Hi to all and thank you for replying.
Is there a basic rule-of-thumb distance between the tip (threaded barrel) and butt halves of a size 16 SK-2 reel seat? I do not know which reel will be employed as this will be a surprise Christmas present, I don't want to spoil the surprise, and the recipient(s) live 2000 miles away. Installing one of my 2000 series spinning reels suggests 1.5in would work. Your professional guidance will be appreciated.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

C’mon guys, where is the response you have made me accustomed to? Please help me out!

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

Hello Mark. I have used the seats lots. I set my seat at 1" between the seats. This measurement is with the Fuji winding checks in place. This spacing works well when using a Shimano 2500 series reel. Hope it helps.

You can place the two parts from 1" - 1.5" apart, if the reel foot is engaged properly by the two hoods and there is no movement of the reel you should be fine. If you are planning on using the SK winding checks make sure you trim the arbors to make sure the shoulder of the winding checks have the room to fit inside the seat ends. If you glue in the arbors before reaming make sure you do not generate a lot of heat when reaming which may weaken the epoxy bond and cause the seat to possibly loosen later. I like to install spin seats down locking and like using a hidden thread hood, it seems to fit the hand better. Uplocking installed reel seats for me tend to loosen, which drives me crazy. You can also shorten the threaded barrel if needed. Hope this helps.
Norm

I don't really have anything to add other than to ask a question? And Mark, please understand that I'm only asking this question out of curiosity.

For those that have used the split seats like the SK on a spinning rod ....... are they comfortable to hold? And also, do you think an exposed blank reel seat (other than reducing over all rod weight) is really of any help on a spinning rod?

Personally I would think they may be uncomfortable, and really can't see an advantage on an exposed blank spinning reel seat.

They do look cool though.

As stated by Fuji you should have 34mm between the two part (winding check excluded).
This work well (I used 33mm too).

Some find the spinning version unconfortable, I dot not.
I liked it with the KDPS style hood [www.emfishing.fr]



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 11/13/2016 02:13AM by Eric MONTACLAIR.

I let the reel be my guide, sometimes I'll cut down the threads.

Personally I like split casting seats but not a big fan of split spinning seats. I do not like the way they feel, but others love them. For a spinning seat I like the Fuji VSS seats with a hidden thread hood built down locking. Some like their spinning seats uplocking other like them downlocking. As I have said before everyone has their likes and dislikes and that is what makes a custom rod custom. I have seen the 34 mm (1.33") figure before which is right between 1" and1.5", if it holds the reel foot securely go for it.
Norm

When I used skeletal spinning reel seats with cork between the ends, I always used 3-1/2 inch rings for a length of 1 1/2 inches which worked well with the reels being used.

I personally will not own a rod with a split spinning reel seat. Since the reel is always in your hand, you are always holding the reel seat. I much prefer a continuous reel seat like the Aero reel seat for supreme comfort.

I have never found weight of a reel seat to be an issue with any rod. Generally speaking a bit more weight at the butt of the rod is normally a good thing for overall better rod balance.

Be safe

Dave, I don't care for split seats ether, But lots of guys do?? Spinning I'm partial to Fuji TVS, I just plain like the feel. Aero is also good lot of guys really like them, And also the Pac-Bay which is similar but still has the Love button for those who want blank contact [www.mudhole.com] Cheers Jaa



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/13/2016 10:08PM by Jay Dubay.

Thanks for all the input. All of you helped a lot.
Eric’s reply indicated Fuji’s recommendation of 34mm (1.3125in), so I split the difference of that and what I came up with and made the gap 1.375. Thanks, Eric. Being the cheap bas#@*d I am, no winding checks are employed, plus I prefer the less involved or cluttered look anyway.

David has brought up a point I had not considered and others seem to also reflect an exposed blank is of little benefit for a spinning rod. For years, a number of casting seats have afforded an exposed blank but not spinning until recently. So what is the difference? Are us spinning guys number than the casting guys? Granted, my hands are junk from years of abuse and am a bit dextrally numb and would probably benefit minimally from my little pinkies being in contact with the blank. What’s the dif?

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

Without winding check you have to find a solution for not showing yours arbors ;-)

Eric,
These vintage Conolon blanks are fatties at 0.580in diameter at the seat, within 0.060 of a 16mm seat. I do a little radiused fillet with the epoxy which I add a black coloring agent to. Nice, clean, simple. There are times I also do the same with larger gaps.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

Mark, I don't know how everyone holds a spinning rod, but I know a lot of people probably hold it the same way I do, some maybe slightly different. I have the stem of the reel between my middle, and third finger. Others I have seen hold it between their third and pinky finger. The rest of your hand is gripping the reel seat. A split seat offers pressure points that a skeleton reel seat with an insert between the pieces, or a reel seat like the Aero reel seat mentioned, do not.

I'm thinking it could be uncomfortable. Plus, I doubt your hand comes in contact with the blank at all. I've only built a few rods, with two of them being spinning rods. I used a Forecast 17 mm skeleton seat with a 17mm graphite woven insert that is made to fit the seat. I mounted the whole seat using a foam arbor.

[www.utmostenterprises.com]

The seat is smooth on top with no pressure points that could prove to be uncomfortable. I really like it, and it went very well with the Pac Bay Quickline blank, and thread color combinations I used.

If you, or the person you are building the rod for have never used a spinning rod with a split reel seat, you may want to give one a try. You may not like it. They work on casting rods well because ........ well ...... you don't hold a spinning rod the same.

For many years I have used a hidden hood for my spinning seats.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Pictures of an Aero reel seat as well as a "hidden hood" reel seat on the bottom rod in the picture.

With the hidden hood, the skeletal seat is buried in cork. Thus, the rod is held with it surrounded by cork and is very comfortable. When using a rod with a hidden hood, I normally keep one finger on the blank at the end of the grip.

Be safe

CRB offers their handy seat spacer and alignment tool: [www.mudhole.com]. Takes the guesswork out of spacing and seat alignment, and is easier to manage during the build process opposed to mounting an actual reel. Plus, it can be used later as a visual aid to align your guides as well.

Regards.
Team Mud Hole Custom Tackle
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Mark- Since your blank, at the reel seat, has an OD diameter very close to the ID of the size 16 reel seat, you could use a Fuji TVS size 16 reel seat. The blank in this case would serve as your insert, and give your fingers direct contact with the blank. You can buy the body of the reel seat separately to save you money if you you already have the hoods. The SK2 hood will fit as well as any other Fuji hood or hidden thread hood. To make a perfect fit could slide the reel seat back a little or add a layer of finish where you want the seat. Based on your measurements you are very close.

[www.mudhole.com]

Norm

Great input and assistance, guys!
There exists a good possibility I hold my spinning rod/reel a little goofy (to match my personality). I hold the stem between my index and third finger. Granted, I have not used, let alone built, a split spinning seat before, but I expected them to be the best thing since sliced bread! I’m giving away my age with that vintage saying. While the TVS was of big interest to me, inserting an internal sleeve seems counterproductive with respect to enhancing the feel, even with a ½ ton of heavy epoxy jammed in between, even though these vintage fatty Conolons could probably do without. Before ordering these four SK-2 seats, hidden threads by the way, for three customers and one for myself, I have built three other rods utilizing a DPS 16 which I used the side of a 1in end mill to mill the top half off prior to mounting, leaving, at the risk of sounding boastful, a rather nice looking oval in the top of the seat with the blank, half exposed, running through. Only problem is the oval basically exposes the blank for your thumb, which also rhymes with numb.
It is possibly a good thing I decided to build my rod first with the SK-2 before the others (hey, priorities, right?). I am actually taking the gal, who gave me her deceased father’s lot of vintage rods, trout fishing this Friday as a way to say thanks. Paybacks are not always a bi@#h. It is because of her gracious gift that got my panties-in-a-bunch over these awesome vintage FG rods. Hopefully, my next post will not be admitting that all of you were correct regarding split spinning seats. Thanks for trying to ruin my fishing trip (just kidding, of course).
Thanks to all for helping the “Habitual-Over-Thinker”.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.