Hi All, I finaly got to try out two rods that I built for myself. The one that I call, "Spin-fly" was great. It is 71/2' and I had a Diawa closed face with trigger. (I was crappie fishing). The other an ultra light 5 1/2' with cork handle with slip rings. This one I had problems with. I believe that I've finished the cork handle to small for the rings. Is there any way to crrect this problem? The reel kept wanting to loosen up and at times slip off the handle. I thought that I read or saw in a catalogue some where that there is a tape simular to electrical tape that can be used to wrap and station the reel to the handle. And I have a question? I've been referring to this type of handle as a "Tennessee" type handle. Am I wrong?
And if so would some explain to me what is a "Tennessee" handle? I wait for you answers fellow rod builders

I've fished that handle hard for 12 years and never had the reel budge. This is how I did it: I marked on the cork where the reel went. I got some Fuji hot glue and put two dabs on eather end of the reel seat and stuck it on the cork. I then put some more hot glue around the foot. I slipped the rings over reel foot very frimly and put some more dabs of hot glue on them. I then wraped it all in black eletrical tape. I just removed the reel the other day and had the devil of a time getting it off after 10 years of fishing. There is a HUGE difference in eletrical tape! Forget the cheap chinese stuff at Wal Mart and get 3M Scotch professonal tape. Much more streatchy and sticky.

On my most recent rod I've got rid of the slide rings all together. Just going to use tape and hot glue or maybe even Rod Bond. I don't mix and match my reels so it works for me. Oh and these are ultra-light spinning rods. On my heavier rods I use Fuji reel seats.

Or, just take some Scotch Super 88 electrical tape and tape it. Will never move again. May look a litle ghetto...

Paul

Hi Reggie,
I think you where talking about tommy tape.
Here is the link: [www.tommytape.com]


Jerry

A slip ring reel seat is just that...slip rings. A Tenn. handle has no rings, the intention is to just tape the reel on with high grade electrical tape (Scotch Brand).

I like slip rings on cork and use them. No probs. If you want a temporary mont for your reel use a long piece of nylon tyrap. Just do a cris cross patern over the reel foot, start on one side..go around the cork, go over the other reel foot side and back under the cork, and cross back over the the original foot side and feed the tip into the head and pull tight. Then use pliers to grasp the tag end snug up against the head and twist the pliers and that will snug the tyrap up even more. Be very careful and cut the tag end off at the head as true and clean as you can with a sharp knife. Not likely to happen due to the location of the head but......if you use dykes or flush cutters it will usually cut at an angle....leaving a mountain top type peak on one end that is very very sharp. A fast movement over this point with your forearm or such will slice you wide open. So be sure to trim it so there are no sharp points. Then you can always cut it off if you want to change reels. This could also be done with waxed 12 cord.....or probably a lot of other things.