After acquiring an exposed blank baitcasting reel seat for a new build, I decided I wanted to shorten the handle by about an inch (and, so, move the seat an inch down the blank). I think the necessary inside diameter reduction would be about 1/2 mm. So, would you ream it a bit, or buy the correct size seat and put the other in the drawer for later? Just a bit curious about the thoughts of others on this. I really have no idea if there are any pitfalls to a small bit of reaming. The expense of a new Forecast reel seat is minimal, but I hate the thought of a perfectly good reel seat being put aside with its future use anyone's guess. Thanks in advance.

From ghoulies and ghosties,
and long leggedy beasties,
and things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord deliver us!

Hunter,
If you have the tools and abilities to ream the seat, go ahead.

If not, set it aside and buy a larger reel seat.

I have gone both ways, but at the end of the day, I really prefer to buy the correct reel seat.

Simply put, with the shape of many reel seats, and the inability to really chuck it into a lathe, that leaves only doing it by hand and the inherent tough job to really do a perfect reaming job when nothing is tied down to insure a perfect job.

Your money, your choice, but if you fail on the reaming, you have just scrapped the reel seat - rather than setting it aside.

Take care

I have used my Dream Reamers for small adjustments to the reelseats like you are using with success. You may end up with a small burr that needs to be removed but it works for me.

No one can really argue with Roger’s synopsis. If just a tic is required to make it fit = go for it; if not, save it for a rainy day. The additional cost of acquiring the proper part may pale in comparison to the aggravation caused by attempting to make the present part fit.

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

Ream it, an inch or two is nothing. It is very uncommon to find an exposed blank reel seat that fits perfectly where you want it. So reaming a slightly smaller reel seat is the best way to get it fit where you want it. If you get the next size larger reel seats the odds are it may slide down the blank farther than you want it. Thus, It is better to use a slightly smaller reel seat then ream it to fit.
Norm

If you have access to a lathe you could bore it out as follows;

Take a dowel or other round stock and press fit it about 1/3 into the reel seat, leave enough dowel sticking out of the seat to mount it into the lathe chuck. (You could also snug fit the dowel with heat melt glue to hold it in place and later remove it with heat.)

Set the dowel in the lathe chuck and true up the assembly and slowly (shallow cuts) bore out ID to the end of the dowel.

Remove the seat and repeat this set up with a larger dowel on the newly bored end and bore the remainder of the seat to size.

I agree it is a lot of work and will take some time to do it, but that is one way to achieve what you want with the material you have.

If you don't have access to a lathe you are better off finding a seat that fits.

Have fun

I ream exposed blank reel seats by hand with a standard cork reamer almost every time I build a casting rod. I’ve done it many, many times with no problems. I always keep on hand every size of the exposed blank casting reel seats that I most commonly use, and rarely find one that fits perfectly. As I mentioned above, I find a reel seat that is slightly smaller and comes within a few inches of where I want it. A few turns with the reamer is usually enough to move the reel seat an extra inch or two. It only takes a few minutes and it works quite well. I’m not talking about reaming it to the next size or two and removing a lot of material, just enough to get it to fit. Hunter stated he wanted to move the reel seat down the blank an extra inch. In my book that’s nothing and can be easily done with a reamer. If he went to the next size reel seat I’m almost sure he would overshoot where he wants the reel seat to be. Most rod blanks do not change their OD 0.5 mm in an inch. So if you’re within an inch or two REAM it. It’s just that easy to do.
Norm

One caution in reaming an exposed blank reel seat - make sure the window still has a clean and smooth perimeter after reaming. I have had to go in with fine-grit sandpaper and reestablish the outline after reaming - a dremel would have been better but I don't own one.... This is particularly true with the nylon reel seats.

Once, again, this site demonstrates what a wonderful resource it is. Thanks to all who responded. You have all given me something (or, things) to consider. I haven't decided exactly what I'll do, but I will feel more comfortable with my decision whatever it may be. Again, thank you. Slainte!

From ghoulies and ghosties,
and long leggedy beasties,
and things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord deliver us!

I have done it a few times, it doesn't take much to go a little farther down the rod to get it closer to the butt. Like someone else commented you may get a bur or rough edge on the window that can be smoothed back out with 300 or 400 wet sandpaper. Just do the edge, if you have to, and try to stay off the outward facing part of the window where the blank will be exposed.

x10 on what Norman and Lance posted. After ordering an MVT reel seat that went past where I wanted it to stop, I have always ordered a seat a half size smaller than I think I'll need, and ream it to fit. As Lance said, I just dress the edge of the blank window with some 400 grit sand paper.