Hello.

I just built this rod 3-months ago and I noticed in the butt section there is 2 long cracks that "creak" when I flex the blank.

I paid good money for the REC reel seat (aluminum with wood insert) and I would like to reuse it.

Is there any way to get the reel seat off the broken blank without damaging the seat & wood insert?

I did a topic search and it seems like boiling is the prefered method. I have done it once in the past and was not too happy with the outcome.

Thanks in advance,

Tony

This may be an extreme approach, but here goes: If the blank & grips are trash anyway, saw off the reel seat from the blank and ream the blank out of the core hole. If you leave an inch of blank on either end, that may give you some leverage in forcing the blank to come off in strips if you can get it to splinter right, maybe with needle nose pliers. I can't say I've tried this. And it wouldn't be easy going. But it doesn't requiring boiling, which may change the wood's color, texture / finish and cause swelling. ... But if you have a drill press or the right size (broad-head?) drill bit (~0.50"), this could speed things up considerably, and hopefully without damage to the wood (or you !) . LOL. Happy Thanksgiving, Cliff Hall.

You can also drill out the old blank. Cut it off short and use a bit just slightly larger than the blank. You should have enough room to work with down thru the wood insert.

Tony...

When I first started repairing rods, I too used the "boiling water" method of removing reusable reel seat. The results were really mixed and often not good. Now I use a double boiler for heating and the results are much improved as the reel seat never comes in contact with water. You can find made-to-use double boilers at any decent restaurant or kitchen supply house. I just use a stainless steel mixing bowl that fits nicely into one of the pots I have in the kitchen. I make a "lid" out of heavy duty aluminum foil which seals the heat in the bowl. Assuming you used 5 minute or other epoxy to install the seat initially, this setup should generate enough heat to remove the seat. Hope this helps.

Steve

Tony,
I think that your best bet is to drill it out. However, I have had better luck drilling out graphite by starting with a bit that is quite a bit smaller than the OD, just a little larger than the ID, of the blank and keep increasing the size of the bit until you have it all drilled out. It will be a real mess as the graphite tends to splinter and it is tricky to do without getting some of these fine splinters in your fingers. I would suggest you use some sort of throw away gloves. The graphite splinters can be very fine and do not come out of your fingers very easily. They tend to crumble when you attempt to get them out. Good luck.

Gentlemen,

Thank you very much for the responses.

-Tony

I would not use water, water tends to ruin the wood also make sure that the rood insert is clean this could cause a lailur at a later date. If you happen to ream out more material the you wanted you can shin it with thread.
Good Wraps Bob

Just a thought Tony, but you could use the old blank as an extension for a new blank if you can get the grip free. Cut the old blank short enough that it the combined blank would be buried under the new grip. The new blank would have to fit over or inside the old section. I have not done this enough to know which is preferred. I would think glass over graphite would be great.

Everyone please heed Emory's cautionary note. You never, never not ever want to get a sliver of graphite in a finger. I have one embedded in a finger tip that the doctor has tried to remove more than once. Graphite splinters in very fine strands and is brittle, and has a tendency to work farther in. Since it is inert it will not trigger an infection - which in this case would be better as the shard would be easier to find. Use a heavy set of leather or "welder's" gloves - not surgical, cotton or canvas.

You will only ever get a graphite sliver in your hand once!

You'll remember after that :)