This is my first build and I got my blank in earlier this week and my reel seat in today. I want it to have a classic look to it, so I got a cap and ring seat, but I'm not completely sure how to install it on the blank. I know the basics of using masking tape to make the seat flush with the blank and then epoxy it on, but how do I install the cap on the seat? Do I glue it to the seat or blank or is it free floating like the ring?

are you talking about a fly rod reel seat? Did it come with the cork barrel? Need a little more info to help you.

Everything except the rin
g gets glued to the insert and/or the blank.

Yes it's a fly rod reel seat. It came with the wooden seat itself, the cap, ring and the reducer that goes at the top of the seat to start the cork. I know the ring doesn't get glued, but do I glues the cap to the bottom of the seat after gluing the seat to the blank.

either way will work, some come pre-glued and some come loose in the package.

I just wasn't sure if most people install the seat to where the cap comes off when there's no reel on it or if they glue the cap to the very butt of the rod/seat.

I've always adhered the cap to the end of the seat.

...............

I think this deserves more discussion and I may write a short article for the magazine on this very topic, ie. what type of lathe chuck to you have, do you use a preformed grip, or glue and shape the grip on the blank, etc. Should be a fun discussion.

Just make SURE you have the nut and hood on BEFOR you put the Cap on
Not nice to find out you forgot some thing ??? LOL

Bill - willierods.com

And don't forget to prep all the surfaces to be glued including the ends of the wood incert.

Curt

By "prepping" i believe Curtis means using some type of abrasive material to roughen up the small contact surface before you glue together, this will insure best adhesion. i use a small piece of those dark green scotch scouring pads.

Here are my steps. I always test fit the reel seat to the blank and ream out the cork grip and fit everything together first. then I usually glue the cap to the end of the wood insert first using rod bond. make sure the reel-holding ring is situated correctly before you glue up like bill mentioned (one for cap and ring style, two for double band style). i then glue the cork check to the wood insert. i do this the day or night before and let it sit overnight. i did one last week. I had a stack of plastic CD cases the same height of the reel seat and stood the reel seat on end alongside it. I then placed another CD case half on the stack of CDs and half over the top of the up-standing reel seat. in this case, the actual cap. then i placed a weight on that top CD case to keep the reel seat... seated.

the next day i create the arbors to fill in the space between the ID of the wood insert and the blank. you mentioned masking tape. i use mesh fiberglass tape, a tip i gleaned from this forum years ago. it won't deteriorate like masking tape (though i admit that would probably take decades). and i just create an arbor at the butt end and the front end of the seat, each about half an inch wide. no need to create one in the middle, fly reel seats are relatively short. and just use adhesive at the arbors. do not fill in the middle open space with adhesive, it would make the reel seat too heavy.

once i apply rod bond to the arbors and slip the butt end of the blank fully into the seat until it stops, i glue the cork grip to the blank and seat at the same time, with the cork check of course up against the grip. put a little adhesive between the cork check and the grip, you might actually skip this part since sliding the cork grip down the blank up against the seat will squeeze out rod bond onto the cork check. I don't put the rod bond into the grip, i spread it on the blank over the 5-7 inches the grip will eventually cover. take your time and insure the cork check is concentric with the butt end of the grip. clean up any adhesive that squeezed out. i would recommend again finding a place where the combination can be stood vertically and left to adhere overnight. no need to apply weighted pressure, at least i never do. take a look at it a few hours in (if you're using rod bond) to insure it has not moved.

eric
fresno, ca.

I just whipped through the thread, and presume you are doing a fly rod, downlock installation, with the cap at the very end of the rod, trout style, with the reel seat threads closest to the grip. Downlock reel seats need special bonding care, or the act of installing the reel, will jack the cap right off the reel seat. Not a nice deal. The other negative aspect to a downlock reelseat: if the rodster is not careful, while threading line through the guides, the cap sits right in the stones, and gets all scuffed up, with the arc of the reel also in the mud. I like to go uplock, thereby offering a bumper of threads, protected with a crutch tip, preventing errant crud from marking the reel, or the seat.

Good points from Ken. But i don't have those issues. Careful prep of bonding surfaces should be standard practice. I can be lazy at times but I haven't had a cap fail. I have heard of a down-locking screw seat having that problem... but i think a screw style seat places more pressure against the cap than a simply cap and ring style. And even though I fish in an area with tons of granite (the Sierra), i just usually look for a soft spot before placing rod to the ground. Or i throw my hat down first. Not a big deal in the end for me. But points worth noting.

eric
fresno, ca.