I am a newbie builder and have a few questions I really hope can be answered. I am getting a blank that has a .29 diameter rod butt and want to have the minima reel seeat. Two questions...
1. What size of minima do I use? They have from 9.5mm on up...???
2. Are arbors used for them, if so what kind are suggested or how do you build them up?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Best way is to get the seat from your blank supplier, just tell them how long a rear grip you want and they can do the rest. You can have them size the tip top too.

You want to get a diameter that will not require arbors. The skeleton seat requires a very good bond with the blank in order to hold. It doesn't have the long/big area of contact that regular seats have. Be sure you prep the blank for the application of epoxy by scuffing it with Scotch pads. Wipe clean, but do not clean with alcohol or other. Spencer's post says that your blank supplier, if he knows where the seat is going to be positioned on the blank, can select the right one for you.

They do not make a minima reel seat small enough to fit your rod blank; 0.29 inches equals 7.366 mm and that's at the butt. The smallest ID for a minima seat is 9.5 mm (0.37 inches). The minima seats are not designed to use an arbor. If you want a split reel seat try the Fuji SK2 seats they use an arbor.
Norm

I had to use a Fuji on my ultra light with arbors because of the diameter of the blank.

Take a look here...
[c2.staticflickr.com]

9.5 minima spinning seat on a .15" blank - I've put them on a .125" blank as well. 0 problems

I glue the cork foregrip on first, then build up a very small tape arbor, coat with ProPaste and slide the top half of the seat into place. The barrel uses 2 small tape arbors and ProPaste with a tiny cork butt. I've built several minima spinning seats onto ice rods with no problems what so ever - and these guys beat the heck out of them. Ice handles can be built 'backward" of the normal process you'd typically follow for open water rods. I always glue up the foregrip first and work my way to the butt - typically because most of my rods have wraps or hook keepers in place before the handle goes on.

Make sure you mock the seat up with the reel and mark everything for alignment.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/18/2016 06:42PM by Mat Peirce.

I fully agree with Mat> Most of us are not building packaged kit rods here, It's like fishing, Sometimes {You have to think outside the Box, To put fish in the box}. There's lots of spectacular examples of Thinking outside the box, In the Photo section as well. I personally don't care for split seats I find the uncomfortable myself but many people Love them. Jaa