Instructions for attaching a rubber tip to a walking stick
I learned how to put a rubber tip on a stick here. I buy the tips from McMaster-Carr. The 1″ tip is stock #9541K3. They also have a 3/4″ tip. I attach a threaded coupler to the tip’s threads to give the tip more surface area to bond to the stick. The 10-24 threaded couplers can be purchased in small quantities at a hardware store, or you can do as I do and buy them in bulk from Menards in packs of 100 for about 30 cents each. Instructions follow:
- Be sure your stick tip and rubber tip are compatible in size. If you don’t have an exact match, there are a few things you can do. First, you can sand down the stick tip if it’s larger than the rubber tip. It’s OK if the stick is slightly larger than the rubber tip – maybe a 1/16” overlap all around is OK. If the rubber tip is too large, you can shave it off a bit with a sharp knife such as a utility knife. Again, a slight overlap is not a problem.
- Be sure the threaded coupler is secured to the rubber tip. A drop of super glue will keep the two together.
- Drill a hole in the center of the stick’s tip. Be sure the hole is centered. This is best accomplished by starting with a small drill bit and successively drilling larger holes until you reach the desired size. The 10-24 threaded coupler which fits the 1″ tip has a 11/32” outside diameter, so your last hole should be that size for a good fit. Be sure the hole is deep enough so the threaded coupler goes all the way in. I like to mark the drill bit with masking tape to show how long the coupler is. You want a snug fit, but you don’t want to force the tip and crack the stick.
- Clean the saw dust out of the hole and put some mixed 5-minute epoxy in the hole. Insert the threaded coupler. Push the rubber tip against the floor to ensure that the tip is snug.
- Allow the tip to dry for a few hours before using. Even though it’s called 5-minute epoxy, it needs more time than that to dry.
- Enjoy your stick!
Tom's Willow Craft 