Here's an interesting question...

Let's say I have a customer who wants me to build a custom St Croix casting rod with blank model 3C70HF. They also want me to use an exposed blank seat. To save on shipping costs, obviously I'd like to order the blank and reel seat at the same time. However, since I have no way of knowing what the O.D. of a blank will be at the position where I will be installing an exposed blank reel seat (especially if I vary the rear grip length), how do I know which size to order?

I've purchased these products in the past from Bob at Custom Tackle Supply, and he was gracious enough to size it for me once i gave him the rear grip length. But what do I do when I order from other places online?

Anyone have any suggestions? It seems to me it would be a nice feature on a website to have a tool that will assist you in choosing the best exposed blank seat once you supply a blank model and rear grip length.

Tom,
Check Jann's Netcraft catalog. They publish a formula to figure the diameter of a rod about 10 inches up, all you need is the butt measurement. Dont' know how accurate it is but I bet a call to their customer support woud get you the anser.

I think I'd stay with the way you've been doing it. A program would be a lot of major work for someone and if the info was not put in correctly you'd be burning up a lot of shipping charges to fix it. Just look at the blank selection at Mudhole. Everyone I've done business with have supplied a correct sized reel seat when asked. Also you could just get some reel seats a size smaller than you usually use and just ream them to fit the situation when your blanks get there.

I have a bunch in stock, but I usually wind up using one size undersized and reaming it to fit; like Spencer says. It doesn't take but a few minutes of time and it always fits right, then. Rarely, one fits the way I like without reaming it (RARELY). Even if it were two or three sizes under, it wouldn't take long. I've had to do that because of age and senility and forgetting to reorder my stock...

That's the beauty of old age; every day is a new and interesting day because I forget everything when I go to sleep and have to start all over the next day fresh lol

Putter
Williston, ND

Order the 15mm size,order 15mm tubing from Custom Tackle Supply - and instal ALL your ECSM seats on the same diameter tubing. Or, since they are SO CHEAP, just order one of each size and keep teh back ups as stock.

Putter, You have explained why Monday is my favorite day of the week. One gets a fresh start.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/06/2005 10:11AM by Stan Grace.

Tom,
If you will take the size of the butt of the blank published by the blank manufacturer and reduce it by the percentage of the distance up the blank that you will be mounting the reel seat that will get you in the ball park for the OD of the blank at the point that you are installing the reel seat and the ID of the reel seat. For example if it is a 10 foot blank and the reel seat will be mounted 2 feet up the blank then reduce the butt diameter by 20%. This assumes that the blank is a cone with a linear taper which it is not exactly so I would order one size smaller than the above calculation came out and you may have to ream it out some.

I always have done what you've been doing. I order from Custom Tackle, and ask them to fit the ECSM to the blank I'm ordering. Bob and his staff are incredibly gracious to do such a thing.

I also try to order a few seats in that same size each time I order. For example, if the blank takes a sz. 13 ECSM seat, I have Custom Tackle send several in that same size: one with gold hood, one with gunsmoke, one with black, etc. That way, after only just a few rods, I have a collection of ECSM seats for other projects.

Tom,
I get alot of calls about this.If you will tell your dealer how long you would like the rear grip, they should fit the seat up for you.
capt. ray - fishsticks4u