Can anyone tell me what is the trick for lining up skeleton reel seat halves? Or if there is a special means for doing this? My problem is that the moving hood is not die hard in a track and has some movement from side to side. No matter what I do when I get the things glued up it always seems like the hoods are by a little bit. I tried mounting a reel to use it as the alignment piece but that's not really possible because the reel sort of pushes the halves apart if you try to operate the locking moving hood. I'm a little stumped on a good way to do this on any skeleton or split seat.

I started using just the reel foot from an old reel to line up split reel seats. I don't try to tighten it down all the way, just enough to make sure they line up. I use some of the blue painters tape to keep the parts from being pushed apart when I mount the reel foot.

Try using a screw or bolt long enough to go all the way thru the seat, mount your reel, use a large washer on each side of the end of the seat and tighten gingerly with a nut.
That will allow you to get the reel seat foot all the way into the hoods, but once the thru bolt is tightened keep things from moving around until the epoxy sets up.
For something like that we use Flex Coat 5 minute epoxy, you don't need a lot.
If for some reason you err, there is the ability to release the problem hood with some heat.

Best wishes,
Ron Schneider
Schneider's Rod Shop
Mountain Home, Arkansas
[www.schneidersrods.com]
mtnron40@yahoo.com
870-424-3381

put the seat on the rod, put a reel in the seat at the desired spot on the blank. mark the seat and blank with a continuous line on both the top and bottom halves of the seat. Put your epoxy on the blank, slide down the seat and line up the marks.

Tight Lines and Bull's-eyes,

Get Bit Outdoors
407-542-7840
www.GetBitOutdoors.com
www.facebook.com/GetBitOutdoors

James,
I take a piece of 1/4 inch tape and put a vertical mark on the tape and then place one piece of marked tape on the front and the rear section of the reel.
I am sure to align the mark with the exact center of each of the rear and front sections of the reel.

Then, when doing the final alignment, it is very easy to get the front and rear sections exactly aligned. There is a very small - almost invisible mark on each part of the reel seat for the center of each part, but the tape and its mark makes the exact center so much easier to see, and thus get a perfect alignment.

Be safe
Roger

Don't look at the top, Line up the trigger with the track on the hood section. If yours doesn't have a trigger, the best method for lining up two pieces is how Kevin mentioned above.

I use just the foot off an old reel, works for me but all the previous posts sound good.

Rufus
Port Saint Lucie, FL

I use a reel foot also with a line level epoxied to it so I can verify that the seat is level

Baz

I use an old reel frame. You just have to be careful when you tighten it, not to over do it and push the two halves apart.

Thank you all. This has given me some good ideas. I can take it from here. Once again this place has some great people always willing to share.