Panic has set in, i got the handle kit in today and no instructions on how to assemble it. this is coming from a guy thats never seen a fly let alone built one. I am use to spinning and casting reel seats, theres a load of pieces to this'en i got. its a up loc, thers a piece that looks like a button, a reel insert piece that goes next to the cork ans arbor i guess thats what its called. I am totally lost........... Is there any sites i can go to that will explain it tome step by step or if any of you guys know what i am talking about i would apreciate the help again, PANIC, PANIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Richard

Well the first thing you need to do is get Tom's book "Rod Builing Guide everything you need to know" .

It is available both on @#$%& and at amazon.com and probably other places too. You won't go wrong reading that book before you start building your rod. It will save you a lot of backtracking and headaches.

Ray

Rich,
Chill a bit and tell us where you got it, discription, so we can figure out what you got. The button goes on the end of the threaded piece, the threaded piece goes on the long side of the insert, the short side gets the collar looking thing. If the collar has a stepped area in it than it fit s inside a recess in the cork grip. If it's just a big flat collar than it just goes against the grip and it shouldn'r have a recessed hole in the end of the cork.

in the words of douglas adams, Don't Panic.

if you need further help, send me a photo of the pices on a flat surface and i'll try to help you via email.

eric
fresno, ca.
(you can get my email by clicking on my name)

The grip will be reamed, filed or bored to fit the blank. You'll have to do this. In some cases, it will be too big and you'll have to wind thread around the blank to take up the space.

The seat usually consists of an insert, wood or something. Two hoods - one will be fixed and one will be moveable via a nut or two on a threaded barrel. The button is to fill in the barrel on the back of the reel seat.

If it came with arbors or busings, then those would be used to take up the space between the insert and/or barrel and the rod blank.

What type reel seat is this and where did you get the kit?

.............

the kit i bought came from cabelas, it doesn't have a recessed cork grip, so that means that the threads on the reel seat are at the end where the small part of the cork grip meets the reel seat(threads at the top),the lower reel recess is going to be glued up solid and alighned with the rod guides or spine, right?? the piece where the reel sets in (reel recess) is supposed to have a button (butt cap) plug, is it supposed to be epoxyed on the end? if not the one i got will not stay on.
another question, THE SPINE!!!!!!!!!! do i find the spine in each section of the blank or do i find the spine in each individual section????
guys please have faith in me, i will catch on with your help.............
richard

Mudhole has Rod Building 101 on their website, it has online video's, and a bunch of other information that may help you out. [shop.mudhole.com]