Reel seat question?

What is the best method for putting a reel seat onto the blank when there is a significant difference in the diameter of the hole in the reel seat compared to the blank? I've only built two rods so far and one of them the difference was pretty minor and I just used masking tape to form two arbors and filled it with epoxy. The other I was able to drill it out incrementally to get a pretty tight fit. But this is a larger difference and I'm not sure if the tape is a good route to go? I was looking at some graphite arbors online


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Derik,

You can use tape. Most of the reel seat arbors that I have seen are geared towards the casting and spinning guides, but you might be able to find one with the correct diameters. A lot of people use masking tape. I use a fiberglass reinforced filament tape. It's a clear tape that has glass fibers running down the length of it.
I make three little arbors; one at the front of the reel seat insert, one at the back, and one in the middle. I make sure to epoxy both sides of each of those little arbors cery well.

Maybe others have some good ideas and will share.

Brian

I have cut cork material from a wine bottle and used it as filler material at the widest gap (tip of end reel seat) and then use the tape method at the butt end where there is less of a gap. this way you can dry fit before permanently setting

Another alternative is to use dry wall tape. This is a mesh that allows the epoxy to penetrate through to the blank and make a more secure bond than can be achieved with masking tape.

Ted

Hi Derek... I use Brian's method and the same 'glass filament strapping tape. Built several this way with no issues.
It doesn't take too much to get a very nice fit.

Hey thanks for the replies. I got a hold of a graphite arbor and bored it to fit the blank and it was a fairly snug fit for the reel seat, and then built up tape for the butt end and filled the gap with epoxy when I glued it all together. So I guess I'll find out how it holds up this year. It feels pretty solid right now.