So, for these rods that I have started asking questions about building...
I am going to be building 2 ultralight rods, on St. Croix SCv blanks that I found at a good price, with the microwave guides.
One is a 6' and one is a 7'.
My ultimate goal is to build these rods as light as possible.
I know, I am sure that i could have found a guide setup that is lighter than the Microwave, but for the time being I am drinking that kool-aid, and I like the fact that it takes some of the many variables out of the guide placement for my first few builds.
These rods will be used with a Stradic CI4 1000 with NanoFil 8#.

Now for the question;
I found a picture here of a reel seat that was made by Phillipson that was basically an aluminum shroud with an uplocking ring that fit over the cork Tennessee handle that locked the reel in place.
I have not yet figured out how to post pics to threads, but I am guessing that some of you will know what I am talking about.

I thought that this was a fairly elegant and lightweight solution for a Tennessee Handle since I cannot, for the life of me, find any classic ring seats for Tennessee handles (are the simple plastic ones from Mudhole really the only ones out there? I have searched and searched and no matter how I word it, I cannot seem to find nice rings.
Yes, I know that most people that use these style grips siimply tape them to the grip with various forms of tape, but for the life of me, I cannot wrap (sorry!) my head around building a high end rod, for a high end reel, and then slap the reel onto the handle with some electrical tape!

The fellow (Rick's) that was listed as the Phillipson guy) does not seem to have any more of these...

Anyone else have any ideas that are close?

I know, sorry... Long Winded...
Apologies in advance,
And thank you again for all your help.
Tom

Tom,
In spite of the fact that it seems foreign to use tape to hold the reel to the rod, it is impossible to find a reel attachment that is as light and as comfortable as tape.
Simply put, it works.

Any sort of ring tends to stick up and dig into the palm of the hand - not comfortable at all.


Tape on the other hand, simply blends into the handle and is just part of the handle.

However, choose what every works for you.

By the way, if you want to make it even lighter yet, make it a split grip Tennessee handle. i.e. use about 7 rings to hold the reel, and 2 more rings at the butt of the rod and you will be set.

Roger

The last RodMaker mag had an articles on the tennessee grip and the many options people have come up with to suit their needs. One being a Fuji plate reelseat integrated into the grip.

Tom,

I use woven graphite tubing or sleeved grips and wrap the reel on with thread and finish like a guide. You won't find a more comfortable way to attach the reel to the rod. Obviously, if you swap reels often, this isn't the way to go, but my reels stay on the same rod until they die.

To post pics, just put un the url, and the forum will link to it.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Joe

I would do what Joe suggest.
It will get you the best results possible.

If you are apposed to wrapping the real directly to the tubing, you can warp a Batson plate seat to the tubing which will provide you the high end look you are wanting with the ability to change the real out. While keeping things light and sensitive.

The plate seat is not as comfortable as wrapping directly to the tubing, but then nothing else is either.

Steve, does Batson have a plate seat? i thought fuji had the only ones.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Yeah, I really like that idea, I came across a couple like that when clicking through the pictures pages, but I would rather be able to move the reel from rod to rod.
I like the idea of the plate seat.
I will investigate those.
Thanks!

john timberlake Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Steve, does Batson have a plate seat? i thought
> fuji had the only ones.


Yeah,
I could not find one on Batson's site, but i did find the Fugi one.

PacBay makes aluminum slip rings, I've only seen pictures but they look pretty good.

i am actually doing some now like the article in Rodmaker, complete with turks heads to accent. I will have them at the ICRBE and will post some pics when i gt a chance. The plate seats offer some very interesting ideas for any type of rod not just a tennessee style. fui used to make some camlocking slip rings a few years ago. i dont think they still make them and have a few i am hoarding myself until the right project. you might try to find some of them. I was fortunate that Dave Mayer gave me a few to experiment with.
If you want light then go with carbon fiber handles. I suggest the SBSS(Sticks and Bones Spinning Seat) as an alternative. I am slightly partial to it but it is an option for you. It was covered in Rodmaker

I build rods for a friend of mine that uses them every other day when minnesota weather will allow. He is the best fisherman I know. He demands a cork tennessee grip and attaches his reels with black electrical tape. This is on all his rods, trout, bass and walleye. Don't knock it until you try it.

Jim

john timberlake Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> i am actually doing some now like the article in
> Rodmaker, complete with turks heads to accent. I
> will have them at the ICRBE and will post some
> pics when i gt a chance. The plate seats offer
> some very interesting ideas for any type of rod
> not just a tennessee style. fui used to make some
> camlocking slip rings a few years ago. i dont
> think they still make them and have a few i am
> hoarding myself until the right project. you
> might try to find some of them. I was fortunate
> that Dave Mayer gave me a few to experiment with.
> If you want light then go with carbon fiber
> handles. I suggest the SBSS(Sticks and Bones
> Spinning Seat) as an alternative. I am slightly
> partial to it but it is an option for you. It was
> covered in Rodmaker

John,
That looks like exactly what I am looking for.
Thank You!

JP
Batson did make them.
Put one on a rod for their display at ICRBE couple of years back. It is the only one I built that way,as I prefer to wrap the reel directly to the carbon fiber
handle.
It was polished black which matched theCraphit handle and Steez reel perfectly

For several years all I used, or built if it was for myself, was true Tennessee handles (where the reel is attached directly to the cork with electrical tape). Then I got the idea in my head that I was compromising my aesthetics and looking bad to other fishermen, and I built several rods with slip-ring handles. I've never had a problem with the rings being uncomfortable, but it is a very regular thing for one of them to work loose while one is fishing, and there's nothing more annoying than suddenly having your reel loose from the rod as you're playing a fish.

I built a Tennessee handle about a month ago for a customer, and am building another one now for a different guy. So finally, after having people request them instead of "prettier" reel seat options, and further after realizing that other than the few minutes when I'm getting it out of the rod tube or putting it back in, the rest of the time on a fishing trip the part of the handle that holds the reel isn't visible anyway, and by way of this observation realizing that what really matters is how it performs, I've come to my senses. The next rod I build for myself will most definitely have a true Tennessee handle.

I have found that with rings you end up having to tape them to keep them from moving anyway as others have said. Why not just skip to it an tape it on direclty. I only really do it with ice rods but I have no problem doing so.

Funny story, a few weeks ago I had a short in my flasher and used some of the tape off my reel to fix the problem and got a few more hours on the ice!
Look at that a reel attachement device and tool box all in one!

If you do not like tape you can use other things in stead too, shrink wrap, castration bands and the like.

I make a number of ice fishing rods each year and most people request a tennessee style handle. People have no problem with taping a reel on an ice rod. I just finished a tennessee style split grip on a 7' walleye rod. What I ended up doing was turning a tennessee handle out of red cedar. Before finishing the handle, i spent some time whittling an area to recess the foot of the reel. It took a bit of time, but it works really well. I then used regular size A nylon thread which I covered with ProKote thread finish to protect the thread to attach the reel to the handle. The result is a very secure, durable connection to the handle that is very sensitive. The downside to my method would be if you need to change out the reel, but I rarely, if ever do. Otherwise, I really like it.

Bob,
I often make hidden hood reel seats. In this reel seat design, it is necessary to sand down the cork in the area of the reel seat.
I have found that a Band Sander makes very quick work of this task.

[www.harborfreight.com]

or:

[www.harborfreight.com]

Roger

If you want a step up from electrical tape, try the silicone tape. It's not tacky and fuses to itself. Plus if you keep some extra on hand, you can fix radiator hoses, fuel lines, water hoses, etc. I found some in the plumbers supply section at lowes. The Rescue Tape brand had a lot of colors you can choose from.

You can take it a step further if you use a foam core carbon skinned handle. Make the part where the reel mounts about 6 inches long and cigar shaped and you will have the most comfortable spinning rod you have ever used.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

As a bonus with the black carbon grip the black tape blends in much better and looks natural on it, plus taping to the rigid carbon is way more effective than taping to cork and you don’t have to worry about pulling chunks out when you remove the tape.

if you use cork or even cork tape you can coat it with a Urithane to hold the stuff together
Don't know if it will be lighter then the carbon ??

Bill - willierods.com