I have a Loomis Bronzeback spinning rod in for repair. The rear cork grip looks fine and seems secure. Ditto for the cork foregrip. The reels seat is loose, and will rotate on the blank maybe 120 degrees.

I have read an article somewhere stating that to fix this without a complete re-build was possible by drilling into the reel seat, and working some adhesive into the area.

Where do I drill? Or more specifically, what area should I avoid?



And, what adhesive would be most effective. Do I have to worry about compatibility, and matching the OEM adhesive?

Thanks. I did several searches, and came up empty.

Gary,
if you want to give me a call I will try to walk you through the process.

Regards,

Todd

Regards,
Todd Vivian
Mud Hole Custom Tackle

todd@mudhole.com

Sorry,
866-790-7637 ext. 112

Regards,
Todd Vivian
Mud Hole Custom Tackle

todd@mudhole.com

Unless I am mistaken, the rod should be sent to Shimano. I believe it to be guaranteed by them. I also have one that has a "vanished" guide. Never been fished. Nought from Bass Pro & they would not replace it. Told me to send it to Shimano.

The fix you suggest is not optimum, but can get you by, possibly, for a little while. If Todd is willing to help you by phone, I'd call and let him guide through it.

.................

One thing to watch out for, is what type of arbor was used in the reelseat. I have had success when I know there were something like the old graphite arbors used. But if it has a tape or even cardboard tube type of a arbor, I don't think adding any epoxy inside would not do much help.

Tom is correct, this is not the optimum fix. While I have fixed hundreds of these in the past I also knew where the arbors were located under the seat. I personally would sacrifice the foregrip and fix put either the existing one back on or a new one in its place.

Todd

Regards,
Todd Vivian
Mud Hole Custom Tackle

todd@mudhole.com

Gary,
I would never do this to fix a reel seat. The most important reason not to do this is that it is not the correct fix.

Just bite the bullet, and take off the rear grip and the reel seat.
Clean up the blank, Make a new rear grip, use a good arbor for the reel seat and use a good quantity of glue during the time that you install the reel seat and the rear grip.

Then, you will have a rod that will last a long time and will be repaired correctly.

Roger

Just had 2 in that spun reel seats. Easy fix. Cut the rod in half at the center of the reel seat. I cut on an angle to insure the rod is lined up right when assembling. Out of a scrap piece of blank make an under sleeve to attach the blank pieces together. Arbor up the reel seat and ream it to fit both pieces of the blank . Apply Rod Bond to the sleeve and to the reel seat . Make sure the coverage is good with the adhesive and fit it al together. Index the two pieces by turning the blank until it is fully seated to the seat and the grips are up tight to the seat. Set it aside to set up and you are done. One of the 2 i just did landed a 46 inch striper Sunday that really stressed the rod. It held up just fine. Don't forget the water break free surface and it will last forever. By the way the old ones released due to hardly any surface retention area on the seat. There looked like there was mold release still on the inside of the seat. In other words poor prep. Cust will be none the wiser and wonder how you saved his grips.

Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/14/2011 10:22PM by Fred Yarmolowicz.

Neat fix Fred. I'll have to remember that one.

Fred,
Not for me!!
But if you want to do it that way, why cut in the middle of the reel seat?? Why not at the after end at the seat/rear grip interface. Pull the reel seat off intact - repair arbor and re-install,as you said.
Herb

several I have done lately - Had eva foregrips though - I took off the hook keeper taped up any decal With a pin and playing around I got the fore grip off Slid it forward and taped it to stay Then loosened the seat so it came forward also Cleaned up the area where it all sat usually hardly any adhesion at all - Surprised a Loomis ? cleaned up reglue seat aligned marks - I put 1/4" tap - Glue foregrip When dry Re-wrapped the hook keeper on and finished

Careful of tap I try to rub the tape on my pants so the glue is not as strong to harm any decal

Bill - willierods.com

Jim, The idea came from the late great Jesy Buky . I just tweaked it a little to suit my needs.



Herb, 2 reasons I go in the middle.

1. if I want to cut at an angle to make alignment easy I can't do it and stay close to the grip.
2. The seat acts as an over sleeve to strengthen the area, most rods I do are salt water rods for decent sized fish although I feel it isn't necessary.

Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)

Thanks for sharing. I think that is the only area on a rod I would consider repairing. I dont care how good of a builder or repairer someone might be, they cannot restore a broken blank to original condition and performance. Just my personal opinion.

Jim,
I think that you said it well. i.e. if a blank is broken in the main part of the rod it is nearly impossible to restore the rod to new condition and performance.

However, having said that, I repair many rods every month. I can repair a rod that give near new performance as just a small cost to the owner of the rod. Yes, there might be a slight bulge at the former break. There might also be a slightly stiffer spot in the rod at the former break. But most owners are more than happy to pay the bill for a repair, as opposed to spending the $$$$$$$$$$ for a new rod.

This is especially true for a rod that is a few years old.

Roger

Thank you all for the information. This is a project for a friend who is a guide; there's no money in it for me. The rod is one of bunch my buddy keeps for the very few clients who have no rods, or can't bring any. It doesn't see much use, and when it does get used he's after smallmouth, sauger or white bass.

I got an email from a forum member, detailing the procedure. Thanks again Kerry.

I like the sounds of both Fred and Jim's method. Both sound like a better idea than drilling holes in the seat and trying to get some adhesive to find the right spots. Thanks gents. I haven't seen or heard of either of these ideas.

I'm strictly a novice at this craft at which so many of you are expert. At this point I'm only involved in building for myself, and a few minor repairs for others. I am not in the business, just enjoy this as a hobby right now, and make a few bucks here and there to partially offset my own addiction. I'll be retired in a few years, and then will be a lot more active in rod building and reel repair, to make a few bucks, and keep myself occupied and out of my wife's hair.

I normally wouldn't think of doing a repair like this for a paying client. I'd refer them to someone with a lot more experience. But, this is a very good friend; one to whom I feel obliged to go the extra mile.

Mr Vivian; that's a very generous offer of your time, and I would be delighted to take you up on it. Please give me a time convenient for you, and I will arrange my schedule to do so.

Thanks again.
GK

I just corrected a St. Croix rod where a "rod builder" had previously "fixed" a spinning reel seat by cutting the blank in the middle of the reel seat, removed the reel seat and then epoxied the two pieces of the blank and a new reel seat back together. This is for a semi-pro Bass Fisherman where sensitivity is of the utmost importance. It ended up being so flexible at the reel seat, it was not usable. Let's just say the his "favorite" rod sat in storage for years until I took a look at it. For the life of me I can't understand why the "rod builder" didn't just remove the cork, remove the reel seat and replace with a new reel seat and new cork -- money was not an obstacle. You might have to oversize the bore of the cork a little, but small price to pay for not ruining someone's favorite rod. I ended up removing the cork, removing the reel seat, placing blank material inside of the blank and a sleeve on the outside and using a slightly larger 17mm reel seat and using a good quality epoxy to keep everything in place. Still not ideal but at least he can use the rod again. I charged him $40 for this correction plus whatever he paid originally for the "fix" but he is now happy.

Charles, I stated that do install a "piece of blank material" inside the blank to splice the two together. I would NEVER rely on the reel seat alone to strengthen the splice. I have done at least 25 repairs like like this and have never had a complaint or a come back. They only come back for other repairs as they were happy with the first.

Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)

Fred, that I believe was the biggest reason for the failure as the prior guy just used some arbor material and relied on the epoxy and reel seat to provide stiffness which of course didn't work. I just don't like cutting a perfectly good rod blank in half if there is any other way.

Find a new butt handle

Do the repair from the butt end if you are not replacing the guides

You will have to make arbors because the butt of the blank is larger then the area the seat will fit and the front of the handle I use 1/4" tape for this

Bill - willierods.com