Would anyone care to explain the installation of gimbals on a rod that is going to see a lot of hard use? I have put them on before, but, would weclome any new advice and techniques. i.e., should I be using masking tape, cork or whatever as arbors? Type of Epoxy? Etc.

Tony

We covered this exact topic in a recent issue of RodMaker. The easiest and one of the strongest things to use are the "brick foam" arbors sold by both Fuji and Pac Bay. Any of the suppliers on the left side of this page are likely to have them. Pac Bay offers them in over a dozen sizes and up to about 34mm in diameter so very little fitting is required. Just ream or bore one out to fit your rod butt blank end, adhere and then glue on the gimball. Very light yet very strong and secure. Much better than masking tape.

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Also it's a good idea to pin the gimbel for an extra....... This way, if for some reason the gimbel gives you have the pin holding it until you can finish fighting those fish then repair. Just test fit the gimbel and just before you epoxy the gimbel drill a hole the same size to the side or just a tiny bit bigger than your pinning material. Epxoy the gimbel and put the pin thru it. Then when the epoxy has set just cut off the pin sides and sand down.