Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Fishing Rods => Fishing Rods => Topic started by: trond_solem on January 16, 2015, 07:27:17 PM

Title: Butt extender.
Post by: trond_solem on January 16, 2015, 07:27:17 PM
I need to extend the butt on a coupe of rods. Not the butt I am sitting on. :-)

They are 50lbss class rods, but the butt is too short for my liking. I need about 8" extra length behind the reel to be comfortable with them.
Anyone who has a tip about how to do this without shelling out a lot of money?

Title: Re: Butt extender.
Post by: MarkT on January 17, 2015, 03:20:08 AM
I had it done to one of mine at Anglers Center in Newport Beach but I only added a couple of inches or 50mm for those who go that way ::). It's not hard to do but you need some cut offs from other rod blanks. Insert and epoxy a piece of blank into your rod butt, obviously has to be the right diameter. Slide a piece the same diameter of your rod over that and epoxy in place. Replace the lower grip and butt cap. Any rod builder can do this for not a lot.
Title: Re: Butt extender.
Post by: trond_solem on January 17, 2015, 10:02:02 AM
Quote from: MarkT on January 17, 2015, 03:20:08 AM
I had it done to one of mine at Anglers Center in Newport Beach but I only added a couple of inches or 50mm for those who go that way ::). It's not hard to do but you need some cut offs from other rod blanks. Insert and epoxy a piece of blank into your rod butt, obviously has to be the right diameter. Slide a piece the same diameter of your rod over that and epoxy in place. Replace the lower grip and butt cap. Any rod builder can do this for not a lot.

Thanks. I was thinking in this lines myself. The rod isn't a beauty after 10 years of use, so I think I will do the job myself. I have the remains of a strong spinning rod with about the correct length. If I cut it just behind the reel seat, or maybe in front of the reel seat, it is somewhat easyer to hide the job. I have to look at the reel seat and decide if it is better or worse than the one on the rod. Anyway, with a rod clamp, there isn't much load on the real seat.

Well, I will look into this.

Trond.
Title: Re: Butt extender.
Post by: Reel 224 on January 17, 2015, 02:40:15 PM
You could also check out Manley Adjust-A-butt Handle they work nice. You would have to remove enough of the stock butt to install the Manley device and then install the new butt grip over it. Sounds like a lot but really isn't. They will extend up to 11". Just another option for you.
Title: Re: Butt extender.
Post by: Keta on January 17, 2015, 03:10:58 PM
When I do this I get a piece of thin wall aluminum tubing that the butt end of the blank will slip into and build the butt on the tubing.  Then it's easy to remove the foam (and reel seat if you are gong that far) build up a few spots and then glue the new butt in place.   I have done this with reel seats too.
Title: Re: Butt extender.
Post by: trond_solem on January 17, 2015, 05:48:59 PM
Problem solved!
I used the remains of the spinning rod and cut it just aft of the reel seat. Cut the rod to extend at the same place. Parts of the spinning rod did fit nicely as a joining piece into the butt end and the rod. I did cut another part of the donor to fit inside the joining piece, so it is double thick. Some sanding to remove the finish of the parts and some epoxy made the trick. The joint is almost unvisible aft of the reel seat.

Anyway, thanks.
Title: Re: Butt extender.
Post by: Bill B on January 23, 2015, 02:49:57 AM
There was so many ways this could have gone wrong.....Thanks Alan, for the 13 yo rule..... :)
Title: Re: Butt extender.
Post by: trond_solem on January 23, 2015, 09:31:05 AM
Quote from: TARFU on January 23, 2015, 02:49:57 AM
There was so many ways this could have gone wrong.....Thanks Alan, for the 13 yo rule..... :)

:-)
I had to specify that it was the butt of the fishing rod I was talking about. :-)
My other butt is just right for my size and doesn't need any modifications.