I'm new at rod building and love it. Built 2 so far, first one in memory of my wife, my fishing partner. A 6'6" matrix with holographic guides. Second was a 10'6" steelhead rod for my stepson. Anyway I am repairing my dads old custom built rod with new guides and I could'nt just leave it at that when I saw the aluminum reel seat hood was broke. I removed it and discovered the custom wood handle extended 2 inches into the seat and the end of the fiberglass blank also begins there. I have rod bond and devcon epoxies, which one would be better to resecure these in the new seat? any suggestions?
thanks in advance
Darin Travis

1 word, Rod Bond!! Can't beat it!!! IMO

Bill in WV

Mr. Darin Travis - Sorry about the passing of your wife,
and the lose of her as your best buddy, fishing and otherwise.
'Hope this helps. ... Sincerely, -Cliff Hall+++

The Fisherman's Prayer:
God grant that I may live to fish, until my dying day.
And when it comes to my last cast, I then most humbly pray.
When in the Lord's safe landing net, I'm peacefully asleep.
May in His Mercy, I be judged, as big enough to keep.


"Many men go fishing all of their lives without
knowing that ... it is not fish they are after."
-Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/28/2006 12:16AM by Cliff Hall.

I always like your prayer Mr. Hall............I too am sorry about the passing of your wife..........I agree whole-heartly with Bill........Rod Bond......all the way.....................

Big John
Rio Hondo, Texas
Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting

Darin: My heartfelt sympathy goes to you. Your wife is just fishing another stretch of creek. You'll catch up to her one day at the next pool.

My heartfelt Condonences..............

From the information provided I have a problem with the fiberglass blank only extending into the reel seat 2". I would recommend an over lap or blank intrusion into the total length of the reel seat. Now you might be in a bind considering you can't move the guides back by reducing the rear grip incert O.D. so the fiberglass blank would slip inside the blank thus slidling the blank back over the rear handle incert. Granted your dealing with more durable materials like fiberglass, wood, and a metal reel seat. Even when extending a blank at the butt I like a least 3-1/2"-4" min. overlap.

I might do one of two things: Get a larger O.D. reel seat that has a greater I.D., or forgo some of the former reel seat arbhors (and use a similar reel seat O.D.) in lew of a 6" rod blank sleeve that goes over the real grip incert, over the figerlass blank and extened two inches under the cork foregrip. Yuo would need to replace the foregrip and make the I.D. such tha it could installed from the butt end of the blank. Using this 6" sleeve as a portion or all of a reel seat arbhors required. If using a larger O.D. reel seat only if the larger reel seat O.D. does not buldge out in comparison to the wood rear and cork fore grip O.D.'s. The second thing I would do if I do not wish to change and custom reinforce alot of things would be to in the least use another all metal reel seat for strength

Thank-you very much for your condolences, prayers and the advice. building rods helps keep my mind occupied. I will be using rod bond and thanks for the advice Chris. I am going to use an AmTak aluminum saltwater seat. I believe I will reinforce with a sleeve. I have not put the guide on the bottom section yet because of this, so I will be able to slide everything down from the top. Thank-you again everyone
Darin Travis

Darin,

Check your email!!

Bill in WV