By George J. Roth
Whether you are a rod builder, interested in learning how "I" build a split reel seat or an angler interested in purchasing a rod, I hope that you find this information helpful. I had a couple of conversations with Brad Tharp of Everything Bass, Inc. (EBI) and we discussed the concept of split reel seat construction. I used my imagination and some trial and error to come up with "my" method. I'm sure there are other ways to perform the same task...this works for me. If you discover or use an easier method, let me know. I'd be glad to hear it.
The reel seat below is a Fuji TCSD reel seat. It is very comfortable to hold in your hand. The design lends itself well to construction of a split reel seat design. The Fuji ECSM (exposed blank) reel seat can also be utilized. The difference you will find is mainly in the thread portion...there aren't as many. The rear cut will be the same...the material won't have to be removed in front of the trigger because of the exposed blank design.
Let me know if you have any questions regarding this reel seat design. Just remember that split reel seats (skeleton seats) aren't limited to casting rods. They can also be performed on spinning reel seats, as well. Check on the
Rod Construction page for more pictures.
Disclaimer: It has come to my attention that a prominent rod builder has been conducting tests on the structural integrity of this system. His tests have shown that in techniques that produce strong forces during the hookset, ie. Flipping, the blank may break beneath the reel. This seems to be more prevalent when the reel is palmed. This places the greatest amount of stress in the middle of the split reel seat, where its structural integrity has been compromised. If you have a "cross their eyes" hookset, you may want to take this into consideration when ordering or building your next rod. My personal experience has been that I have not had any of my rods break in this manner. It is my responsibility to pass on this information so you can evaluate the concerns for yourself and make an informed decision. I have also been informed that a future article in RodMaker will address this issue.
1. This reel seat is a Fuji TCSD. You want to select the reel seat size that will fit as snugly as possible onto the desired location of your blank. You will notice that the nut has been screwed flush with the end of the threads. This will determine the position you will cut the barrel. It doesn't hurt to leave an 1/8 inch overlap to allow for different reel foot thickness. Your goal is to have the nut flush with the end of the threads. That prevents your finger from resting on the reel seat threads (uncomfortable) rather than the blank.
2. I use the masking tape as a guide when cutting. As I mentioned above, the tape over the threads could have been moved in a little to provide some breathing room when sanding the rough edge after cutting. Enough of the rear portion of the handle needs to remain to provide a secure platform for locking the reel into position.
3. This shows the reel seat after it has been cut with a Dremel. A band saw / hack saw could also be used with a fine blade. The cutting disc on the Dremel will cut / melt the the graphite reel seat. I prefer using the reinforced cutting wheel. A word of caution: Use appropriate eye / face protection, whichever method you use. The Dremel will have material flying at you because of the direction of the disc rotation. With some pratice, you can make a decent cut that requires minimal sanding to square the edges. The melted / cut edges will clean easily. I often take a scalpel with a #15 blade and back drag it over the edges to remove excess material. The center portion will be discarded which will leave you with the end pieces being applied to your blank.
4. This is what your components should look like prior to application to the blank. You will notice that the trigger portion of the split reel seat has been rounded. I use the Dremel to remove the material. Again, be careful and wear eye / face protection. Material will be flying. I use the coarse sanding drum for the initial work and a the fine drum for the finish work. I will then progress to finer sandpaper applied by hand (wrap sandpaper around a dowel for rounded areas) to deliver a smooth finish. If you are going to apply rod finish to the section between the reel seat, that will cover up most of the raw edges.
5. This is another view of the split reel seat showing that the material has been removed in front of the trigger. This allows easier access to the blank and makes the handle more comfortable to hold.
6. This is the end result. The sections are aligned / fitted to the area where they will be permanently attached. The positions are marked, taped off, then lightly sanded with 180 grit sandpaper. The blank is cleaned with alcohol to remove oil and other debris prior to gluing. The components are wrapped with electrical tape to protect them during the glue up. I use two-part epoxy glue to assure a strong bond.
Once the glue has dried, if there is a noticeable gap between the components and the blank, I will apply a 5-minute epoxy to form a "bead" around the edge of the component. You have to work fast, but freshly mixed, the epoxy will run into any gaps providing a more secure bond. You can use a toothpick to eliminate any air bubbles that that may develop. This process will prevent air from being trapped beneath the component and forming air bubbles in the rod finish.
You may notice that there is a small gap between the foot of the reel and the blank. The reason to choose a reel seat as small as possible is to minimize the difference in reel seat / blank diameter. Thus, it makes the rod more comfortable to fish all day long. If the reel seat fits loosely on the blank,
fiberglass sheet rock tape can be used as a spacer...never cardboard or masking tape that may fail sometime in the future. The open mesh construction will allow a better bond to the blank.