I need some help. I put a post up a couple weeks ago on reel seats. I decided to try a size 10 on my first rod, and tryed to use my Dremel to ream the ID. Well.... let's just say that didn't work to well. So I'm getting another reel seat. Does anybody know how to calculate the diameter of the blank where you want to glue the seat? Any formulas out there? I know exactly where I want the seat to be but reaming it this first time really was horrible. Please, any help would be appreciated.

Buy a set of Calipers, or buy all the sizes of reel seats.

Calipers!!! A lot of uses for them in rodbuilding!. Harbor Freight has a digital pair with metric and regular in acase for $15. [www.harborfreight.com] I have this model for over a year and am very happy with it

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

IMO, a pair of slide calipers or a screw micrometer, in a vernier, dial or digital read-out, is one of the most useful little investments in your rod-building tool kit. Great for sizing gimbals, butt caps, grip IDs, reel seats, arbors, inserts, winding checks, ferrules, and rod-tips.

Almost any caliper or micormeter will read to the nearest 0.001 inch, which is more than precise enough for rod-building purposes.

Local hardware stores and / or your rod-building supplier is very likely to have some in stock at a reasonable price. -Cliff Hall.

Re-reading his post, I bet he's tring to figure out teh dimensions without having the blank in his hand. Bu all the seats, or ask for th esupplier to size it for you. Then make sure you buy the components from that supplier.

I heard one expert say a good estimation of what the blank dia will be at the reels seat can be approximately determined by deducting .060 from the listed butt dia. of the blank. You can also ask the distributor to measure the blank at a predetermined distance down from the buttt to assure the reel seat your purchasing (or have in hand) will fit. This assumes you know these dimensions, measuring with a tape measure can get you close enough in a lot of situations. You may need to use the 1st inch of the tape where it is divided beyond 1/16's of an inch, also you may have to cut an index card down until it just fits into the I.D. of a blank if your not good at eyeing the measurment with a tape, The conversions are fairly simple to calculate by halfing Given 1/4"=.250" AND 1/2"=.500" SO 3/8"= .375" THEN 5/16"= .312 OR 7/16"=.437"
At any rate the Distributor can work with you prior to shipping if he wants your biz

Yes Randy I did mean .060" thanks for the heads up post you will soon make that prompted me to edit this post to what it sholud have been, Thanks again.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/30/2007 10:49AM by Chris Karp.

The other fellows have provide good advice, as to purchasing a set of calipers. That will work if you have the blank to measure the diameter. As a sure bet, have the supplier fit the seat for you when he is filling your order. Just let the supplier know the length of the butt grip and they should be able to fit the seat. This is one of many of the personal services that we at Custom Tackle Supply provide our customers on a daily basis. Same goes for fitting the proper size tip to the blank. That's just part of our daily routine at CTS. We still understand the importance of what good ole fashion customer service provides to our customers.

Bob McKamey -- Custom Tackle Supply

I will reinforce my prior point - if you have teh people at your supplier size stuff for you...make sure you orer teh parts from them. My friend works in a tackle shop and he's sized tips for guys, who thenwalk out of the store and buy them from somewhere else becuase tehy cna get them cheaper.

MINIMUM REEL SEAT (ID) = SLOPE x DISTANCE

Where:
SLOPE = 1/2 [BUTT(OD) - TIP(OD)] / [ROD LENGTH].
DISTANCE = from Butt-end of the ROD BLANK to the Butt-end of the REEL SEAT.

Convert decimal inches into millimeters
MILLIMETERS = 25.4 (mm/in) x [DECIMAL INCHES]

This is one way to guestimate an appropriate ID for a Reel Seat. It assumes a continuous slope (taper) from Rod Butt to Rod Tip, which usually is not exactly true. However, it is one of the few assumptions that you can readily make.

This formula tends to report a blank diameter that is SMALLER than reality, because rod taper is usually higher toward the rod tip. So add 1+ millimeters for good luck. That's my advice. Your experience with the rods you build may vary. If you like a really close fit, then a measured OD is the only way to be precise. -Cliff Hall, FL-USA.

After reading all of what is said above I find it hard to believe that no one recomended a better reaming technique than using a Dremel.

Chris, what kind of reel seat are you using? The only kind I ever have to ream are the trigger seats. All the rest are generally shimmed up as they are bigger than the blank to begin with. Reaming is best done with a 'reamer' and not a Dremel. That way you get a concentric shape that you're not going to get with the power tool. When you buy another seat (maybe even one just like you had before) order a set of reamers along with it (I like the ones from the Swampland Boys). Then you can get that seat to slide snuggly in place just like you can with cork that has been properly reamed.

Jay

Jay,

What do they say about the forest and trees? You're right, we try to over complicate everything!! As many people have said, "it's rod building, not rocket science:!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

Chris R. On your original post, you asked whether to use a dremel or a reamer... what info was given to you then? Oooops!! LOL!!
If the blank-exposed trigger reel seat is too small to fit where you need it to go, use a reamer. Again, I use a rat tail file (largest size that fits in the opening) and go slowly, looking at the hole for concentricity and checking it's fit to the blank often. I'm sure other style reamers will work also, but I don't have any that will stand up to these reel seats except these files.

Chris K. - you said, "I heard one expert say a good estimation of what the blank dia will be at the reels seat can be approximately determined by deducting .60 from the listed butt dia. of the blank."

????? I've never built on a rod with a .60 diameter-they've all been smaller. This sure wouldn't work very well. Did you mean .060?? That might be a good guestimation; I've never really measured the two's difference before, I guess.

Putter
Williston, ND

Not sure if I am interpreting your question correctly or not. I seems to me that you have your blank but do not have calipers to measure the diameter at the desired point.

If that is the case, wrap a strip of paper around the blank at the desired location. Mark where the paper overlaps the end, and unroll it and measure that distance (the circumference) and divide it by 3.14 and that will give you the diameter.

Randy Parpart (Putter) Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------


> Chris K. - you said, "I heard one expert say a
> good estimation of what the blank dia will be at
> the reels seat can be approximately determined by
> deducting .60 from the listed butt dia. of the
> blank."
>
> ????? I've never built on a rod with a .60
> diameter-they've all been smaller. This sure
> wouldn't work very well. Did you mean .060?? That
> might be a good guestimation; I've never really
> measured the two's difference before, I guess.
>
> Putter
> Williston, ND

I think that was a typo. My guess is it should be .06.




Regards
Dave

Fishing is Life the rest is just Details

Randy, Dave:

Both your assumptions were correct , I did mean .060" and I went back and edited my original post giving credit to Randy for picking up on the typo. Although a professional rod builder used that method, I rarly rely on it. I measure or have the distributor make sure the componets will interface.

Thanks again Randy and Dave

Thanks guys. Sorry I didn't get to clear things up, have been extremely busy since I posted. I have the blank already. While the Dremel idea was my idea, it was by far not the only suggestion made here. I was afraid to try the rat-tail file and was way-too over confident in my Dremel skills. It was nobody's slip but mine. I'm definitely going to Harbor freight for a pair of elctronic calipers, and will definitely do some backup calculations to make sure I get everything right this time. BTW, the blank is a Loomis CB845. I'm placing the seat about 8" above the butt. If anybody has made a rod with similiar design and handle length, that would really help too... Anyways, thanks guys. Much apppreciated.