Harold: I agree with Tom. The key to success with ANY wood used for reel seat or wood grip turning is moisture content. You can "kiln dry" small pieces of wood at home with a very low heat source (light bulb) in a small enclosed fire proof space in a matter of a week to ten days in most cases. We kiln dry our wood down to 6% to 8% moisture content before we do anything with it includin
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Kirk: I agree with Jeff VanZandt, the "home brew" processes are VERY dangereous and at best mediocre as far as results go. We tried for nearly a year to produce a decent reliable stabilizng formula and we just weren't happy with the results. We used a reworked pressure cooker and drew a vacuum to draw the material into the wood. Worked okay for spalted woods but any other solid wood i
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Billy: What town in the western suburbs of Chicago? Thanks.
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Bob: If you need a stabilized wood donation for your project we'd be glad to help. Someone would have to turn the seat and grip for you and add the hardware. Let me know if we can help. Our website is www.reelseatblanks.com. Reel seat blanks and larger pieces for grips. Larger pieces aren't listed on the site yet. Good luck!! Steve Kincaid
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Pete: In the short time I've been reading this forum, I am truly amazed and PROUD of the number of stories I have read like yours!! It's great to see that this is such an ethical, customer focused industry! I wish the rest of the retail world would wake up and take a few lessons from companies like American Tackle and a bunch of others I've read about here. Thanks for sharing!! Steve Kincaid
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Bill: I've been meaning to respond to this post ever since I 1st read it. To say the least, it choked me up!! Being a "new guy" to the forum, I have been amazed at the help given, quality of advice and the BIG HEARTS I have seen on these pages. I am truly touched and amazed. Makes me feel like maybe there IS a little hope for this world!! If you ever build another rod for a deserving pe
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Tom: If you could use a few more door prizes for the Rod Expo, we would like to donate a few stabilized rod handle blanks. Please let me know where to send them and to whose attention, etc. Thanks! Steve Kincaid Reelseatblanks.com
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Matt: We use 2 different stabilizing companies and they are both excellent. The process they use to stabilize our wood makes it resistant to temperature changes, humidty extremes, U.V. light, saltwater and many oils and solvents. It's probably the best protection you can give to a chunk of wood that will be used out in the elements. Cripe, I sound like a commercial! So be it. Give our sticks a sh
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Tim: We are in the process of updating our website to include the larger pieces. We will be adding a "Group 4" and "Group 5", one for stabilzed wood, one for unstabilized. If you have an immediate need, please send me an email and we'll do whatever we can to help you now. We have some of the stabilized wood in stock, a BUNCH more out being stabilized and dyed and stabilized. W
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Terry: You've gotten GREAT advice from all! Mark Blabaum's comment on letting your handle "rest" before final sanding and finishing can be critical. Holds true for any wood, but open pore woods like Big Leaf Maple Burl and Black Ash Burl are some of the worst offenders. They can absorb moisture like a sponge under the right circumstances and give you fits. If you have an area where you
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Bob: Thanks for the info on Juniper. You straightened me out and aswered a lot of questions. Thanks! Steve Kincaid
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Mark: I just got home and got your email from today. I called the number you sent me and left a message on your voice mail, sounded like your work number. Please call when you get the message with my number, looking forward to talking to you! Steve
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Bill: By Juniper I assume you are referring to Red Cedar? Juniper is a wood term that applies to several different species. Thanks! Steve
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Mark: I didn't receive an email from you. Our email address is: kfandb@yahoo.com. I'll send you an email at your address listed. Thanks! Steve
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Bill: Mesquite we have, Juniper we'll have to look for. I'll keep you posted. Thanks! Steve
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Sam: Buckeye Burl is a wood we are searching for, don't have it in stock at this point. We'll keep you posted. Thanks! Steve
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Rich: Be sure to turn your stock a little over sized before stabilizing. Highly figured woods and burls have a tendancey to warp slightly during the stabilization and curing process. We've had a few sticks come back from stabilizing that looked they were trying to crawl out the door!! Have fun, let us know how your experiments work out! Steve
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Rich: Stabilized clear or dyed and stabilized in colors? Thanks! Steve
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Rick: We've got some 8/4 (2" thick) Fiddleback Maple that is drop dead GORGEOUS. What color (colors) would be best in your opinion?? We can do the same with our Big Leaf Maple Burl. We don't have a reliable supplier for Boxelder Burl at this point. Thanks!! Steve Kincaid
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I had a GREAT conversation with Mike Barkley regarding the need for larger pieces of stabilized wood for wood grips, butt caps, trim rings, etc. Mike suggested I post this question on the forum and get feedback from the field. Mike feels stabilized wood sized about 1 1/4" square by 6" long would be a good starting point. QUESTION: What sizes of stabilized wood and types of different w
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Eric: Sorry for the confusion! We show turned blanks on the website to show the color, grain, clarity, etc. We sell the blanks, not the turned inserts. I guess we need to clarify this on the website to avoid further confusion. Thanks! Steve Kincaid
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