I saw some pictures of rods on the photopost that had no foregrip. How do you finish off the front end of the reel seat so that it looks clean? None of the pictures I saw really showed it where you could tell. Interested in doing that, but wanted to figure out how first. Thanks!

you could do an epoxy ramp...

Alex, I do these on about every rod I build.

Here's my process, short and sweet:
Sand rod and edge of reel seat with 400grit paper the entire length where the ramp will be located, wipe clean
Mix 5 or 30 minute flex-coat rod building epoxy, about 2cc's of each part
Place rod in dryer and begin rotating
Dab mixed epoxy onto blank with brush and work it up to the reel seat edge
Add as much epoxy and you can to that area and still keep it there as you "work" the epoxy to keep it in place as the rod is turning.
As the epoxy starts to thicken slightly, get the ramp as even as possible with the brush.
When ramp starts to stay in place on it's own leave it alone.
While the rods spinning mix another 2cc's and repeat process, in this application the ramp will really start to take a nice shape, when it does and starts to thicken again, LET IT BE, the dryer will "even out" the ramp FOR YOU (warming the epoxy a touch with a lighter at this stage can help thin it and smooth out a ramp IF it needs it).
While the ramp is evening itself out as the rod turns, mix your last batch of 2cc's and repeat. This 3rd epoxy step is NOT always needed!!! Depends upon how well you did with your 1st 2 coats.
Keep in mind that you WANT to leave a little room for thread or paint that will go on the ramp AS WELL AS two coats of finish epoxy!! So your ramp should be a tad SHY of coming to the edge of the reel seats LOWEST POINT.....meaning: that cut straight line that the hood rides inside, you don't want epoxy in that gully at all, it will imped the hoods movement-not good!
Once ramp is built and still warm, wrap it with thread or paint it right then, the softer epoxy in the next hour + holds the thread nicely or allows the paint to soak into the epoxy well: both are GOOD
Now lay two coats of finish over your ramp-you're done!

DR

Good info. I was wondering the best way to do this. Thanks Duane.

I do pretty much the same as Duane. For a ton of info, just to a SEARCH above, type in Epoxy Ramp, select ALL DATES and you will get a ton of info

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!!

FWIW... I was looking at the New Quantum Superlite PT on the TackleTour.com web site. It almost looks like Quantum has done this but used what looks like a winding check on their. Interesting.

More and more production rods are taking over what the custom builders have been doing for years, split grips, no foregrips, etc.

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!!

Alex I know that Epoxy is the standard that everyone seems to use. I do mine a little differently. I use cork turned on a lathe and then wrap thread over it. I'm always a little nervous when I sand the epoxy down to get the right shape, I have a tendency to burn through the masking tape and scratch the blank. I turn the cork before I install it on the blank and fit it like you would a handle for the rod. I epoxy it on the blank and then wrap over it like normal. Here's a picture of a fly rod I did like that. [www.rodbuilding.org]