I am confused and need help. I want to use a exposed blank reel seat but i am not exactly sure how it needs to be secured to the blank. Correcty me if I am wrong, I need to measure where the seat will go so that i get one that fitts as tight as possible, insert arbors into seat and ream to fit blank then epoxy every thing to the blank?
I know I probably got all this wrong so any and all help will be greatly appeciated.

NO arbor, tight fit - ream if necessary.

Some brands of exposed casting reel seats will require one arbor. If yours is one of these, there's two ways to do it.

Glue the arbor into the reel seat (after ensuring the seat fits the rod properly) and then ream the arbor out slowly, trying it on the blank until it fits. Glue the assembly onto the blank when done.
OR
Ream just the arbor to fit where it needs to go. Then glue the reel seat on first followed by gluing the arbor into the reel seat and also onto the blank by pushing it into the front reel seat opening.

Either way works OK; the method of gluing it into the seat first helps to ensure that there's no problems with being a tad off-center with the reaming job.

Putter
Williston, ND

I agree with Putter

When I build a rod like you write about, I use the following:
1. I use the plastic foam arbors that fit nicely and are easy to machine.
2. I Take the single or multiple arbors necessary to fill any openings in the reel seat. Then, I trim the arbors to length to fill the exact length of the reel seat.
3. For a casting type reel seat, there is normally an open area on the back part of the reel seat. To insure a good bond of the reel seat, I mill down a piece of cork until it fits perfectly inside the reel seat at the back, and trim the width so that it is a flush fit.
4. I ream out the back piece of cork to fit the blank at the position where the reel seat will be mounted.
5. I check the reel seat for fit, and if necessary ream the reel seat so that it is a perfect fit, as it slides down the blank to meet up with the back piece of cork.
6. Then, noting the spot where the reel seat is positioned - I remove the reel seat and ream out the single or multiple arbors that will be in the front part of the reel seat during mounting of the seat.
7. Finally I take one batch of 30 minute epoxy, coat the necessary parts, slide on the back piece of cork, the reel seat, and the front arbors and posiition in place.

Note:
I do all of my handle turning on the blank. So, in addition to the mounting of the reel seat as listed above, I am also mounting and gluing my cork rings for the back grip and fore grip at the same time as I am mounting the reel seat.
Following the glue up - I clamp everyting in place for a single glue setting and an excellent bond. After the glue sets, I place the entire blank and rod handle in my rod turning lathe, and shape the back and fore grip.

Take care
Roger

Thanks for all the help, now i can get started on it this week.

Jeff

When you order your blank, most vendors will fit the right size seat to it if you tell them how many inches from thr butt that you want it (unless of course, the blank is being drop shipped and they don't have one in stock) If you already have the blank, measure the spot where the opening will go with calipers and order the corresponding size.

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!!