ajb Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 (edited) Hi all, Ive got a little live fibre flick stick which has got a broken reel seat (the part the reel foot slides into under the foregrip). I thought this would be a fairly straight forward fix and while i was having it done i would change the soft EVA grips over for some cork ones... Well seems i was wrong as i spoke to a tackle store today and he informed me that due to a rods taper you would have to take off all the guides in order to slide the new grips on from the tip down. He said i might be able to repair the seet alone but i would really love to change the grips as ive just got myself a nice new daiwa sol as a gift and it would be a perfect match for this rod. So does anyone know if i can change the grips over without stripping off the guides and if so who could do this work for me? Thanks for any help. Edited August 28, 2008 by ajb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillN Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 Tony, one of the site sponsors builds rods so if anyone can help you it'd probably be him! either send him a PM or go on his site http://fishfinder.com.au/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajb Posted August 19, 2008 Author Share Posted August 19, 2008 Thanks mate, i rang but he is not in store, have sent him a pm. Looks like im the only one with this problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evets Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 Hi AJB, A picture would help.... So.... with out actually seeing the rod. Yes it is possible to replace the grips but it involves removing the reel seat (but from the sound of it need to be replaced as its broken anyway). You would obviously need to remove the old reel seat and grips really carefully. I would use a dremel to remove the reel seat being careful not to score the blank at all. When I did this I cut all around the reel seat turning the blank so the cut ended up where it started (imaging keeing the dremel still and spinning the blank around) forming a series of rings. Cut the rings in half lengthways and remove the reel seat. Once all of the reel seat, glue and grips are removed measure the diameter of the blank (where the grip is going to go) and get a grip that has an inside diameter about 10-15% smaller than the blank to ensure a nice snug fit. Now the tricky bit. A bit of metho poured into the grips will help with lubrication and as quick as you can slide the grip onto the blank and up to where it belongs. The foam will stretch so that it will fit over the end of the blank and form a snug fit where it belongs. You may need to twist the grip on. Put a new reel seat on and then the rear grip. The reel seat may need to be packed up with some masking tape and needs to be glued in with 24 hour epoxy Evets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blood Knot Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 ajb Mate it can be done - and is easier or harder depending on how radical the taper of the blank is from the butt end to the foregrip. Apart from carefully cutting of the old seat and EVA grips, the new cork fore grip will need a hole through its centre large enough to fit over the thickest point of the blank without splitting open. The difference between its inside diameter and the rod outside diameter (in the position where it will finally fit will need to be filled with epoxy to take up the space (being carefull to keep the cork grips concentric with the rod axis). The reel seat would be packed with masking tape rings and pre filled or back filled with epoxy as per normal practice. Only down side is extra epoxy may make the stick a little heavier - not a big deal as long as you are happy with the end result A decent rod builder should be able to this for you without probs ( at obvious cost ) John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajb Posted August 19, 2008 Author Share Posted August 19, 2008 Thanks for all the replies. Tony has responded to my pm and although a delicate job he informs me it can be done so ill chat to him tomorrow Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evets Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 Good stuff. Let us know how it turns out Evets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamtime Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 (edited) Unless you are going to fit a reel seat properly, then don't expect the repair to turn out properly. The taper, when building a rod, will determine the position of the grips, guides and and hypalon. Forget about doing it back to front Take off all the guides and do it properly. Hard work, but you will be rewarded. Remove the guides, fit the ferrules and fit the reel seat as it should be. Otherwise you will need to get a much larger diameter reel seet to fit over the butt. Edited August 21, 2008 by Mariner 31 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evets Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 AJB Sorry mate, misread your first post. Thought you wanted to replace the cork grip with hypalon . Cork grips are usually made by gluing a series of rings together to form a long tube. Look carefully at some cork grips and you will see what I mean. You can carefully cut a pre made grip lengthways in half with a razorblade and ream the hole to suit the blank. Epoxy and tightly wrap the grip with tape while the epoxy dries. Sand when dry and its all good. Done carefully (and skilfully enough) the join will be barely noticeable - much the same as the rings on the pre made cork grip...... Or you could buy the rings individually and split each of them in half and turn them down on a lathe but I’m guessing that you don’t own a lathe so this probably isn’t really an option.... In any event I have seen some of Tony’s finished work and it is always first rate. I am sure he won’t do a half assed job!!!!!! Love to know how Tony approaches this. Maybe you could post a photo of the finished job as well ? Evets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajb Posted August 21, 2008 Author Share Posted August 21, 2008 Thanks for the replies, Ive dropped the rod off at Tonys today and let me say he turns out some special rods We had a good chat and he showed me some builds in process including a couple for other raiders and his work is superb and anyone interested in quality should get down to his store As for my rod Tony will be replacing the grips and seat without removing the guides in this case as the live fibre blank only has a very slight taper so all is good, i asked Tony to take a couple of shots for you guys to see aswell. Thanks again Tony, cant wait to see my new and improved rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajb Posted August 28, 2008 Author Share Posted August 28, 2008 (edited) That sort of sums up how i feel about my new rod, now i say new because i couldn't believe it was my rod that i picked up from Tony today, he did a superb job repairing and modifying my beloved little live fibre in such a short time and i could not be happier, thankyou SO much mate I will recommend you to anyone and everyone, your work is superb and i will definately be back for some custom rods in due time Now i have a rod that is so much lighter, has much better feel and last but not least looks soooo much better. Tony has some pics as well but given his current circumstances i thought i would take some for you guys to see. Before (one of my other live fibres but same grip ) And now You can see in this next pic the shiny black section of blank between the foregrip and Live Fibre writing, this is where the old foregrip used to come up to so Tony scrapped it and bound that section and it looks great and has lost so much weight and bulk now My Sol has a new home!! Edited August 28, 2008 by ajb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blood Knot Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 ajb Looks a great job - no wonder your happy with it. Allways a great feeling catching fish on gear you have tinkered around with or modified in some way. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gretsch Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Nice job there. It is always nice for things to work out better than you expect!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hodgey Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 What a transformation! No wonder you are pleased, mate; that looks tops! (Great work Tones ) Cheers Hodgey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajb Posted August 28, 2008 Author Share Posted August 28, 2008 Cheers guys, i couldnt stop admiring it last night Now all i have to do is get onto some fish, cant wait Thanks again Tones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blood Knot Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 (edited) Cheers guys, i couldnt stop admiring it last night Now all i have to do is get onto some fish, cant wait Thanks again Tones. Move it into the bedroom, so you can access at anytime - helps to build the fishy expectations. A move that may not be spontaneously recognised by the wife or partner, but will nether the less help you bond with the new gear and help establish its credendtials (house-hold priority wise). John Edited August 29, 2008 by Blood Knot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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