Has anyone had the experience of heating an aluminum reel seat to adjust it slightly after it has been put on the blank with rod bond? I know hot water is not effective. And if it can be heated to move it slightly, does the rod bond set up inside again and retain its strength? Thanks for any help.
Sanford Hochman

Sanford,
Heat - of various temperatures tend to soften epoxy.
The real question for your use, is that if the epoxy gets soft, and if you break the bond by twisting the reel seat, does the reel seat move.

If you have the reel seat in place, and if your guides are wrapped and coated, and if your reel does not line up with the guides, you very best option is to cut the guides and tip off of the rod, clean up the blank and rewrap.

I suspect that you are headed for head aches if you try to heat and adjust the reel seat.

I am sure that if you put a torch on the reel seat, you could loosen and twist the reel seat for adjustment. The thing that I am not sure is what your reel seat would look like after the reel seat has cooled, and also, if the bond of the seat would be secure to the blank.

Good luck and good wrapping.

Roger

It isn't hot melt glue. Once the bond is broken it is broken and will not reset. You could do what you have needs to be done to get it aligined. Then drill a few small holes in the reel seat where the reel will hide them, and inject a thin epoxy like West systems, and hope for the best.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

At my work (machine shop) we have to heat plumbing faucets in need of repair that have been assembled using epoxy on the threads.
You have to heat it to the point where it is smoking to get it to release it's bond. You won't like the smell :(
At this point, it is burnt and will not rebond with the same strength.
IMO, you would have to completely remove it, clean the ID of the reel seat and the blank of old epoxy and then reglue.

Thanks Guys,
I have given all that thought, but sometimes we hope someone comes up with a good answer. I suspect I will just redo the guides although the reel seat is almost imperceptibly off center, but I know it even though it wouldn't affect the fishing. I will just cry a little as I cut off the guides.
Sanford

Sanford,
Just look at this as an opportunity to practice your guide wrapping techniques.
Also, if you had any second thoughts about guide choices, or thread colors or trim wraps, you could now change with no issue.

Roger