I know I don't own a dh rod so here goes my thought of it.. if you use a material like abs ,delrin , or even poly carbonate there is a point behind it.. I think it's so you can feel every bite the harder material makes for a mode sensitive feeling rod. Cause cork and foam is a dampener of shock ..
you could get the same effect by useing woods natural woods like purple heart , oak , paduck, lace wood , or even burl like maple etc.. wich has and will always have better finish to it.. but the point is you got to turn it on a lathe to get it to work out and those are expencive.. around $400 unless you go to harbor freight??
I suggest a pen turners Mandel for turning the rods handle gound at wood craft.. since there cheap and leaves a 1/4 inch hole I have a bigger mandrel that was made up for me for bigger rods with 3/8 inch hole left behind.. its a lot less reaming when done to fit it to the rod..
I would look at it that this guy probabally turns plastic for one it's cheap? and two I know I am sensitized to exotic wood dusts so it is most likely safer.. they do sell plastics that would fit the build for pen turners at wood craft that are marbled etc .. but you would need a min of size 2 inch x 2 inch buy handle length like 5 to 8 inch if you were to turn your own that's the route I would go..
cause I swell up and get real itchy from wood dust.. if I kept at it I could die from it that's how bad it gets.. also why I went to foam and plastics my self.. you would also need lathe tools that can be found cheap at various places.. like homedepot, sears , etc.. I would start turning my own you could always sell them???
Get a plug cutter and cut plug out to fill the hole in with that goes threw rod handle I got a 3/8 plug to fill the hole I have to drill the 1/4 bigger but it does work glue and sand it off is all you do to finish them..
