Fixing a reel seat

[MUSKY18]

I have a rod and the epoxy on the reel seat must have let loose. When I use the rod, the reel seat twists on me and the reel usually ends up at a 45 degree angle to the eyelets. Is there any way to epoxy the reel seat back into place without taking the whole rod handle apart?

[rodmaker]

Call Scott @ Thorne Bros.

[upnorth]

One thing you can try it is drilling a few small holes in the reel seat where the reel sits and injecting some epoxy in the holes. You would need to find a syringe or something to inject the epoxy in the holes. I would suggest something like 30 minute epoxy to allow you some time to get enough in there and realign everything. This would be easier than removing the whole handle assembly and redoing it. Most rod building outfits should have a syringe set you can purchase to inject the epoxy. If you fill it all the way it should even fill the holes you drill.

[rodmaker]

You can do that, just be careful not to drill into the blank.

[DinkADunk]

Depending on your rods taper you might be able to loosen the foregrip (use heat to unseat the epoxy a bit) and move it up the rod. This will give you access to the reelseat. The glue may be fine, if it has a tape bushing the bushing may have deteriorated. You can then install a new bushing and reexpoxy the seat in. After that sets up then you can reinstall (more epoxy) the foregrip.

[upnorth]

If you can move the foregrip up that may be a better way of fixing it. Depending on what they have in front of the foregrip it may be difficult to impossible to move the foregrip without destroying it. If you can go that route, make sure you seal the point where the reel seat and cork meet, it is also a good idea to make sure that the tape bushings are completely sealed in the epoxy. You don't want any water to get to the tape, ever, so sealing the bushings with epoxy is the way to keep the tape dry and keep it from deteriorating.

[Mike Wallace]

I think using the heat would be the safest. A hair dryer on high for a while may get it hot enough or a heat gun. Beware though the heat will also soften any epoxy on decorative wraps in front of the foregrip. Also, if there is a hook keeper there, you may have to remove it or flatten it down to get the forgrip to move.

Second what upnorth said about tape bushings. If they have rotted, get them off and put new ones on and epoxy them completely.

Good Luck.

[MUSKY18]

Where is the best place to buy expoxy from? Is there a store that sells it, or order from the web?

[Mike Wallace]

You can order it from most of the [Please-read-forum-policy] suppliers or if you don't want to wait, Thorne Bros. has it as well.

The epoxy works a little better when it is at about 75-78 degrees. Some nuke it for a couple seconds or put it in front of a hair dryer or heater for a minute or so to warm it past room temp.

Mike Wallace

[upnorth]

There are 2 different types of epoxy used in rod building. There is finish epoxy for covering thread and decals etc, and glue epoxy for securing things like handles and grips. The two are not interchangeable. Finish/thread epoxy has no real bonding strength and the glue/bonding epoxy doesn't create a nice finish.

The glue/bonding epoxy can be purchased at the local hardware store. I would suggest a 30 minute epoxy as it gives you some time to align everything. The thread/finish epoxy would be best purchased from a rod building supply store, Thorne Bros is one or you can google rod building supplies and find a few on the web.

[Fullmoon]

From my experience, the best this to do is try to remove the cork to get at the reel seat. Be very careful using a dryer or heat gun. You can damage the finish. The way I have always done it is to soak the grip in boiling water. If you only want to try for the foregrip, use soaked towels wrapping them around it. Change frequently. It may taake a long time to loosen it. Personally, I'd remove the rear, then the reel seat and re bush the whole thing. WHY? It's likely masking tape for the bushing and like I said in another post, they can and do fail. What's to say another bushing won't fail later? There are other options for bushings. I use fiberglas drywall tape most of the time. The epoxy soaks totally through to the blank for a solid bond. Use a rod bonding epoxy for this repair! No heat needed, just mix according to directions, coat the bushings, lay some between them on the blank, put tape of the edge of the ree seat before sliding it over the bushings (prevents messes ad clean up). Slid it back up, wiggle it to assure even spread. Put some on the blank, slid the cork back into place and let dry. NOT as hard as it seems. It just takes time to soften the epoxy. If it's worth it, do it right. It's a good experience and a great feeling knowing you did it too.

Hope this helps!

I don't think I know it all, this is just how I've done it and been shown how.