I have never used any of the "manufactured" arbors (ie the Flex Coat arbors or the smaller graphite arbors) for reel seat installtion. I have been using built up fiberglass mesh sheet rock tape strips to make my own. I am interested is switching over to the "manufactured" ones. Any advice?

Also, the only reaming work I have done to date was on pre-manufactured cork grips. I have been able to get by with taping strips of sandpaper to old sections of rod blank. I noticed that there are commercially made reamers and razor wands. I want to try one for cork grips, but also guess I will need something if I switch over to the arbors. Any advice?

Thanks,

Scott

Scott,

The Flex coat brick foam arbors reem out VERY EASILY, they are hard, but cut very fast....you'll like them. I use the flex coat pilot drill bits to ream my arbors close, then just take a standard rat tail file and finish to fit. VERY easy to do and use. Neither ever has to be replaced as well, big plus.

DR

IMO, the best arbors are the polyurethane ones made by St Croix ... distributed under the Flexcoat label and others. After that, I like fiberglass mesh tape (bigger rods or small spaces). For reamers, nothing beats the Dream Reamer kit by Batson. I would highly recommend staying far away from razor wands - the grit dislodges inside the cork and then scratches the blank when you are sliding it on ... not a pretty sight!

I agree completely with Jim on Batson's Dream Reamer. With the Dream Reamer attached to a drill you can ream a cork handle down to nothing in minutes.

We use the Flex Coat pilot bits on our reamers and if we need a bigger hole we go to the Dream Reamer.

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods

We use the Flex Coat pilot bits on our reamers and if we need a bigger hole we go to the Dream Reamer.

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods

Scott make life easier glue in the arbors into the reel seats ahead of time, then it takes only seconds to ream them to fit with either the pilot bits or dream reamers,only thing is they cut very fast check fit often
John

yup, i've used a flex coat arbor once. received it from REC when a buddy of mine ordered his reel seat. they sent the correct one and i used rod bond to glue the arbor into the reel seat first, then i reamed it with a reamer i picked up from @#$%& long ago (of course i glued the butt end cap on last after reaming). like john and DR said, it reamed very easily. this was a reamer (one of three) that has grit on it, a sponge handle and no spiraling space and one i use for cork grips all of the time. i will probably still continue to use mesh drywall tape since most of my rods are smaller fly rods with just a little space to fill between the seat and blank but when i can, i'll use a flex coat arbor without qualms and a gleam in my eye.

eric
fresno, ca.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/11/2007 12:44PM by eric zamora.

So does everyone feel that the FC arbors are just as strong as any other build up material ? Even for stout stand-up tuna rods and the like ? Just asking becuase I was taught the masking tape build-up way of doing things and it seems to be very solid and have not have one break, but I do admit you have to use a lot more epoxy. And also now that I own a set of dream reamers it really seems like I should consider moving towards arbors. Anyone using arbors on big unlimited class type stuff ??

Thanks, Jeff

Another vote for the Flexcoat Arbor. I used a rat tail file to ream out the arbor. Very easy to work with. Try it yand you'll never go back. Bill Giokas

Jeff masking tape really isn't close to be the best way to arbor a reel seat for heavy rods dry wall tape is far superior.
RE the flex coat arbors something to remember they were designed for use with Fuji seats and will be slightly different in size for the Batson seats, Batson has their own to fit their seats or get a larger size and sand to fit in the seats
John

i might be jumping the gun here and taking liberties, but to clarify john's statement, it's the mesh fiberglass drywall tape which is good for creating reel seat arbors. not the regular paper drywall tape i grew up with.

eric
fresno, ca.

Eric you are totally correct should really have been more specific thanks for the clarification
John