I would be interested in knowing what kind of woods some of you use for reel seat spacers. I am especially inerested in woods native to the mid-west. I just tried sumac (at the suggestion of Harv Gorton) which is olive green ,red elm which is hard as rock and spalled red elm which is quite interesting.

Thanks Jim

Jim,

While I can't speak from personal experience, I did just have the pleasure of pawing through a whole box of Bob Venneri's reel seats this past weekend.

One wood that knocked my socks off was a burl cherry - I think it might have been spalted. Anyway - it was really phenomenal - very marbled with a mix of browns and orangy-brown with even some "birdseye" sort of markings. It was one beautiful piece of wood. He had some other cherry burls that were quite remarkable, but that one spalted piece stood out as special.

I never thought I'd see such unique textures in a piece of cherry. It was really amazing.

Bob

Kingwood. Lots of stripes and color. Finishes or polishes well. Very tight grain.

www.eisenbran.com

Have fun!