Screw down Reel seat

[S-Kippy]

I am a big fan of the modern screw down reel seats and am minded to fit one to my MK III Tench Float which has wobbly old push on reel fittings.

But where can I get one...if indeed I can ? I mean the ones with a [hood ?] that screws down rather than the Fuji type where the locking collar screws up. I know I'd have to strip the butt ring off and re-whip it but I'd have to do that anyway if I want to fit a screw fitting.

Nearly every rod has these nowadays but I can't seem to find a supplier.

Skippy

 

[Wobbly Face (As Per Ed)]

Try harrisonrods.co.uk
guidesnblanks.com

Prefer locking reels seats myself, though not too worried over which type.

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

This is the best I can offer you Skippy, look at the pink box...

The hooded types are all screw-up types. The only screw down ones are in the pink area. I've fitted a few before and they are e-e-e-a-a-z-z-z-z-e-e-e!

Buy the widest you can, usually 18mm, and pack the rod out with rings of narrow masking tape so that the seat just slides over them. Plenty of Araldite, fairly fast setting, but not the one that only takes seconds, it won't give you long enough to do the job properly.

 

[the indifferent crucian]

There's a nice little article here....


Is Your Reel Sitting Comfortably? - FishingMagic Online Fishing Magazine.


Seats D and E are what you are asking about?


I must say I do prefer them to holding a screw thread in my hands, especially in metal!

Don't forget that H&H stock a lot more than just that which is on their web-site, or at least they used to. They have a second site just for rod builders.....

Fishing rod blanks and guides - buy online


But it doesn't have much in the way of seats...wierd!



I'd 'phone those nice poeople at Harrisons and say 'pretty please'. They say they make over a hundred rods...one of them must use a screw-down seat.

 

[Bob Gill]

Can always look at the Fuji VSS............

Available in VSS16 (ID 13.8mm) and VSS17 (ID 17mm). I've 'cork converted' these. Have an 11' Torrix and 13' GTI SU with these on, together with the wind down hood.
On the VSS16 you can use a KDPS16 or IPS DU6 hood, unfortunately the VSS17 ain't so easy.

Cheers
Bob

Bob Gill's Blog

 

[S-Kippy]

Thanks chaps....I knew there would be some out there somewhere.

Crucian...yes those are the very johnnies but I am a fussy old get and itwill have to be both comfortable and nice to look at to be acceptable. The D seat is fine except for the way it bulges to the rear and the E seat looks great apart from the soppy scalloping on the hood. Ideally I'd have a cork bit in front but that's just me being pernickety.

Stupid question. I've called them a screw down fitting. Is that right or are they known as summat else ? I'd hate to sound like a muppett when I ring up.

Skippy

---------- Post added at 22:40 ---------- Previous post was at 22:28 ----------

Another stupid question. Looking at the H&H stuff [Woody's link] there are a couple of "match" types [KDPS] which look spot on given that I'm refitting a float rod.The choice is size 16 or size 18 but what does that mean ?

If they were shoe sizes I'd understand...but 16 or 18 what ? Is it the diameter of the bore ?

 

[Tee-Cee]

This is a great thread S-Kippy!

Its a bit old hat but I have a couple of Bruce & Walker glass fibre rods(Avon)10/11.5ft long with cork handles and the age old problem of the reel falling off at the wrong time!

I have always wanted to get them altered to accomodate a nice simple(minimal)screw type fitting but I would not want to do the job myself-I would not trust myself to get them dead right!!
I did contact the company some years ago to check if they would do the conversion for me but they declined and I can see why....

So the question is;can I send these rods somewhere to get the job done sympathetically in the knowledge they will come back with the new seat in the correct position that the balance of the rod is unaffected etc etc??

I am very,very fussy about such things so if it cannot be done properly I'd rather leave them'as is'.....
Happy to pay as they both do a good job which may sound odd as they are so old BUT the important thing is I enjoy using them.......yes I could easily go out tomorrow and buy two new all singing,all dancing jobies but thats not the point.........

So,any suggestions anyone???

(apologies for using your thread to do this S-Kippy!!)

 

[sagalout]

TeeCee, the rod builder here has done me a superb job and a very good price.

Newton Tackle & Gun Centre - Fishing Tackle, Guns & Accessories

PS He re-ringed my match rod with double leg rings, coz I are heavy handed and broke a single leg, the finished was like new. Well pleased.

 

[the indifferent crucian]

The 'bulge to the rear' does look clumsy and ugly, I agree.

I have something similar on a couple of Matt Hayes Starving Whippet float rods though, and they are really comfortable. They are too shiny a plastic and have been flatted down and roughed up. The moving part that grips the reel is plastic too and not cold for it either.

I rarely put a float rod down so comfort and not being cold are important to me and I think whoever put these rods together did a ruddy good job. Shame they aren't made anymore as they are a fantastic blank as well.


In the FM article I linked too it shows a pair of 'graphite' reel bands as grip B.

These are the only reel bands I have ever had reel falling off problems with and they totally spoil John Wilsons 11foot Avon / Quiver rod for me.


Since it is the best selling rod of all time I might just be in a minority of one on that, though.

 

[S-Kippy]

You're not....I had an original Wilson Avon and they were the worst sliding bands in the world...ever. Then we had the Roberts "Reel-fits" and they were much better but a screw fitting holds the reel rock solid and when all said and done that is what they are there to do and only that.

I've fitted a few Fuji "screw up" fittings but I dont like the threaded bit because its uncomfortable on a rod that gets held a lot. Screw downs are so much more comfortable and [to me] aesthetically pleasing plus its not that difficult a job. I'm loathe to pay someone to do this when I can do it myself.

I'd never really noticed the cold issue until I became a pin freak using a rod with a metal fitting in the winter. Its really noticeable.

So...what do you think ? I am minded to go for the size 18 GS "match" fitting. Looks OK to me.

---------- Post added at 07:46 ---------- Previous post was at 07:43 ----------

Just a little aside....I needed a ring replacing on the same rod and out of sheer laziness I asked at my local shop if they could do it. They could...for a tenner !

I did it myself.

 

[Wag]

The 16 or 18 etc refers to the internal diameter of the seat in mm.
You need to strip the cork handle back to where you want the seat to fit, then clean the blank and measure the diameter with a vernier guage or something similar. Buy the closest fitting size to the diameter you can. You need to put rings of masking tape on the blank to pack it out so the new seat is a close fit, then glue it into place with plenty of epoxy glue (Araldite).

I like the match type reel seats, but you need to think about the size of reel you will be using as well.

Ring the guys at H&H, they will be able to advise. You can get cork sleeves for the screw down section, so that should give you a nice aesthetic finish on an older rod.

I've just converted an old DAM QickStick for use with a centrepin, and added an extra butt ring to assist casting:-

 

[Rickrod]

Tee-cee, have a look at D.L.specialist tackle (dave lumb) you may find what you want there.
hope this helps

Rick

 

[S-Kippy]

Wag...you are a star. What you have done is precisely what I want to do and if I can get a cork sleeve as well then its game on. I will be using centrepins mostly or small fixed spools. I dont do big reels for anything...in fact I dont even own a reel bigger than 3500 size.

What fitting is that exactly ? Is it the H&H "match" type I mentioned earlier ?

 

[Tee-Cee]

Thanks for the info-will look into the two suggestions!!

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

The D seat is fine except for the way it bulges to the rear and the E seat looks great apart from the soppy scalloping on the hood.

The bulge is quite nice to hold, I think, and doesn't at all get in the way. Lends a shape to an otherwise straight piece of cork handle. The E seat you (I - since it's my article ) mention is an Abu seat and I find them the best even with the scallops in.

I would get the 18mm size anyway, even if yours only needs to take a 16. reason being, if you're using a centrepin, the foot on them is always larger than on a lot of FS reels and a 16mm seat won't take them. Just pack it out with more bands of masking tape, it's the Araldite between the bands that holds the reel seat.

Like I said, I think I've done 5 or 6 of them now, I forget. 2 have been since sold, but the others are Daiwa Specialist Avon rod, Daiwa 10ft Combo rod, Diawa Harrier 11ft quiver rod, and ....... I also did a Shimano 14ft match rod, where I reconstructed the entire handle and counterbalanced it with a weight inside, that I gave away to a disabled angler who was just starting up.

None of these handles are anything like as good as my own design 'Delta-Grip' handle, but no one would take it up, sadly.

 

[S-Kippy]

Cheers Jeff...I shall go for a size 18 Match type from H&H.I cannot be having with bulges and scallops.

 

[Mark Wintle]

I convert the screw down Fuji seats to an 'E' type seat using pieces of cork Araldited to the top of the seat that are then easily sanded down to the shape (like the ABU seat) that fits my hand. I've done about 6 rods like this so far and they are very comfortable to use.

 

[the indifferent crucian]

Care to upload a picture for us Mark? I'd like to see how that looks. Have you had any issues with the cork coming loose at all?

 

[S-Kippy]

Care to upload a picture for us Mark? I'd like to see how that looks. Have you had any issues with the cork coming loose at all?

Yes I'd like to see that too Mark.

 

[Mark Wintle]

Modified Fuji Seat

http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/members/mark-wintle-albums-mark-wintle-album.html