Hello all, I'll try to keep this short. I have a boat rod of my Fathers. Harnell blankon the 50's two piece style wooden grip and handle. The chromed brass reel seat is green and toast so I want to turn it into a one piece. It's 6'6" total length. I cut the reel seat off and now trying to figure how to make a one piece. My idea is to turn down the wooden grip and handle to a comfortable diameter,epoxy them together as normal with a reel seat and wrap a cris cross pattern with waterproof twine and cover the wood with that textured shrink wrap like Mudhole sells. Tell me if you think this is a good plan or other suggestions. Also, being this is my first boat rod(I usually build fly rods) how many guides should I use and spaceing info. Thanks for all your help.....bob v

Bob,
It sounds like you want to rebuild the rod with current components.

If so, just cut off the reel seat and the grip, sand down the blank to get rid of all glue residue. Then, strip off all guides and clean off all remains of the guide wraps and wrapping finish.

If you need to join two piece of blank, just use a metal ferrule of the correct size to join the two pieces into a one piece rod and glue solid.

Select a new reel seat that will work for the reel you want to use, an EVA back and fore grip, glue up and tie on a current set of Boat guides for the blank.

The normal rule for guides is rod length of 1 guide per foot plus one.

Good luck

I don't have to join the blank, it's the two piece handle that is perplexing. Yes you are right, I'm stripping it all the way down and re-doing it, but joining the two wooden handles is the problem. Or cut it off at the fore grip and add a stint to form a handle but that would mean adding a piece inside the blank and I think it would change the action too much........bob v

Bob,
Can you take some pictures and post them in the photo section?

Usually those type of rods were two piece with the ferrule at the reel seat. If you cut it at the ends of the wood grips you may have cut the ferrule off that holds a couple inches of the end of the blank.

bob if the two piece is at the reel seat just get a reel seat thatis two peice they are still for sale.

Bob, I'd have to see a picture to be sure....but on some of the older rods the handle was, in effect, and extension to make the rod a given finished length. If yours is like that.....you might consider a "slick butt" with aluminum tube and reel seat.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

roger wilson Wrote:
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> Bob,
> Can you take some pictures and post them in the
> photo section?

I can not send pics. The site won't let me log in for some reason. But follow this thread and I'll try to explain.....bob v

Kevin, I did not cut either the wooden handle or the fore grip. I cut the metal between them. they are still in tact.....bob v