So I got myself in a pickle and keep digging myself in deeper.

I assembled and epoxied up my fly rod handle and reel seat, and lo and behold, the bottom ring that holds the reel foot is upside down.

So I looked up how to remove the but cap which was epoxied on, and stuck the end in a bag and in boiling water. That didn’t work so I put it over the open flame of the gas stove and it popped right off!

Cool, now I’ll unscrew the lock ring and flip over the reel seat ring. NOPE! The O-ring on the locking ring seems to have gotten too hot and now it will not budge. I’ve tried water, oil, more heat, wd40 , but it just won’t budge.

I’m close to finishing the build I just need to get this darn ring off the threads of the reel seat, anyone have any advice?

Thanks,
Chris

I would try joint pliers or a small pipe wrench on the locking ring after wrapping it to keep it from being chewed up by the wrench. The leverage might be enough to move the ring.

PUt it in the freezer over night and see how it goes

If push comes to shove, just use a dermal tool with a cut off wheel.
Cut almost all of the way through on two sides of the ring.

Then, insert a straight bladed screwdriver into one of the cuts and give it a twist. Repeat on the other side and the ring should have split and fallen off.

Then, go purchase a new locking ring, screw it on, and you will be good to go.

Best wishes.

I’d try Rogers first tip, first. Before you move on to his second option, find out if you can buy just a locking ring. Some reel seat suppliers and manufacturers will sell you just the part you need. What brand of seat did you use?

The pliers and tape method, it may work, but it also may “tear up” the O ring. Heat more than likely shrunk the ring or deformed it to the point of no recovery. Again, check and see if you can buy the parts or take the kick in the pants and buy a whole seat for parts.

You’re not the first builder to have this happen.

Just a comment, do not go anywhere near a fishing rod with an open flame on the stove!
Either a heat gun (carefully), or at most a candle in a candle holder, and again, very carefully.
It would not take too much to over-heat the blank and cause much damage.
That is why "boiling water" is a better way, since it cannot go past a certain temperature.

Best wishes,
Ron Schneider
Schneider's Rod Shop
Mountain Home, Arkansas
[www.schneidersrods.com]
mtnron40@yahoo.com
870-424-3381

Thanks for the tips everyone, for anyone in the future, what I would do differently is this,

Use a heat gun on the but cap - and put tape or cover somehow the locking ring from the heat.

To get the lock ring unstuck, need to add heat, and work ring back and forth to separate metal from Oring.

I needed to use a dremel on the end of the reel seat, instead of cutting off, I was able to grind down the very end just a hair which allowed the metal ring to come off and I could switch the foot ring around. Epoxied it back on and it’s good as new.