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(10/12/04) By using the index located to the left, you may click thru directly to the Rodmakers Findings^TM you prefer. Your orders and payments will now be securely processed by PayPal. Orders paid with funds deposited with PayPal will process promptly. Orders paid with credit cards thru Paypal may see a brief delay. An order form in PDF format is available for those who prefer to mail an order.

See the index; left, to navigate the page.

Rodmakers Findings ^TM are economical un-finished blanks that may be finished by those with metals machining skills and equipment into their own unique reel seat hardware. Semi-finished pocketed buttcap, rimmed buttcap and domed buttcap blanks are available to those who prefer not to machine these parts before using them in their rod project.

The basis of these parts is a simple deep drawn cup. Depending on the size and type selected and using an engine lathe, this simple cup may be converted into a variety of parts including:

• grip checks.
• cork checks.
• butt caps for cap and ring reel seats.
• rimmed buttcaps and slide bands for rimmed cap and ring reel seats.
• slide bands for mortised cap and ring reel seats.
• slide bands for pocketed buttcap reel seats.
• slide bands for screw lock reel seats.
• pocketed or hooded buttcaps.
• hoods for uplocking reel seats.
• nickel silver base trim for inserts used on uplocking seats.

A sketch in PFD format describing some of the fly rod reel seat options that may be constructed with these cups may be found here.

(right) Drawn nickle silver cups.

Unlike an assembled or soldered butt cap, where a disk is soldered into the end of a portion of a tube; butt caps made from seamless drawn cups require less time to make and will never come apart. The process employed to form these cups is the same method used by the makers of the classic era rods. They are stamped, drawn and formed from flat strip material. The process permits a generous and stylish radius at the end of the cap not typical of soldered butt caps. Using these cups to make your own components personalizes your work, making it uniquely yours. Separating your work from that of those who simply assemble widely available commercial components onto the rods they build.

Other semi-finished parts made from these cups are available including pocketed butt cap blanks, rimmed cup blanks and domed buttcap blanks.

(left) Cups are formed from round blanks which are punched out of coils of nickle silver strip.

Cups are drawn from nickle silver UNS C75200 18% alloy. This is exactly the same material long used by rodmakers. It polishes to a brilliant white-blue color and will not tarnish or discolor as does the commonly available nickle silver barstock alloys. Parts may also be special ordered made from jewelers bronze or "NU-GOLD" alloy or aluminum. Long used in the jewelry industry, jewelers bronze permits the fabrication of parts having good mechanical strength and corrosion resistance along with the look of real gold.

Cups (blanks) are selected by size for different fly rod reel seat applications:

Drawn cup selection table
Reel seats having 21/32 in. diameter inserts			See the cups drawing here Cap and ring reel seat parts finished from our blanks cap and ring reel seat assembled from the above parts
Cap and ring (slideband) with mortised insert
Grip check use 21/32 cup	Slide Band use 21/32 cup	Buttcap use 21/32 cup
Slideband with pocketed buttcap & full round insert
Grip check use 21/32 cup	Slide Band use 23/32 cup	Buttcap use 21/32 pocketed buttcap blank
Reel seats having 11/16 in. diameter inserts
Cap and ring (slideband) with mortised insert
Grip check use 11/16 cup	Slide Band use 11/16 cup	Buttcap use 11/16 cup
Slideband with pocketed buttcap & full round insert
Grip check use 11/16 cup	Slide Band use 3/4 cup	Buttcap use 11/16 pocketed buttcap blank

Orders may be made using the shopping cart below for secure processing thru Paypal or may be sent thru the U. S. Mail using the order form found in the catalog index at the top of the page.

Special orders: Made to order or contract manufacturing of special related product is available upon quotation. Drawn cups and buttcaps may be had made from jewelers bronze or aluminum via special order. Minimum order quantites apply. Email for further information.

Retail site sales terms and conditions; Return policy. It is implicit with your order that you understand the nature of these parts, the materials they are made from and the methods required to finish them. It is also implicit with your order that you have read, understand and subscribe to the danger statement below. You are responsible to know what you are buying before you buy. If you have any questions, please email them along to me and I'll help you understand how best to work with these parts.

Rodmakers findings that are deemed in my opinion not to be in compliance with stated standards will be replaced upon return. Such a return may occur only with prior authorization by myself. All returns are subject to a $10.00 processing fee in addition to any bank, paypal or other financial fees including packaging and shipping fees and any other fees and will be paid by the customer. No claim or returns will be accepted after 30 days from invoice date. All returns not for exchange are for credit, there are no cash refunds.

A link to a finishing guide is located on the components main page. It describes some typical methods of finishing grip checks, butt caps and slide bands from the drawn nickle silver cups available here. While skilled rodmaker-machinists may be able to use nearly any size of engine lathe to finish these rodmakers findings ^TM, customer feedback suggest that machinists having mini or micro lathes for equipment may not be able to successfully machine these parts. If you are not sure that you can machine these parts please us send an e-mail and we'll discuss your project and equipment.

Always use safety glasses when operating any kind of power equipment.