Reel seat repair

[Bunnlevel Sharker]

I'm working on arid I got for 3 dollars right now, it's a 100 class full roller eatmytackle.com. Has a chick with a bikini on it, so I like it! the reel set had broke free from the tape arbors and the arbors had broke free...... What kind of epoxy and how exactly do I do the arbors with the epoxy and everything?

[saltydog]

Are you going to strip the old arbors away and build up new ones. If so it is pretty easy. You use masking tape to build up three arbors where the reel seat will be and keep fitting the reel seat to them until they are fairly tight, then you can either buy a paste type epoxy from mudhole that is made for reel seats or use 5 minute epoxy. The paste epoxy is much better and a lot stronger. I would do a few pics but it seems like photobucket is down for maint. right now. There are also a lot of videos on youtube on the subject.

[Bunnlevel Sharker]

Aight, any brands on the epoxy? That's what my friend had told me with the arbors, about the tape build up and stuff. How exactly do I coat the epoxy on it?

[saltydog]

You cover thearbors heavily and slide the reel seat on

[Keta]

When I rebuild a rod lower end without removing the guides I build the handle and reel seat on a piece of aluminum tubing and then build arbors out of thread or fiberglass tape to fit the ID of the tube.

[Bunnlevel Sharker]

I'm doing a cord grip, the thing is the gimble is in great shape and still on there. The arbors were electric tape

[saltydog]

The electrical tape is not a good idea and is why it probably broke loose. It has a bad habit of slipping when it gets hot. I have used the same method Lee and they all work, just got done using an aluminum tube when I built my little uglystick rebuild.

[Keta]

If you are using cord just accept the taper or build up the blank as needed with small diameter cord.

[Bunnlevel Sharker]

Ok thanks, it seems to be a solid rod, and did I say I'm lovin the decal? lol. It seems from what I've read that masking tape seems to be best and thanks for the cord advice

[Jeri]

Hi 'sharker',

Tapes of all sorts pose a problem, they are basically only as good as the glue that is holding the tape, and what happens as you use the rod in hot climates, is that the glue on the tape (masking or electrical) will start to go soft, and then release from the layer above or below. This all happens irrespective of the epoxy resin that you might use.

What we have found works very well, if the space is large is to use a cord, as this still leaves gaps for the resin to go down, and actually bond onto the sub-surface material. The whole key point to 'glueing' reel seats on is to make sure that whichever epoxy resin you use, gets a great hold onto the two surfaces, in your case the reel seat and the core to your handle. We achieve this with a little grit paper, and then clean with a solvent – that leaves a great key for the resin to bond to, the cord or arbors are basically only spacers to centralise the reel seat over the handle section.

If the core handle is aluminium, a great job would be to make some solid arbours (3) out of aluminium. When we are building our surf rods on carbon handles, we use carbon arbors – which then make a superb job.

The reel seat is under huge tuning loads when you start to winch heavily on a reel, and the whole lot becomes dependant on the bond between the reel seat and the handle – skimping on this section is potential for down fall.

Just our 2 cents.


Cheers from sunny Africa

Jeri

[VW]

I used masking tape arbors for many years and have not had one fail yet, but I used lots of epoxy, making sure there was a "wall" of epoxy along side each arbor extending from blank to seat.  Immediately after assembly I would rotate the rod frequently, or position vertical and swap ends frequently, to make sure epoxy stayed where I wanted it.

Now, I use fiberglass drywall tape, an open woven fabric looking much like window screen, but the strands are much thicker and openings much larger.  You can get it at any hardware store. The main advantage to using this tape is epoxy will run down through the openings creating a very solid and securely attached arbor.

One side of the tape has adhesive which makes it easy to wrap around the blank.  Tape is 2" wide and is easy to cut into narrower strips if needed.  Build up an arbor to a fit that is snug but seat still slides easily,  I would recommend 1" wide strip at each end of the seat and 2" wide in the middle, overlapping where the rear reel foot/seat hood will sit.  Solid support is needed at that location. That assumes a graphite seat.  If using a heavier aluminum seat just use 2" wide strip at each end.

If you attempt to glue everything in one final assembly step, the epoxy will "break" the tape's adhesive bond allowing the tape to move.  I mix up a small amount of epoxy and spread a narrow stripe along the blank and place one end of each tape in that  stripe, then let cure.  The idea is to secure the tape so it cannot move during final assembly.  A piece of masking tape can help hold tape in place while epoxy cures.  If several wraps/layers of tape were required to make the arbor, there is still the possibility of those layers moving during final assembly. I recommend mixing some epoxy then wrap a couple of layers, spread some epoxy, wrap a couple more layers, then epoxy, etc., but leave the last couple of layers without epoxy, then let all that cure.  At final assembly the last couple of layers will stay in place, especially if you rotate the seat in the same direction as the tape wraps and slowly slide the seat into position. Use the same technique if the arbor is only a few wraps.

If anyone is concerned about the adhesion of these "layers" of resin, it takes a few days for epoxy to fully cure/harden.  I am talking about a few hours between layers.  Experience has shown that with up to 24 hours (maybe longer) between layers they will fuse and become a homogenous mass just fine.  At 6 hrs., certainly by 12, the resin will be hard enough to work with.  Multiple thin layers is a technique rod builders have used to create the thick guide wrap finish for a long time.

A few words about preparation for gluing.  You will probably find globs of old adhesive on the blank and inside of reel seat.  It would be best if you remove as much of that as possible.  You do not know what it is, how securely attached it is, and final fitting and assembly will be so much easier if everything is as smooth/straight as possible.  You can scrape it off with knife or razor blade, or use a file or sandpaper.  It would be better to leave some in place versus damaging the blank, but remove as much as you can/are comfortable with.  Then use 150 - 200 grit paper and lightly sand all areas you want epoxy to bond to. That will promote adhesion.  Then, I use 40 - 50 grit paper to create some spiral scratches to give the epoxy something to really lock into.  On the blank, wrap paper around it, grasp paper lightly, rotate and pull blank. 3, maybe 4, times is all that is necessary.  Not trying to remove material, just create some scratches,  I do caution about using this technique on graphite blanks.  They have a thinner final finish, and damaging fibers can cause big problems, even in the reel seat area.  Use a finer grit paper, or do not do it at all.  Fiberglass blanks have a much thicker finish layer, and damaging a few fibers is not a problem, especially in that area.  For the ID of the reel seat, I recommend wrapping the coarse paper around a finger or dowel rod, then several of the rotate and twist strokes from each end, especially on a metal seat.  Finally, clean off dust, oils, etc.  Alcohol works well.  Use lots of epoxy for final assembly, carefully align the hoods with the guides, use some tape to secure in position, and set aside to cure for a couple of days.

Yeah, my method is more hassle than gluing on some one piece arbors.  But, I guarantee it will never fail, something important with the type of rod Sharker wants to fix.

[Bunnlevel Sharker]

Thanks VW, and it's a solid glass blank, my personal favorite. I'm gonna go with your technique

[WeSeekHer Rods]

Whatever you use for an arbor, it must be free of voids.  I use fiberglass dry wall tape - always.  roll on tape until it fits, un roll and apply rod bond as necessary

[Bunnlevel Sharker]

Well guys I got it done, masking tape arbors with nearly a whole thing of devcon epoxy t at was recorded by a up builder friend. Now for the tuna cord butt and I'm done, I have another rod I workin on that will start a new post, it had a wooden arbor for the reel seat! Talk about a pita to remove lol, carefully getting it carved off almost to the blank then sanding off

[jigmaster501]

Forget tape arbors.

Use various thread sizes of cotton string (butcher style string) and wrap it in a bed of 30 minute epoxy and keep layering epoxy and thread until you get to the thickness you need and while the epoxy is wet, coat the inside of the reel seat with epoxy and slide on.

Clean up the epoxy with acetone and let dry.

I have seen fiberglass mesh tape that is used for taping seams under tiles used for instead of string but I haven't tried it yet. the epoxy would ooze through the mesh and for a monolithic bond but I again, I haven't tried it.

Make sure your reel seat is lined up properly because there will be no second chances.....lol

Post a pic when you are done.