Does anybody have some good advice as how to fix the handle/butt section to a Fuji Ferruled reel seat?

I am building my first boat-rod and I am making it with a detachable butt. I am planning to build the butt section on a piece of scrap blank which is 15 mm OD, but the ferruled real seat is 22 ID, so I have to bridge this gap with some sort of arbor.

Would tape (either masking or the dry-wall kind) be OK, do I need to make an arbor out of brick-foam or cork, or am I just missing the obvious here?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Jasper Renz
The Netherlands

I'm not quite sure what you're attempting to do. What is the seat model number and is it supplied with a ferrule attachment? Or are you wanting to fabricate something of your own.

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The model number is DPSLBD-22S. This reelseat comes with a ferrule attachment, which goes on the rod blank. My problem is how to properly attach the handle to the reel seat. I am not building the handle on a 22 mm piece of pipe, but on a 15 mm piece of rodblank. Does this make it more clear?

You're going to have to build up the piece of blank with something fairly rigid. I'd use hardwood dowel rod or compressed board tube. Another rod blank, sized and slid and adhered to that one, would be perfect. Urethane bushings, full length, should be okay as well. Lots of ways to do this.

One thing, though, and that regards the strength of the piece of blank you're building this handle on. It should not be the weak link in the chain. A section of that small diameter may or may not be up to the task you're asking of it. Make sure it will handle what you need it to do.

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Dear Tom,

Thank you for the advice, it is just what I needed. Would a bushing from cork work as well?

The piece of blank I am building the handle on will be strong enough. I am using the last 1,5 foot of the bottom part of a 3LB carp rod from CTS. It is very good quality carbon fibre, thick-walled and it doesn't even bend when put under straign.

Cork will work. The thing is, you want something rigid so that you don't have any give under that seat. Cork, used full length under the seat, should be okay, although it would not be my first choice in this particular instance.

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I have not used the fuji ferruled reel seat but I was told that when you epoxy it in place, you must be carefull not to get any epoxy onto the cross metal piece where the ferrule locks onto and aligns the tip to the butt. Also, after glueing in the two parts of the reelseat to the blank and to the butt section, care must be taken to see that the overall blank is straight. When you are building up the blank to fit the reelseat, there is sufficient play in the fit to make the overall lenght of the blank no longer straight. After gluing, I take the blank and run it on my wrapper to see that it does not wobble. Any wobble indicates that the blank is no longer straight and some adjustment is needed before the epoxy sets. As to material to use to build up the blank to the ID of the reelseat.... I still have not found one that I like. I have used the drywall tape bushings with rod bond but you need to spend time to make sure that the parts are aligned. I have not used the fuji ferruled reelseat but I do use the Lakeland ferruled reelseat with the machined aluminum hoods If someone has a better solution to making the bushings, I would be interested in learning too.

I like using a section of another fiber glass rod best - especially if it is a very wide gap (as is the case above) or use fiberglass tape and rod bond. If I use tape/rod bond I make it a multi-step process & build up the tape/rod bond in layers - allowing each to cure / sand off and apply another layer) what should (although I have not done this) is visit a boat repair yard & pick up fiberglass woven roving and gel coat - effectively create a segment a fiberglass as a "sleeve" over the existing blank - build it up oversize and bring back down to the correct diameter -- DUST MASKS, LONG SLEEVES etc, please) In all cases pay attention to what Mel has posted - make certain that the ferrule and rod blank are aliged / centered.

Thanks to everybody for the advice. I'll take them all to heart and I think I should be able to make my dream rod now. Thanks again and have a great New Year.