Need some help. I have just started using blank exposed casting seats (Fuji ECS). I ordered them so that the ID matches the rod at the desired location. However, when I put one on a blank, I see that the front half of the seat is much bigger, and it wiggles some. It looks like it needs an arbor.
What do I do, just go ahead and glue an arbor in the front and ream it to size? This looks easy, but I am not sure I have any arbors of the right size laying around. Usually, I use drywall tape and Rod Bond, but don't think I can here, since the seat won't slide past the tape arbor.
So, if I don't have any arbors, is there another way to secure the front of the seat? If not, and I can't find an arbor, I will just have to order some and wait.
Thanks
Steve Broadwell

I used one on the last rod I made. Where the blank was exposed, it was a very snug fit. There wasn't much if any play in front. There was a bit of a gap but I just filled it with rodbond. Turned out very solid.

Steve, I'm not familiar with Fuji's seats. Pac Bay's require one arbor on the front. AmTak's is solid and doesn't require an arbor. You could still make that arbor by gluing it together, in place, with plastic wrapped around the rod blank. Remove it, and when gluing the reel seat on, slide the hardened arbor into place just like you would with a graphite (brick foam) or 1/2 of a urethane foam arbor.

Putter
Williston, ND

Thanks. The Fuji must be like the Pac Bay; it is a lot bigger at the front. I do have a left-over arbor that will fit, so no problem. I just wondered how guys that don't use arbors use these seats. I know that some people swear by the drywall tape arbors. That is a good idea, Putter. If I get in a bind in the future I will remember it.

I build a lot of steelhead rods and almost always use exposed reel seats. I never use an arbor and have never had any problems. Just make sure it is a snug fit. Once you slide the seat on put some extra epoxy at the rear and in the front where it is larger. Slide your fore grip on and place it in your clamp. Make sure you rough up the inside of your seat and the blank for a better bonding surface.

David Banaka

I think that how snug the reel seat is depends on the size. The first one I used was a 12.mm ID. It was pretty snug, just wiggled on the front a little bit. This worried me, and I didn't even recognize it until I had everything all put together, so I made a couple of real small shims of cork and Rod Bonded them in. That worked fine.
But, the one I am working on now is a 10mm, and it is way bigger at the front. Since I had this problem already, I checked, and it is very unstable with just the back part glued. The arbor fixed it right up, though.

A cork ring can always be turned down for an arbor too.

Steve,

When you measured the place on the rod, where the reel seat will be, did you measure the diameter of the rod near the bottom of where the reel seat wil be, or the top. The reason I ask, is because the reel seat diameters are even from upper end to bottom. But your fishing rod has a taper there.

When I measure the diameter on the rod, I measure the highest point on the blank where the seat will be, and order according to this. I then ream the reel seat so that it fits on the lower end. This ensures a snug fit for all of my seats, and prevents the epoxy from leaking.

Also, I fill the wide area, in the upper part of the reel seat, with epoxy. I bought five minute epoxy from wallys world, that had a long spout for squirting it into small places. The spout also mixes the epoxy as it comes out of the syringes. This has been the cleanest, easiest way I have found for pouring epoxy into this area.

Wow, I need to find some of that epoxy. There are a couple of uses I could think of for that.
Actually, I had the supplier fit these seats to the rod. There is a little differential between the front and back of the narrow part, due to the rod taper. But, this wasn't much, and I used Rod Bond, so I think it leveled out pretty well. I will try reaming the back of the next one just a little.