Hi all: I desperately need your help. I just finished a beautiful rod and used an Alps aluminum blue reel seat. I finished the rod then noticed a small amount of dried up epoxy on the reel seat top near the grip. Is there a way I might be able to remove the epoxy without damaging the paint on the reel seat. Please help, I need to ship this out by Thursday.

Thank You.

Having not encountered this all I can say is what I would try.

If you have a softer plastic putty knife or blade like you would use to put graphics on windows, you may be able to somewhat chisel at the edges of the epoxy. An angled wooden dowels used for cleaning under fingernails could work as well. The plastic should not penetrate and damage the aluminum as long as it is soft enough. Usually epoxy will come off of smooth surfaces like aluminum fairly easily. Hence why we scuff where we epoxy.

Hopefully you get a first hand proven technique. I would wait for one before trying this. Best of luck.

A.P.

A short shot of directed heat from a lighter flame will also help to loosen the adhesion so the epoxy can be popped or peeled off the seat easier.

Salvatore,
When you say aluminum seat, I am assuming the blue is ANODIZED and not painted. While Aarons suggestions would certainly minimize the chances of scratching the seat, they may not be effective. Nonetheless, you’ve got nothing to lose so give it a shot first. Otherwise…
The anodized finish is basically aluminum oxide = very hard. Unfortunately, it is also employed to promote better bonding / adhesion. Since the surface is so hard, a carefully and precisely angled BRAND NEW razor blade may shave (or hopefully pop) off the excess epoxy. Careful additional heat from a heat gun will soften the epoxy but do not exceed 150*F so as not to compromise the epoxy bonding the seat to the blank . Aluminum conducts heat extremely well so be careful. If worried or in doubt, wrap a wet rag around the seat / blank except where the epoxy to be removed is. But just as aluminum ACCEPTS heat quickly, it inversely LOSES heat quickly as well so you will have to work quickly.
Sorry to say, but if the seat is PAINTED, you may be SOL.
Please inform us how it turns out!!!

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

Hi all: I will paste the email Mike Thorson from Batson sent me: (By the way, it was a quick response, excellent company)

sounds like you put a beautiful rod together! The finish on the Alps reel seats is anodized so it is pretty durable. I would try this: Take a heat gun and warm the seat up in the area where the glue is! There are some PVC parts on the reel seats, the delrin washers between the nuts, and the hood cushion (if present). Try not to heat those areas too much. The heat should soften the epoxy and allow you to scrap it off! Use a pop sickle stick to scrap with so you don't scratch the anodizing. The other option would be to use acetone but be very careful with that as it will damage the rod finish or anything plastic.    Best of luck, Mike Thorson

So thanks to Mr. Throson who seems to care about his customers.

As for my stupidity, I taped the ends of the reel seat when I put the grips on just so I don't have to clean off the epoxy. So what had happened is the tape adhesive residue was left behind. All I had to do was use some denatured alcohol and remove it but with a lot of rubbing and force. But it came off.

So, I want to thank all of you for helping me with this problem. It's good to know that companies like Batson and of course all you rod builders are there to help.

Glad to hear your build was rescued! Great positive to start the week on.

Utmost/Batson also stepped up for me as well this week! Topnotch outfits!

In the future,if you get under any corner of the dried epoxy with a razor blade bade push up the glue should pop off.

A couple of comments:
If you use heat - do not use a lighter that uses lighter fluid and has a yellow flame. The yellow flame indicates that there is carbon in the flam and with use, black soot will be left on the object that is heated.

However, if you use a butane lighter, then that burns with an invisible flame and there will be no deposit left behind.

You can also use an alcohol burner that is filled with 100% alcohol and do not use the drug store alcohol for fuel because this is only about 70% alcohol and that fuel will also burn with a yellow flame and leave soot and black behind.

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You mention using denatured alcohol to clean up masking tape residue. Yes, it works after a fashion.

But a much better choice for cleaning up masking tape residue is the use of Mineral Spirits or pain thinner. The adhesive used on masking tape is essentially petroleum derived and thus, when mineral spirits is used as a cleaning agent, the fluid simply dissolves the adhesive and masking tape residue that simply lets you wipe off the residue.

However,Mineral Spirits leave an oily residue behind. So, after removing the masking tape adhesive from the surface of your rod /blank/reel seat, follow up with DNA - which will then easily wipe off the mineral spirits residue. Or you can simply spray the rod down with Windex or Simple green to remove all finger prints, grease marks or spots quickly and easily.

Best wishes