Removing a reel seat

[Guest]

One of my winter projects is to convert an old fiberglass fly rod into a spinning rod. I gently cut off the old cork grip, but now I can't get the reel seat off. Anybody got a clue? Factors -
-The glue smelled like model cement when I ground off the burrs on the butt.
-I've tried denatured alcohol
-I've tried denatured alcohol & a heat gun
-I've tried driving it towards the taper with a socket as a 'punch'
-the reel seat is aluminum

Is there a solvent that cuts this cement? It's a 20-40 year old Shakespeare fiberglass 9'-0" rod. It's a 3-piece, so it's hollow.

Thanks ya'll

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RobertC

[Surface Tension]

Frist try heating the butt up to soften the adhesive then twist and pull it off. If that dosent work try laquer thinner, MEK or acetone.
Use a narrow deep glass jar like an olive jar to soak the rod butt and seal the opening some how.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Most will come off, some people used epoxy and then you may not get it off.

BOILING WATER... set the seat in boiling water for a while and then give her all you got...

Good luck!

[bry c]

Acetone works well to dissolve epoxies and superglue, Im pretty sure it is marketed as an epoxy thinner. It will take some time to soak, maybe a couple-three days or more. It will evaporate quickly so make sure to keep it covered, maybe use a gallon size milk jug with a hole in the lid that fits snug to the rod blank.

[Guest]

Thanks folks - question - will the acetone damage or delaminate the fiberglass?

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RobertC

[bry c]

Only one way to know for sure, let us know what happens.

[marine_man]

Be sure not to put the acetone in a plastic jug... if I remember right acetone melts plastic...

marine man

[Guest]

RESULTS -
The acetone for 24 hours softened the epoxy enough for me to 'punch' it down towards the taper with a deep-well socket. The fiberglass did not delaminate.

I tried the same with a plastic reel seat, and the plastic melted.

Thanks ya'll!

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RobertC