Hello, I am new to rod building, and this is a novice question. I just ordered two blanks and carbon fiber grips from NFC. One of the carbon fiber grips has an OD of 25, the other has an OD of 27. Both of these measurements are at the front of the grip where it meets the reel seat. How do you get a avoid a step up or step down between the front of the grip and rear of the real seat? Can carbon fiber be sanded? I will probably go with a size 17 or 18 reel seat for the inshore casting rods I plan to build

To answer your 1st question - get a custom made CF grip.
Your 2nd question - you can sand it slightly to give it tooth. But not to reduce diameter or you will probably sand through to foam.
Herb

Herb Ladenheim Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> To answer your 1st question - get a custom made CF
> grip.
> Your 2nd question - you can sand it slightly to
> give it tooth. But not to reduce diameter or you
> will probably sand through to foam.
> Herb

Thanks
So, reading between the lines, it’s not possible to get no step up\step down with over the counter carbon fiber grips and real seats from different manufacturers?

Ask the source of the grips you plan to use. I think that with the right parts there is no step, but have not purchased ready-made CF grips. Pictures of grip kits look to me like there is a good fit, no step.

What model grips did you buy? A 27 mm OD is a perfect fit for most size 16 and 17 casting reel seats. The 25mm OD grip is probably a spinning grip.
Norm

25 mm fits in the back of the 16 mm American Tackle Aero reel seat.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/04/2021 05:51PM by Spencer Phipps.

I guess my question should have been there standardization across different manufacturers of grips and seats? Or do you buy the seat, measure it, and find a grip that matches, or vice versa? I've noticed that some manufactures sell kits, this is the safest way to go, but what about mixing and matching?

Most 16 and 17 casting seats are standard among different manufacturers.
Norm

Rarely do the grips on spinning rods match up as smoothly as a casting rod with trigger. You have to buy more specially designed reel seat for that to happen. The Aero type, the Fuji IPSM and VSS come to mind.

As others have said, the 27 mm is going to match up perfectly to most size 16 and 17 casting reel seats. As far as the 25 mm grip, I suspect it is as Norman said and is a spinning grip. I haven't looked at the NFC grips but I have 2 spinning rods I built with CFX grips and they had the sleeve rolled over the end of grip where it would butt to the reel seat. On spinning rods I use an Alps TRS trim ring between the grip and the reel seat. The TRS is available in sizes 16, 17, and 18 and fits nicely into the corresponding size reel seat.

To get a nice flush fit between the grip and trim ring, I sand the end of the grip smooth. You can sand the carbon fiber sleeved grips without fear of the sleeve unraveling because the fibers are all boned together by the lay up resin they use. Just be careful, because as it flattens out you'll be making the edge where it rolls over, thinner. You don't want to sand through the sleeve.

I am sure all the sleeves aren't the same thickness, so this is just for reference.... the thickness of the wall of a factory made CFX grip is .025 - .028". I built one grip using the CFX grip kit, and once completed, it too measured in that same .025 - .028" range.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/08/2021 08:49AM by David Baylor.