Hi,

I figured I'd poke around and ask the question here...

Thinking about pairing the XO Skeleton with a few of the following for salmon. (River float or spoon)
But since I have never seen the handle I am not entirely sure it would be the best.

Here are the blanks I have.

St 1065-2 (HM)
HS 7600-2(HM)
SA 1064-2 (HM)
Float 1364-3 (IM)
St 1305-2(IM)
St 1405-2 (IM)
Float 1363-3 (HM)
CP 1344-4(Lambda LMX)

Thanks,
Ben

The XO grips aren't very long the longest 15+ inches total length counting reel seat length on the longest one, I would plan my rod length used accordingly.

Ben,

Hopefully, David Baylor will chime in for you. He has some excellent experience with the XO's that will help with your decision-making process.

Like Spencer said, the XO's are a complete reel seat and grip in a single piece....so, there is a limited amount of adjustment you can make.

With a free-floating reel seat, you can put it anywhere on the blank that fits your grip length requirements and build to fit what feels right to you. This is not to discourage you from exploring the XO.

Ben, I've built three rods using the XO skeleton grip. One spinning, two casting. i absolutely love the grips, but they can be extremely easy to use, or they can be a bit labor intensive to use. Whether or not they can be a bit labor intensive to use, depends on whether you think the the way the folks at NFC designed them to be used, is adequate from a strength aspect.

I'm going to link two threads where I discuss what I think are short falls in the design of the grips. Short falls that can be over come, but short falls none the less. After you read the threads and look at the pictures I have posted in one of them, you decide for yourself if they are short falls that would require the kind of solutions I came up with, to make me feel more at ease in using them.

I will say that I don't want to scare anyone away from using these grips. After buying and using the first one I bought. I bought two more, despite knowing going in, that they may require a bit more labor to use them. They are super super sweet.

Anyhow, here are those links ...... [www.rodbuilding.org] [www.rodbuilding.org]


Adding a couple of links so you can see what they look like on a finished rods. [www.rodbuilding.org] [www.rodbuilding.org]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/04/2024 04:31PM by David Baylor.

David,
What all pieces would be required for the split grip on a casting rod like on your spincast? Grip components are the most confusing aspect for me to learn. Mainly winding checks, piece to transition from the top of the reel seat. Which size and type I’m struggling with. Haven’t grasped that part yet. I have everything set up to do my first build, and about to start on it today (Split grip). No Idea how to share pictures on here or Id share the grip components I currently have. I don’t have any winding checks. I have the foregrip, But I doubt I use it.

Jeremy,

If you list the components you have people can probably help you.

Angler's Resource in the sponsor list has an online book with Fuji component handle combinations. It's doesn't address their newer components but it might help in the future.

[anglersresource.net]

Ok. Thanks. That will definitely help.

Jeremy, I'm not sure I'm following you. Are you talking about a spinning rod I have pictured in the thread I started where I posted links to pictures of the rods I built earlier this year? If so, are you asking about the one spinning rod pictured with a split rear grip, and you want to do a similar grip, but on a casting rod?

If so, I use the same EVA nub to finish off the front of the reel seat regardless if the rod is a spinning rod, or a casting rod. The nub is something I make on my own. I know they sell winding checks that are designed to be used in place of a fore grip. Most that I've seen have an OD equal to the thread barrel on a size 16 reel seat. You just have to know the ID you'll need to use when ordering it. Which makes ordering one prior to having the blank in hand a guessing game. If you have the blank in hand, just measure the blank where the end of the reel seat will be, and order accordingly.

I've done split rear grips on a few of the casting rods I've built, and for the forward grip, the one that butts up to the back of the reel seat, I use a grip designed for use with a casting reel seat, which means it has a smallish tenon on the end that slips into the back of the reel seat. And I always use an Alps TRC trim ring between the reel seat and grip. I get them from Get Bit. They're available in 10 colors, and I believe only in a size that matches the back of a size 16 seat. At least that's the only size reel seat I have used them with.

For the rear of that forward grip, I use a rubber winding check in the appropriate size. I always make sure I choose a size that will be a snug fit on the rod blank. I use a rubber winding check and the front of the butt grip as well. And in the appropriate size. Between the butt cap and but grip I use an Alps TRB. The TRB is available in 11 colors and only one size, as most of the pre made rear grips have the same OD, it works with every pre made grip I have ever used.

Hope it helps.

If we aren't talking about the same thing, then I would need more clarity on what you're asking about.

David Baylor Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jeremy, I'm not sure I'm following you. Are you
> talking about a spinning rod I have pictured in
> the thread I started where I posted links to
> pictures of the rods I built earlier this year? If
> so, are you asking about the one spinning rod
> pictured with a split rear grip, and you want to
> do a similar grip, but on a casting rod?
>
> If so, I use the same EVA nub to finish off the
> front of the reel seat regardless if the rod is a
> spinning rod, or a casting rod. The nub is
> something I make on my own. I know they sell
> winding checks that are designed to be used in
> place of a fore grip. Most that I've seen have an
> OD equal to the thread barrel on a size 16 reel
> seat. You just have to know the ID you'll need to
> use when ordering it. Which makes ordering one
> prior to having the blank in hand a guessing game.
> If you have the blank in hand, just measure the
> blank where the end of the reel seat will be, and
> order accordingly.
>
> I've done split rear grips on a few of the casting
> rods I've built, and for the forward grip, the one
> that butts up to the back of the reel seat, I use
> a grip designed for use with a casting reel seat,
> which means it has a smallish tenon on the end
> that slips into the back of the reel seat. And I
> always use an Alps TRC trim ring between the reel
> seat and grip. I get them from Get Bit. They're
> available in 10 colors, and I believe only in a
> size that matches the back of a size 16 seat. At
> least that's the only size reel seat I have used
> them with.
>
> For the rear of that forward grip, I use a rubber
> winding check in the appropriate size. I always
> make sure I choose a size that will be a snug fit
> on the rod blank. I use a rubber winding check and
> the front of the butt grip as well. And in the
> appropriate size. Between the butt cap and but
> grip I use an Alps TRB. The TRB is available in
> 11 colors and only one size, as most of the pre
> made rear grips have the same OD, it works with
> every pre made grip I have ever used.
>
> Hope it helps.
>
> If we aren't talking about the same thing, then I
> would need more clarity on what you're asking
> about.

That’s exactly what I was after. That split grip configuration, except on a casting rod. For grip I currently have is the same OD as the reel seat threads. I won’t use it. I might try epoxy ramps on this build since I didn’t order winding checks, etc.