I'm assisting a friend repair a rod build gone wrong and I'm making significant progress. The rod in question is a somewhat expensive two piece popping rod (Phenix Titan) I have removed the grips, winding check and all of the finish on the bottom section, the only thing left is the reel seat (which was mounted upside down). It is a very nice aluminum Alps reel seat, any suggestions on removing the reel seat without damaging the blank or the seat? I've seen a few people suggest boiling the reel seat/blank to get it off, I'm just concerned about damaging the blank, can someone provide detailed instructions to perform this method, or give me any other ideas? Thanks in advance.

I had some luck using a large metal bucket on a turkey fryer burner. It took a long time. The good news is that you'll only get the water to 212 degrees so your chances of hurting the blank are minimized. I've also cut nylon seats off with a dremel.

_________________________________________
"Angling is extremely time consuming.
That's sort of the whole point." - Thomas McGuane

What do you mean that the reel seat was mounted upside down? Spinning seats can be mounted either down locking or up locking without effecting function. I prefer the seat mounted down locking, but others prefer uplocking. There is no right or wrong way to mount a spinning seat, just personnel preference.
Since you have removed everything except the reel seat, I have had success getting reel seats off by using a piece of PVC tubing that will fit over the rod and butts up against the reel seat. This piece of tubing needs to extend past the end of the rod. Heat the reel seat with a heat gun, put the PVC tube against the reel seat and tap the end of the tube sharply with a hammer. In most cases this will break the epoxy bond and you can slide the seat off. I like to butt the tube against the fixed hood side of the seat. This does not damage the reel seat or the blank. I have salvaged a lot of reel seats doing this. However, there has been a time or two I could not budge the seat and had to cut it off to save the rod or drill it out to save the seat. Hope this works for you. PVC tubing is cheap and works well. Beats the @#$%& out of any other method.
Norm

was it mounted with a full arbor or spaced shim style arbor .
I would use a heat gun and the pvc tube but you need to have the ability to rotate and move the seat up and down through the heat flow just don't get it to hot just enough to soften the epoxy.
Norm is right it is the best way to remove a seat with out hurting the blank

The best day to be alive is always tomorrow !!
Think out side the box when all else fails !!!
Wi.

I use the boiling water technique as it is at a temperature that will not harm the blank.

Here is the way I do it. Put the reel seat into a plastic bag, I use ziplock, that reaches some above the seat. Then place in boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes. Then using gloves so as to not burn yourself, you should be able loosen the seat and remove it. It might take a couple of the boiling sessions, if is well bonded. If the reel seat is all metal (no wood insert) you can eliminate the bag.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/2017 12:14PM by Phil Erickson.

Dane,
Not being the smartest man in the world, I have learned to listen to as many possible issues concerning any given subject. You have received great suggestions, combine them. Use Chuck’s and Phil’s boiling water method combined with Norman’s PVC external ram tube first as <212* won’t harm the blank. If the seat will not budge, try the heat gun. Allow me to add some hopefully helpful thoughts: 1.) If you can’t find the perfect size PVC tube, drill a hole slightly larger than the blank OD in a piece rigid plastic or aluminum to butt up to the end of the PVC; 2.) If a heat source other than boiling water is used, attempt to get it hot evenly but QUICKLY (possibly even the careful use of a propane / MAP gas torch) to expand the aluminum seat a bit while softening the epoxy bond all while limiting the heat soaking into the blank. From the perspective of saving and reusing both parts, I hope the boiling water method is sufficient, even if a few attempts are required. I may have my doubts 212* will be enough but am more familiar with 4 to 1 structural composite epoxies than the 1 to 1 epoxies used in rod building.
GOOD LUCK!!! I would be very interested to learn of the outcome.

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

And the first time you use any type of flame heat on it you risk ruining the finish on an anodized seat

Ron Weber

Using flame can cause the damage Ron mentions above and really risks getting it too hot ! I have not found a reel seat I could not get off with the water method. Sometimes it might take 2 or 3 boilings but eventually the epoxy gets soft enough.

I only do fly rods, so they may be easier to do as the seat is at the butt of the rod.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/2017 08:30PM by Phil Erickson.