I'm hoping to incorporate one of the EFX soft touch 9.5" full length grips into a light spinning rod assembly (I'm not good enough to qualify as a rod "builder" lol), and wondered if anyone has come up with decent trim pieces/reel seat combo to bridge the tenon, which is cut to fit a casting reel seat? I believe that I can use an AT Aero 17 without trim rings (please correct me if I'm wrong), and I love the Aero seats, but I'd like to have options.

I don't have the soft grip ones, but assuming they are much the same......I went through a lot of drama trying to answer the same question.

I happened to buy some freshwater blanks on one of their sales that came with a grip set for free. Deal included rear grip, fore grip, and EVA butt cap. Turns out that tenon is for the EVA butt cap, not the reel seat!!!!!

Of course I can't find that EVA cap on their web site to order a bunch for all the other grips I already bought!

FWIW the standard Fuji DPSM size 20 reel seat I had on hand is a perfect match on the OD if you mount down locking. I have been told the Aero in size 17 works too but I only had the 16 and it won't.

Hope this helps. Good to know I'm not the only one who didn't know which end of the grip was what:)

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

dang, can't delete



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/30/2021 08:13AM by keith nehrke.

Lol, that sounds like something I would do. But in this case, the grip has an EVA butt cap sized to fit into the "non-tenon" end of the tube, and I've read that the tenon is recent addition - it's essentially an arbor that's been glued in with a half inch hanging. A casting reel seat fits perfectly on top of it, so if you're building a casting rod, then Bob's your uncle. Nice and snug. I may end up making an EVA piece that covers the tenon and steps down to the spinning seat, but I'd much rather go with a matte black metal joint. So, it's either find a trim ring that is 1.06" outer diameter and sand the tenon to whatever inner diameter, or find a spinning reel seat that couples to the tenon (~0.97"?). Or use a size 17 Aero that slides over the entire end.

hit post too many times



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/30/2021 08:13AM by keith nehrke.

Keith,

Same problem here. I had some SK Fuji Split seats in casting laying around and ordered the rods on sale with the grips. The size 17 SK casting seats are also the same outside diameter as the tenon. Tonight I am going to try an idea that may work if I am lucky. I am hoping one of the hidden thread sleeve end caps will fit over the tenon even if I have to arbor it up. The the natural taper of the trim ring would slope to the SK seat. It is a long shot though. My backup plan is to shape an EVA piece and remove the tenon. I may even cut a few inches out of the handle and make a "power hump" styled piece to go there. I will test this evening with the trim piece and share.

Rainshadows EVA20 fits their grips.

The trim ring doesn't work. It is close. Mudhole did not have a size that would work in their catalog. I am either going to order a different seat or 3D print a finger groove transition piece.

My soft touch grips do not have a tenon, the carbontex ones do. The thing you see in the picture is the tapered arbor that seats inside the grip a half inch or so when installed on the rod. I believe the other brands do the same thing.

Aaron Petersen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The trim ring doesn't work. It is close. Mudhole
> did not have a size that would work in their
> catalog. I am either going to order a different
> seat or 3D print a finger groove transition piece.

I think we may be talking about different things, or calling the same thing by a different name. The "tenon" that I'm referring to is at the seat end of the grip, and in fact does seem to be a tapered arbor that sticks out from the grip itself - which IMHO makes it much akin to a tenon. Regardless, there needs to be something between the grip and the real seat, and adapter or trim ring, if you're building it as a spinning rod. Casting reel seats that I've tried appear to fit nicely over the tapered arbor/tenon for a flush mount.

I guess it's not rocket science to custom a piece, but I was hoping for an off the shelf solution.

If you cut the tenon back and remove a small amount foam in the grip this might work. You might have a gap as the I.D. will be bigger than your size 16 or 17 seat, could be filled with black tinted epoxy.

[www.americantackle.us]

Following the link then click on "Aluminum Conventional Reel Seat Trim Rings" can't get a direct link.