Hello all - working on my 2nd build and have seen several posts on here talking about cutting down/shortening reel seats. I'd like to do that with this build. I'll either be using a Fuji ECSM or two-piece SK grip (not sure just yet).

Anyhow, the questions regarding cutting down seat:
1. What is your tool of choice? Hacksaw, cut-off saw, Dremel, other?
2. Do you need to tape off the portion to remain or any other prep prior to making cut?
3. Any other tips/tricks to get a nice clean cut?

Thanks all.

I cut REC aluminum seats when I build fly rods for a particular customer.
I don't think it saves very much weight - but he likes it that way.
I taped the seat - used a dremel with cut-off blade.
Just make sure that you leave enough seat barrel to accomodate any reel foot that may be used.
Herb

I've cut several Fuji and ALPS graphite seats. I use a dremel with a cut-off disk and I tape it to use as a guide. You can clean the cut with sandpaper if necessary. And like Herb said, make sure to leave enough barrel to accommodate the reel foot.

Leave enough threads to accommodate the reel foot and the hood nut threads.

I’ll typically take about 3/8” or so off the threaded barrel on Alps TexTouch/MVT seats to shorten them down. I’ll just run them across the bandsaw being sure to hold the seat parallel - typically I’ll just keep the end of the seat tight to the fence and push through the blade since there is not real “flat” section of the seat. Then I’ll place the seat upside down and sand it in a piece of 120 grit sand paper on a hard block - just a few circular passes to take any burrs / roughness that resulted from the cut.

. Any other tips/tricks to get a nice clean cut?

High rpm's, lots of teeth, very slow progression through the cut. Yes on tape.

I have zero experience cutting down a reel seat, but have been planning to use the technique shown in a Flex Coat video named Flex Coat Rod Building - High Performance Rod, 2 Hour Build, Keep it Simple.

Seems straightforward-

I use my mini chop saw with a 3 inch abrasive wheel that takes a couple of seconds to cut cleanly through.

However, over the years, I have ceased cutting off the reel seats. I have run into situations where a person wanted to use a different reel, on a rod custom built for a different reel with a shorter reel foot.
The only solution, short of a different reel seat was to make the reel foot shorter. IN these cases, that is exactly what was done, and it worked fine.

However, to avoid any future encounters of a similar kind from those incidents, I have simply stopped making the reel seats shorter and have had no further issues of that sort.

Remember, many times a rod will be used for 50 years. But, in that same time the rod might have a dozen reels on it.

Best wishes

p.s.
When, I go fishing these days, I take about a dozen rods and 15 or so different reels. Depending on the day, the fish to be caught, I might put any of any of the reels on any of the rods that are in the boat.

Many of the reels have reel feet of a different length. Hence, if a rods reel seat has been custom trimmed for one particular reel, that happens to have a very short foot - all of the other potential reels to be used on the rod are out of luck.

Take care

I use an end mill and a dowel that fits the reel seat in my lathe . Makes a real nice clean cut and very square to the axis. The end mill I use is from the Little Machine Shop. It has a 1/2" shank and a 1' diameter at the flutes.

I have blocks of wood with holes bored thru them. The seat is inserted with the amount if threads to be removed protruding from the other face of the block, the block is placed in a vise, I cut down along this face of the block with a hacksaw blade. Clean up with sandpaper.