I have been a woodworker for many years and a rod builder for only a few months. I would like to know if using a wood arbor for light spinning reel seats would present a problem with sensitivity. I would use either basswood or balsa. If anyone has any experience with wood arbors, I would
appreciate your advice. I also plan on making some wood handles for Ultralite rods. I will probably use cherry or walnut depending on what the customer wants. Thanks Matt

Matthew, I have used balsa but a lot of work, I found wine corks probably better. But now use graphite, flexcoat and I'm affraid to say it tape arbors. Much faster and a lot easier than walking up to my next door neigbours house to use his lathe to shape the cork or balsa.

Matthew,

I frequently use wood - most anything laying around. Most of my rods have had wood handles and foregrips and I just extend the pieces to include an arbor. I don't totally fill the whole space, in a reel seat for example, maybe come in 3/4" or so on each end. For a handle I bore the hole to fit the rod butt at the base, put an intermediate piece in the middle and another arbor piece at the top of the handle. I'm also over boring the handle hole to reduce some ot the weight. I would think the more solid the blank to handle/foregrip contact, the better the sensitivity. Make a rod or two and I think you will figure out what works for you.
I don't drink enough wine to use cork. :-)

larr

Nothing wrong with wood, but generally you'll want to use something that is not only rigid, but very light. That's the key to sensitivity. I'd probably opt to use cork arbors before I'd use wood arbors.

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