what is the best way to remove reel seats????

If its headed for the circular filing cabnet then spiral cut it with a Dremel and peel it off.If you need to save it a dip in some boiling water may loosen it up.Use caution cutting not to hit the blank and wear you safety goggles(not glasses)those cut off wheels fly apart and I had one hit me under the glasses but not in the eye(just below it).

Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)

Assuming you are willing to destroy the reel seat as part of the removal process, I find that a pair of heavy metal cutting shears and a pair of pliers works pretty well most of the time. Nibble away with the shears until you can grab some metal with the pliers and then just sort of peel the metal away. You may need to start a cut with a hacksaw to get it going. Not really as hard to do as you might think.

John,

I use a junior hacksaw to remove most of my reel seats. I protect the blank either side of the seat with a few wraps of masking tape. I am assuming of course that you have already removed any grips. My first job is to slowly cut through the fixed hood, and remove by hand. You will find that often you do not have to go all the way through and then using long nosed pliers or Engineers pliers prise the hood off. The thinner the walled blank the more circumspect you need to be. The next step is to cut a long slow spiral again using the junior hacksaw right through the walls of the seat. By checking the ends of the reel seat you should be able to establish how much you have to play with by checking out the size of the arbors. You occasionally get a naughty where the seat has been glued directly to the blank and these are not much fun especially with thin walled blanks. If you are dealing with a graphite reel seat you can often get away with almost going through the wall of the seat and then using a pointed tool like a sharpend end of an 8 inch file, and pick off the seat. Metal seats will require just lots more care and need to be taken down much thinner before attempting the prise off. The residual expoxy I find quite often will just pick off using a thin blade. Watch out for eyes and use safty glasses here just in case. It is surprising how often the glue comes off without any bother and makes you wander what sort of water break free surface was there when the origional glue was slapped on.

Hope this helps

Tight Lines

Mike O.

Thanks guys i guess no one had any luck with a heat gun.

Thanks john

I think you might damage the blank with a heat gun. Don't want to do that!