Exposed Threads On Spinning Reel Seat...

[AmmoGuy]

I picked up a couple of Ark rods during the TW sale. For the money, I really like the way the rods fish. Their "40T" blanks seem very good. 

However, the exposed reel seat threads are in a terrible spot for a spinning reel. Right where one of my fingers land. I thought it was no big deal until I fished it for a couple of hours, and the threads started to bother me. 

 

Anywho... Is there any decent looking material or way of wrapping these threads? They should have been cut back by design, but nothing I can do about that now. 

 

[diehardbassfishing]

Yes there is. Basically grip tape used for tennis rackets, or golf clubs.

Yonex grip tape - made for tennis.

Winn grip tape - made for golf.

 

Yonex is the thinner of the two. Winn is more padded.

I use both. Yonex the most because when I use on a rod I usually build up the area with a thick double sided tape first. I make foregrips on rods that don't have one.

 

Look for them on eBay. Many different colors.

 

Karl

[AmmoGuy]

1 hour ago, diehardbassfishing said:

Yes there is. Basically grip tape used for tennis rackets, or golf clubs.

Yonex grip tape - made for tennis.

Winn grip tape - made for golf.

 

Yonex is the thinner of the two. Winn is more padded.

I use both. Yonex the most because when I use on a rod I usually build up the area with a thick double sided tape first. I make foregrips on rods that don't have one.

 

Look for them on eBay. Many different colors.

 

Karl

I’ll check on that. 
 

I have no clue why they left this much thread exposed. Cost cutting I guess. 

[Michigander]

Electrical tape works too if you don't care much about looks.

[S Hovanec]

I've trimmed threads on assembled rods a few times.  You just have to be really careful to not hit the blank 

[Deleted account]

Cinelli cork handlebar tape.

Brilliant idea putting the locking nut on the front of a spinning rod just so it matches the BC ones. [sarcasm emoji]. Pretty much everyone is doing it.

 

 

 

2 hours ago, diehardbassfishing said:

Yonex grip tape - made for tennis.

 

[MickD]

This is exactly why I build all my spin rods with up-loading orientation on the seats.  It puts the threads at the back and out of the way of my hands.  It allows me to build a short ramp from the seat hood onto the blank.  Very sensitive and comfortable.

[.ghoti.]

Remember, whatever you put on there to hide the threads will have to come off to remove the reel.  

[AmmoGuy]

7 minutes ago, MickD said:

This is exactly why I build all my spin rods with up-loading orientation on the seats.  It puts the threads at the back and out of the way of my hands.  It allows me to build a short ramp from the seat hood onto the blank.  Very sensitive and comfortable.

 

I don't mind the nut being in the "down" locking position, as long as the threads on the seat are trimmed off reasonably short.  In this case, there's 3/4" of threads that have no reason to be there. 

[Michigander]

3 hours ago, MickD said:

This is exactly why I build all my spin rods with up-loading orientation on the seats.  It puts the threads at the back and out of the way of my hands.  It allows me to build a short ramp from the seat hood onto the blank.  Very sensitive and comfortable.

Tell me more about this "uploading". Gonna build my first spinning rod soon.

[.ghoti.]

He means uplocking. The threads are at the back end if the seat.

[MickD]

15 hours ago, AmmoGuy said:

In this case, there's 3/4" of threads that have no reason to be there. 

I understand the point, sometimes cut the seat, but weight and (in my opinion) ergonomics and looks are not adversely affected, I sometimes don't.  I think the biggest gain from cutting them off is simply looks.  

10 hours ago, .ghoti. said:

He means uplocking. The threads are at the back end if the seat.

Yes he does.  Uplocking  Thanks, .ghoti

12 hours ago, Michigander said:

Tell me more about this "uploading". Gonna build my first spinning rod soon.

Uplocking simply means turning the seat around compared to the orientation that most builders use.  It works well with this type seat, not with all types.  With the Fuji seat, size 17, I make the ramp off the front close to the same diameter as the hood so that the transition from the hood to the ramp is seamless, and very comfortable.  I build that ramp from cork or polyurethane reel seat shims.  In the case of shims it has to be coated with wrap epoxy for durability.  With cork they can be covered for aesthetics or not, as one chooses.  

 

I have heard from builders that uplocking results in reel loosening, but I've not had that problem with the Fuji seats.  If one is worried about that include the Fuji jam nut in the build, as I sometimes do.

 

If you are buying components rather than turning your own cork then you'll have a hard time getting the right diameter.  If you have a drill press I can show you a way to cheaply adapt it so that cork grips can be turned very easily and safely.  I have not bought a cork component in many years, other than fly rod grips.  

[Michigander]

1 hour ago, MickD said:

I understand the point, sometimes cut the seat, but weight and (in my opinion) ergonomics and looks are not adversely affected, I sometimes don't.  I think the biggest gain from cutting them off is simply looks.  

Yes he does.  Uplocking  Thanks, .ghoti

Uplocking simply means turning the seat around compared to the orientation that most builders use.  It works well with this type seat, not with all types.  With the Fuji seat, size 17, I make the ramp off the front close to the same diameter as the hood so that the transition from the hood to the ramp is seamless, and very comfortable.  I build that ramp from cork or polyurethane reel seat shims.  In the case of shims it has to be coated with wrap epoxy for durability.  With cork they can be covered for aesthetics or not, as one chooses.  

 

I have heard from builders that uplocking results in reel loosening, but I've not had that problem with the Fuji seats.  If one is worried about that include the Fuji jam nut in the build, as I sometimes do.

 

If you are buying components rather than turning your own cork then you'll have a hard time getting the right diameter.  If you have a drill press I can show you a way to cheaply adapt it so that cork grips can be turned very easily and safely.  I have not bought a cork component in many years, other than fly rod grips.  

Oh gotcha. As always thanks for the information. I don't think this strategy will be applicable to my build but I will keep it in mind for a different one!