/4" or 7/8" (before I get to the glider to measure it myself?) Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts.

Wrapping the existing grip with Tennis Racquet " grip wrap" worked nicely for me in a Standard Cirrus with that sticky grip problem.

[Scott Williams]

On Sunday, September 15, 2019 at 5:24:14 PM UTC-5, wrote:
> On Friday, September 13, 2019 at 11:32:33 PM UTC-4, Tom BravoMike wrote:
> > The grip in my 1984 Ventus is worn out and a bit sticky. I have always thought it would be nice to have a wooden one, e.g.:
> >
> > https://www.cps-parts.com/catalog/elpages/taeakwoodgripstandard.php
> >
> > Anyone has tried something like that? Are they much bigger/thicker than the factory ones? BTW, which inner size is it, 3/4" or 7/8" (before I get to the glider to measure it myself?) Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts.
>
> Wrapping the existing grip with Tennis Racquet " grip wrap" worked nicely for me in a Standard Cirrus with that sticky grip problem.

So FB closed? how about SSA,
https://www.ssa.org/photogallery.asp?category=member&mbr=1392883062

[Tom BravoMike]

On Sunday, September 15, 2019 at 8:10:53 PM UTC-5, Scott Williams wrote:
> On Sunday, September 15, 2019 at 5:24:14 PM UTC-5, wrote:
> > On Friday, September 13, 2019 at 11:32:33 PM UTC-4, Tom BravoMike wrote:
> > > The grip in my 1984 Ventus is worn out and a bit sticky. I have always thought it would be nice to have a wooden one, e.g.:
> > >
> > > https://www.cps-parts.com/catalog/elpages/taeakwoodgripstandard.php
> > >
> > > Anyone has tried something like that? Are they much bigger/thicker than the factory ones? BTW, which inner size is it, 3/4" or 7/8" (before I get to the glider to measure it myself?) Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts.
> >
> > Wrapping the existing grip with Tennis Racquet " grip wrap" worked nicely for me in a Standard Cirrus with that sticky grip problem.
>
> So FB closed? how about SSA,
> https://www.ssa.org/photogallery.asp?category=member&mbr=1392883062

Wow! Now that is interesting! Somehow reading about 'plexiglass' I didn't imagine the grips to be actually transparent. Thanks!

[Dan Marotta]

Yes!Â* Now you can see the chipped paint on the steel tube beneath the grip.

Where are the Canadians with their beaver tails and flannel when we need
a fix to this vexing problem, eh?

On 9/15/2019 7:55 PM, Tom BravoMike wrote:
> On Sunday, September 15, 2019 at 8:10:53 PM UTC-5, Scott Williams wrote:
>> On Sunday, September 15, 2019 at 5:24:14 PM UTC-5, wrote:
>>> On Friday, September 13, 2019 at 11:32:33 PM UTC-4, Tom BravoMike wrote:
>>>> The grip in my 1984 Ventus is worn out and a bit sticky. I have always thought it would be nice to have a wooden one, e.g.:
>>>>
>>>> https://www.cps-parts.com/catalog/elpages/taeakwoodgripstandard.php
>>>>
>>>> Anyone has tried something like that? Are they much bigger/thicker than the factory ones? BTW, which inner size is it, 3/4" or 7/8" (before I get to the glider to measure it myself?) Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts.
>>> Wrapping the existing grip with Tennis Racquet " grip wrap" worked nicely for me in a Standard Cirrus with that sticky grip problem.
>> So FB closed? how about SSA,
>> https://www.ssa.org/photogallery.asp?category=member&mbr=1392883062
> Wow! Now that is interesting! Somehow reading about 'plexiglass' I didn't imagine the grips to be actually transparent. Thanks!

--
Dan, 5J

[Scott Williams]

On Monday, September 16, 2019 at 10:05:58 AM UTC-5, Dan Marotta wrote:
> Yes!Â* Now you can see the chipped paint on the steel tube beneath the grip.
>
> Where are the Canadians with their beaver tails and flannel when we need
> a fix to this vexing problem, eh?
>
> On 9/15/2019 7:55 PM, Tom BravoMike wrote:
> > On Sunday, September 15, 2019 at 8:10:53 PM UTC-5, Scott Williams wrote:
> >> On Sunday, September 15, 2019 at 5:24:14 PM UTC-5, wrote:
> >>> On Friday, September 13, 2019 at 11:32:33 PM UTC-4, Tom BravoMike wrote:
> >>>> The grip in my 1984 Ventus is worn out and a bit sticky. I have always thought it would be nice to have a wooden one, e.g.:
> >>>>
> >>>> https://www.cps-parts.com/catalog/elpages/taeakwoodgripstandard.php
> >>>>
> >>>> Anyone has tried something like that? Are they much bigger/thicker than the factory ones? BTW, which inner size is it, 3/4" or 7/8" (before I get to the glider to measure it myself?) Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts.
> >>> Wrapping the existing grip with Tennis Racquet " grip wrap" worked nicely for me in a Standard Cirrus with that sticky grip problem.
> >> So FB closed? how about SSA,
> >> https://www.ssa.org/photogallery.asp?category=member&mbr=1392883062
> > Wow! Now that is interesting! Somehow reading about 'plexiglass' I didn't imagine the grips to be actually transparent. Thanks!
>
> --
> Dan, 5J

So, the transparent acrylic I used was, in part, just for looks. I remember seeing a clear acrylic rotational control grip that one of the original mercury astronauts had kept as a souvenir, and I think some aircraft landing gear retract handles were clear acrylic. On my standard Cirrus the stick is 22mm in diameter, which is close enough to 7/8 inch to use a demming drill bit to center bore the hole before shaping it. you could also use black acrylic stock to have a plain jane black grip.
what's the Canadian dig? Is it a reference to making your own parts or something?
good lift,
Scott