Building my first offshore rod that will be holding an Avet 80w. I wanted some advice on the proper way to build a homemade arbor that can be dependable and hold that kind of weight. I have heard masking tape in sections along with UB-40 rod bond . Is that all i need? it just did not seem right. Thanks in advance



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/30/2011 01:57AM by Dylan Garza.

Yeah that works. just make sure your epoxy is mixed well. So also say use the drywall tape, but I havent had much luck with it sticking to the blank to build up. The masking tape is plenty. I've used it on my saltwater rods and have had ZERO issues. BTW AVET is an excellent reel. Such a smooth cast.

Hi Dylan,
If your going to use masking tape make sure you get plenty of epoxy between the masking tape bands and make sure the tape is completey covered. Scuff the blank and the inside of the reelseat to get a water break frree surface on both. Used that method a lot and never had a problem on saltwater rods, even heavy game rods. I usally use three bands of tape, about 1/2 inch from each end and one in the middle.If you need to build the tape up a fair bit use 1/2 inch tape as it doesn't tend to "fall over" like the narrower ones do. Also make sure you get the tape as tight as possible.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

I use Drywall mesh tape for all my arbors.make sure you scuff the blank and inside the seat with scotchbrite pad to get good adhesion. I use a short (1") piece of masking tape to hold the mesh when starting. I cut it down to about 1 inch wide and use three bushings. fill the voids between the bushings well

Use the Mesh drywall tape. I mark out where the reel seat will go, scuff the blank and inside of the reel seat, and then wrap the mesh drywall tape around the blank. Most Saltwater heavy duty reel seats will get 3 arbors with the tape, pretty much solid under the reel seat. I test fit one, making sure I pull the tape tight each layer I do and that the reel seat fits over tightly. Then I do the other 2 shims the same way, making sure everything is nice and solid. Then I remove the reel seat and unwrap most of the first shim. I leave 2 or 3, sometimes 4 layers of the mesh tape on the blank and lay a thick layer of epoxy over the shim and then rewrap the shim tightly. This completely fills the tape shim area with epoxy and you can see when you need to add more epoxy to the shim because the epoxy won't ooze out from the mesh area. I then do a thin coat over the shim and slide the reel seat over the shim, spinning it as I go. Then I repeat the same steps for the next 2 shims, unwrapping most of the shim, applying the epoxy and then rewrapping tightly. If you are using a reel clamp, you want the area that will be under the clamp to be pretty solid so the clamping pressure won't crush the reel seat. I do the Slick Butt's the same way instead of using a foam shim. Mesh tape, dry fit, unwrap most and then apply epoxy, rewrap. This helps keep it cleaner than doing all of the shims with epoxy, but you gotta move quick before the epoxy sets.

There are some things that have changed over the years and some that haven't.

First I would wash all my parts and the blank. You can follow that up with a solvent if you like. Then I would scuff the blank for the entire length of the the grips and reel seat. Aluminum seats and gimbals get a little time with a file. Many have ribs in then and you can't get between them with sandpaper. Blow or wipe of any dust from sanding but don't use a solvent (IMHO). Okay so you have all you parts prepped. That is the part that hasn't changed.

Now you have your choice of arbors. Masking tape has been used for a long time. It has the advantage of being cheap and easy. You can be assured of a perfectly centered fit up. While I have used masking tape I no longer do so. It just seems "cheap". Plus you end up using a lot more epoxy and that adds weight and adds little strength when asked to bridge a gap.

Many swear by drywall mesh tape. I have not used it. I'd imagine it is great if you impregnant it with epoxy as you wrap it on. I suppose I'm afraid that would increase its diameter and I'd be doing a lot of sanding so I haven't used it....yet.

Then you have the so called graphite arbors (which are actually polyurethane). With these you have the choice between gluing them in the reel seat first and then reaming to fit the blank. They often come in just the right size to fit the reel seat....or at least graphite reel seats. Or you can ream first and install on your blank. In that case I'd do something like put a long 1/4" bolt in a drill motor and spin the arbor and block sand untill I had a snug fit in the reel seat. Then I bore and ream the arbor to fit the blank. I often split a full length arbor into two parts. This leaves me with a tiny gap in the middle (and at each end of the reel seat) where the epoxy contacts the blank and the reel seat.

An aluminum reel seat might not need complete support but I like doing it that way. On something like a slick butt I really like the idea of full lenght support. I do wish the bigger arbors were cheaper and wish thet weren't all 1/4" bore. I mean who needs a 1/4" bore on a 30 mm arbor?

Once the arbors are sized to fit the slick butt and reel seat you can quickly install them with fast setting epoxy, grab a cold one (or three), and come back and glue everything up with normal setting epoxy.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

All of the posts work.
You can really use anything that you want for an arbor. Just be sure that your blank is ready for glue, that your reel seat is ready for glue and you use an appropriate space to center up the reel seat.

Masking take works very well. It has been used for years and years with no issues at all. If you do use making tape, just insure that you have a few bands of clear space between the bands to allow for a good layer of epoxy for adhesion.

The poly arbors also work very well. Just use good construction techniques and you will be fine.

Take care
Roger

Thank You Guys so much for all the great advice. I will let you know how it goes. :)