hey guys
building my first fly rod and have a question on gluing the reel seat
(1) it is in 3 pieces do i glue them together before i put it on the blank or
do i put the wood insert on first and then add the end cap and threaded barrel?
(2) if i glue (epoxy) insert then the cap and barrel does it need to be clamped
in some way so the cap and barrel does not move on me?
THANKS FOR ANY HELP YALL CAN GIVE ME

david williams

I generally glue up the barrel and insert off the blank. Standing the insert vertical will allow gravity to keep it in place until it sets up. Same with the cap. The end cap can be glued on at the same time as the rest of the assembly, but I sometimes wait to glue it on until later to make sure the insert is centered full length on the blank when I glue the assembly onto the blank. You must then glue the cap onto the assembly as the wet Rod Bond has likely gotten into a space it will occupy. But generally you don't want to do everything at once or something can shift and you can't see it happen under tape. I will glue either the seat to the blank or the grip to the blank, but not both at the same time for the same reason. And yes you will waste some Rod Bond and it takes longer.

I would never glue the whole assembly together first, because if you do, you must then slide it onto the blank from the butt end, which means the front end of the insert will be bigger than it should be.

This is what I do, it isn't the only way to do it, but it work well for me.

I ream the insert out until it just barely slides to the butt of the blank. Then I take it off, use scotchbrite on the butt to scuff it up. Mix up some Rod Bond and smear it on the blank at what would be the upper end of the insert. Slide the insert down the blank and when it contact the Rod Bond, begin rotating it to make sure the stuff if well distributed on the blank and inside the insert. If it isn't pushing some Rod Bond in front of it, I add some more. Then put Rod Bond at the top of the area on the insert where the threaded barrel goes and slide the barrel on with a twisting motion. Be sure to wipe off any excess Rod Bond. I don't epoxy anything else on at that time, not the butt cap or the grip. I let it cure completely before proceeding.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/29/2005 05:28PM by Gerry Rhoades.

Just to add to the confusion I prefer to glue the whole assembly together prior to fitting it on the blank. If any reaming is necessary on the reel seat insert the glued on seat components help prevent splitting. I am not certain why Gerry feels it is necessary to slide a glued up assembly on from the butt but he evidently assembles in different steps than I do. I slide the assembled reel seat onto the blank gluing it in place. When that bond is complete I slide the grip on and mate it with the reel seat.

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

I guess I must be suffering from a "senior moment". I didn't mean to imply I slide it on from the butt because I don't.

THANKS GUYS
that told me what i needed to know appriciate it

david williams