Reel seat replacement on existing rod

[springer1]

Hi all,

Wondering if anyone has tried to remove & replace a reel seat on a rod - not the cork, just the threaded seat & insert.

I'd like to repair a seat on a rod I have and would like to do so w/o removing anything else. I've built several rods, so I'm OK with the replacing part, but wondering how to best accomplish the removal.

I was thinking of using a dremel wheel to cut thru the thread & insert just enough to split them off the rod blank, but this seat is the kind that's recessed a bit into the rear of the cork.

So I was thinking of also using the small "dentist type" steel router bit on the dremel to carefully reach in & do that. It's the grinding bit that's maybe 1/8" in diameter.

Any thoughts or alternatives? Thanks!

 

[PennKev]

Yeah, you are on the right track. It'll be a pain in the @ss but that is pretty much how you would get it done Toughest part will be to save the recessed cork, and also assure that the new seat will fit it properly. You can actually fit a new cork ring if needed, but that will make things that much harder for you.

What rod make model are we talking about? If the rod has a struble, REC or pacific bay reel seat, it should be easy to get a replacement that will fit if not an exact replacement.

Kev

 

[Chaz]

Having built rods in the past, and knowing how they go together, the first thing put on the blank is the reel seat. That makes it harder to get off. But it can be done, but I don't know if I'd try it myself. I had it don once.
The key is to apply heat. The epoxy used to assemble rods usually will allow heat to remove components safely.The ring that goes under the cork is essential to certain reel seats, but not all reel seats use the rings. The butt piece will come off the easiest, once that comes off the rest isn't far behind. I wouldn't cut it off.

 

[PennKev]

Depending on what you use to put heat on it, you could have problems with the cork also coming loose from the blank. If the cork is loose, it's going to be a problem and you'll be in pretty deep on this project. I think it will be tough to apply heat to the barrel of the seat without also affecting the bottom end of the grip.

Again, what rod is this and what is wrong/broken on the current seat?

Kev

 

[csoult]

I am also looking at replacement of the reel seat on one of my rods. If you are going to do this soon I would appreciate a step by step detailed explanation on how you did it and how turned out. This is my favorite rod and I really don't want to mess it up. My concern is also about the cork.

 

[MattBoyer]

Dip it in boiling water? I've never done it, but it is my understanding that that's how you do it. The shims will come loose, unless they are masking tape, but, due to the taper, will not come off. Just re glue them in place prior to replacing the reel seat. If they are masking tape, just remove the outer layers and build back up to necessary diameter. It should be pretty easy.

Boyer

 

[afishinado]

MattBoyer wrote:
Dip it in boiling water? I've never done it, but it is my understanding that that's how you do it. The shims will come loose, unless they are masking tape, but, due to the taper, will not come off. Just re glue them in place prior to replacing the reel seat. If they are masking tape, just remove the outer layers and build back up to necessary diameter. It should be pretty easy.

Boyer

I've boiled off a few reel seats to replace them. USE GLOVES!...lol, and you can use channel lock pliers to get a better grip if you are trashing the existing reel seat. Be patient...and be careful. It should work just fine.

 

[MKern]

When you boil it it is going to take awhile.

The recessed part will be the most challanging part because the reel seat should also be glued to the inner part of the recess.

I've only take two off in my life: 1 was a broken rod and I drilled the inside until it heated up where the epoxy released and the other was by boiling. Someone suggested that 30 minutes, but mine took closer to an hour to get soft. (insert viagra jokes).
I also used Devcon 2-part which everyone said was impossible to undo and heat wouldn't effect it, but it worked.

 

[springer1]

Thanks for the thoughts all. The reason I want to replace it is because the rear "hood" for the reel is bent. It's been that way for a while, none of the kids would own up to it, I don't know how it happened.

I know when I've built rods, I've attached the seat first after determining the spine. I have never attached a seat by sliding it from the top down as is done with the cork. I attached seats from the bottom up after sizing the masking tape bushing for the insert correctly.

So, my thinking is that I'll wrap the cork with low-stick masking tape to protect it (I'm going to clean it up afterwards anyway).

Then I'll 1) dremel a radius cut around the insert at the end of the cork without damaging the cork, then 2) make 2 lengthwise cuts on the insert and metal threads - then 3) split them off the masking tape & blank. That would involve no stress at all, just placing a screwdriver blade in the cut and rotating it.

Once that is done I can 4) remove the tape & epoxy residue, and then 5) determine if I should just butt the new insert against the remains of the old one that is recessed under the cork (and trim it down to size) - or use a fine dremel tool to ream the old insert and masking tape remains out from the recess.

One factor that would determine which I do is how much masking tape is left under the still recessed insert section. If the masking tape was placed 1/2" from the forward end, there may be none. If they skimped on epoxing the insert to the front hood, it would just pop out.

But it reality, there's no way of knowing what the situation between the front hood, the insert and the masking tape bushing will be.

Anyway, I'm a bit hesitant to heat it with water, and then be tugging and twisting and stressing the cork. I understand some of you all did that with no problems, but I'm just antsy about it.

But, I'd appreciate and critique & thoughts on this idea (which I hope I explained somewhat clearly). Thanks all !

 

[PennKev]

So it is the free sliding hood that is damaged and not the recessed hood? Am I understanding that correctly?

If that is the case, I would pop off the butt cap of the seat, unscrew the lock ring, and remove the damaged hood. If you purchased a similiar seat, you could just swap out the sliding hood, put the screw locking ring back on, glue on the butt cap and be done with it.

Kev

 

[MattBoyer]

Anyway, I'm a bit hesitant to heat it with water, and then be tugging and twisting and stressing the cork. I understand some of you all did that with no problems, but I'm just antsy about it.

But, I'd appreciate and critique & thoughts on this idea (which I hope I explained somewhat clearly). Thanks all !

Just remember, one touch with the Dremel to the blank and the game's pretty much over. If you loosen the glue on the cork by heating, just inject some epoxy with a syringe, even though loosening the glue on one or two rings will probably have no effect, since they are all glued together anyhow.

All I keep thinking about the screwdriver twist idea is that you are underestimating how strong of a bond the glue provides and may just bend up the reel seat that is still quite firmly glued throughout it's length, or worse breaking it. It all depends on whether you want to take one piece off, or spend the day picking off several still glued pieces.

Boyer

 

[PennKev]

MattBoyer wrote:

Just remember, one touch with the Dremel to the blank and the game's pretty much over.

True, if he was working on the blank anywhere else, but under the seat will have little affect unless he really mauled it, even then it could be fixed by cutting off the damaged section of blank and building a new butt by inserting and glueing a section of junk blank at the point of the cut. The seat, and even the grip if needed, could be reassembled over top of the repair.

Kev

 

[MattBoyer]

PennKev wrote:
True, if he was working on the blank anywhere else, but under the seat will have little affect unless he really mauled it, even then it could be fixed by cutting off the damaged section of blank and building a new butt by inserting and glueing a section of junk blank at the point of the cut. The seat, and even the grip if needed, could be reassembled over top of the repair.

Kev

Agreed, just saying it's easier not to do any of those things and do it the easy way to start. ;-)

Boyer

 

[FarmerDave]

And in case you didn't already know (and you probably did since you said you have built rods), if you do accidentally damage the cork, it can be repaired. Mix some cork dust with Elmer's glue and use it as a filler. Lightly sand afterwards if needed.

I've cut reel seats off before but those were the plastic seats used on 50s vintage bamboo rods. I got a little deep on one, but who the heck cares. Bamboo is tough and the slit was filled with epoxy. That part is covered and doesn't get stressed much anyway, I've never had to cut off a metal one. Those have all come off rather easy. but again, They were all old rods and the glue had deteriorated to where they were loose anyway. Never tried it on a newer rod. so i can't help you with that.

I've also replaced the cork and the reel seat from the butt end before on bamboo rods. It turned out OK, but it depends on the rod.

One more thought. Why can't you just straighten that rear hood by using wooden wedges and plastic/rubber mallet or something? Just a thought.

Edit: I was assuming the bent hood is the fixed one, not the sliding one.

 

[PennKev]

FarmerDave wrote:

One more thought. Why can't you just straighten that rear hood by using wooden wedges and plastic/rubber mallet or something? Just a thought.

Yeah, might be worth a shot before he tries any surgery.

 

[RichFishbelt]

I have replaced reel seats in the past with the use of a heat gun. This is the tool used by electricians to shrink a special insulation tubing around wires. The gun is also used to remove floor tile.
The heat gun liquefies the epoxy fairly quickly. Perhaps, the last 2 or 3 cork rings might be damaged in the process but these are easy to replace and repair.
I would remove the cork rings that cover the reel seat first. Then, apply heat to the reel seat, while using pliers and a gentle twisting motion to loosen and remove the reel seat.

 

[springer1]

So it is the free sliding hood that is damaged and not the recessed hood? Am I understanding that correctly?

If that is the case, I would pop off the butt cap of the seat, unscrew the lock ring, and remove the damaged hood. If you purchased a similiar seat, you could just swap out the sliding hood, put the screw locking ring back on, glue on the butt cap and be done with it.

Kev

Ahh, this is why it's good to get ideas ... not that the others weren't good thinking too.

I'm going to use heat for Kev's above suggestion first. Thanks all !

 

[MattBoyer]

springer1 wrote:

So it is the free sliding hood that is damaged and not the recessed hood? Am I understanding that correctly?

If that is the case, I would pop off the butt cap of the seat, unscrew the lock ring, and remove the damaged hood. If you purchased a similiar seat, you could just swap out the sliding hood, put the screw locking ring back on, glue on the butt cap and be done with it.

Kev

Ahh, this is why it's good to get ideas ... not that the others weren't good thinking too.

I'm going to use heat for Kev's above suggestion first. Thanks all !

You might want to check Mudhole, I think they sell raw reel seat components.

Boyer

 

[JeffK]

I like the boiling water option first. Just have enough water so that the reel seat is in the water and not the cork. I've never damaged the cork with the boiling water. A heat gun can do the same thing, but you have less control IMHO.

Some modern epoxies just don't respond to heat and then I go with the Dremel. It's just slow careful work then. Use what you are comfortable with. Like some people said, if it is just the sliding ring maybe you can just remove the butt cap and replace the sliding ring and the butt cap.