I plan on building a swith rod and know the length of both the foregrip and rear grip. My question is how critical is the placement of the reel seat placement between those dimensions? Should I contact the manufacture and ask them this question? Thanks Bill

What exactly is your question?

Ok if I make the handles the same dimensions as the rod calls for then the placement of the reel seat between the foregrip and the rear grip should be correct and will properly balance the rod? Is this correct?

I suggest you first find out how you want the rod to balance.
That means testing different rods or different set ups of the one you are making.
Do you want the rod to tip up .. slightly or a lot... when you hold it in one hand?
Or do you want it to point down to one degree or another?
Once you find out the balance that suits you best you can then go about creating it.

Obviously the length and weight of the blank and components will play a part.
It's always best to keep a rod as light as possible.. so keep that in mind.
Lighter weight guides make sense... especially toward the tip.

Then if you need to add weight at the butt there are weighted butt caps or other means to do so.
Small amounts of weight at the butt won't diminish rod effectiveness much but a lot of weight will.

I doubt if commercial rod companies even concern themselves with rod balance.

Who determines what length grips the rod "calls for"?
If it's your rod why not make it just the way you like best.

Are you copying a factory rod? Why not use that as your guide and then fine tune it to your own preferences?

It also depends on WHAT you make the handle out of. I fish a lot of my switch rods with older Hardy reels which are heavy compared to the newer alum reels. The handle material also plays a big roll.

I balance my rod "tip high" the way I like it on the swing. This is easy as most of my lowers are wood and my reels are hardy. This is the way I like it not somebody else. That is the reel issue. Do what you like BUT REMEMBER when you fish the rod you will have line out of the guides an drag on it from the current which will play into how the rod balances!!!!!!

Good luck.

Eric

The handles (or grips) have more to do with casting, then with balance. The main grip (fore?) needs to be long enough to use as both a single handed or double, the rear only long enough to give one a good grip when double handed. Once you have determined the length of each to fit your needs, the reel seat location is without any other option, it must be between the two.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/2011 06:16PM by Phil Erickson.

Ok, so the reel seat is not that critical to the overall performance of the rod. I have the dimensions of the fore and aft grip from the manufacture and it shouldn't be a problem. Thanks Bill

I like the Batson HK17 [?] set up.$50 =/- for all the cork,aluminum reel seat,check.
The forward handle is the perfect length for an 11' rod,nice grade too.
Real seat is adequate but maybe a bit "cheesy"for some.