Due to the positive response from my first question i thought i would push my luck and ask a second question.

I am ready to build up another spin stick and will be using a vss real seat with a bgv rear grip and quick lock locking nut and a quick lock foregrip
in cork.I used this on my last build but ran into problems and had to do some modifying so hopefully someone has experienced the same and
has some better options.

When gluing the rear grip in place you are unable to build up the packing with masking tape for the reel seat as the grip is partly cut out to fit the
reel seat.So to compensate i had to pull the grip back off the back of the blank a inch or so build up the packing and then push it back into place.Not the ideal
solution i imagine but it worked.

So if anyone can offer a better solution i would be grateful.

cheers........Ray

I find both the Fuji VSS and IPS reel seats very nice to use, but a little fiddley to install. What you did is basically what I do too.
First I shim the reel seat with tape, then remove the tape and slide the grip on. When I replace the tape I remove about one turn of tape from each shim. The shims are still snug, but not so tight there is no wiggle room. After a bad experience on my first try, I switched from regular to a slow curing epoxy. With these seats I want some extra time to adjust everything before the glue sets up.

Hi Ray,
Don't know a thing about those seats so I hope you get help and when we get together you can teach me something. I hope you got to Mallacoota and missed out on the weather here. I was in my workshop doing some binding when a huge southerly hit. My workshop was shaking even though it's protected from the south by a bigger garage and it rained like you wouldn't beleive. It's backed off by more than half but it's still blowing hard enough to blow the crutch out of your underwear!!! If you haven't gone yet then you know all about it. Take care and catch you soon.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

I just installed one of these reel seats and I used the reel seat arbors instead of the tape. I was able to slide the reel seat arbor into place into the semi hole in the cork handle. I also used some cable ties with stiff thin cardboard underneath to secure the uneven cork handle to the reel seat while the epoxy cured. The cable ties without the cardboard and/or some other type support will leave a mark in the cork. Been there, done that & hope this helps.

Once again thankyou for all the helpfull information certainly hit the jackpot when i found this site.These style of reel seats certainly are a fiddly thing to
assemble maybe i should of chosen some thing a bit easier for my first builds but i have a few custom rods from Ian Miller with these and i love them.

I had thought of using the reel arbour but was to late as i would of had to wait for my next order to mudhole long way and costly for one item.So i guess
i could ask another question and that is what are the arbours made of and if they are just plastic what is their life expectancy.Has anyone had any problems
with them before.They certainly would make this fitout an easier job.

Col got your message give me a call anytime today didnt end up going away trip called off.They had a one in a hundred year storm down there the highway
was closed from Bega down.Capt Kev said it was that windy it blew his dog off its chain.Hope to catch you this arvo.

cheers....Ray

I believe that the reel seat arbors or tape position the reel seat to the center of the blank and that after the epoxy cures they serve no purpose as the seat is solid to the blank. The VSS handle kit that I used included the arbors which are sized to the ID of the reel seat and you ream out the center of the arbors to match your blank. I also found that you do not want to put a lot of downward pressure on the handle parts while the epoxy is curing as this will distort the reel seat to lower handle which must fit together without the cork riding up on the reel seat. The cable ties along with the stiff thin cardboard helped me in this area of the handle. Be sure and fill the reel seat completely with epoxy during the assembly and have paper towels ready to remove the excess that leaks out. I installed the rear grip handle first and let the epoxy dry after carefully aligning the handle to the spine. Then I installed the reel seat and the foregrip.