Hello,
I broke a fly rod this year by falling in a stream. North branch of the Potomac, the bottom is like greased bowling balls. Any one fishing wading there should use a wading stick. I use one now. Anyway, the blank maker has sent a new blank and I wish to use the old seat. I heated water and the seat came off easily after letting it stay in the water for about 20-30 seconds. My concern is that the seat retains the epoxy that bound the seat to the old blank. It has a narrow opening. Should I attempt to drill out the epoxy or mount it as is? I am wondering if this narrow opening will provide sufficient strenth with a rod bond or 30 min epoxy applcation? Or should I get a new seat? The blank is the same as the old one. I know some of you experienced builders must have done this before. The blank is the same as the original.
Thanks,
Dave Nyberg

The one thing that surprises me about your post is the part where you said the old seat came of easily with about 20 or 30 seconds in heated water. Evidently, the old seat was not attached to a blank that had been properly prepared with a water break surface with properly fit up bore, arbors or bushings. If you are using the same type of blank be sure you prepare the seat area properly. I do not know what kind of seat your are using but if you are using a readily available graphite or reasonably priced wooden seat I would think the reuse of the old one may be false economy. Is the hood still in top shape for a new rod that will be with you for a time.

Gon

Also I had noticed you said some thing about 5 MIN epoxy. I would suggest going to Rod Bond or a slow curing epoxy. It will be a lot harder to get off the next time though.

Hi,
It was sometime ago that I took the old reel seat off. It wasn't real easy as I had to grip it with a rag and twist hard. It could have been longer than 30 seconds, just don't remember. The seat is a Struble U 3 and it had stayed inplace for a couple of years. The blank is a Sage LLB, 9 ft. 5wt. I did use 30 min epoxy. I think I will take your advice and order a new reel seat, even though the old one appears to be okay. I did prepare the blank, but maybe not as well as I could have. I have usede Rod Bond on two other rods and it is great stuff.

Do you like the Trondak rod finish?

Thanks,

Dave Nyberg