Assembly, care and maintenance

When making your rod, use a good quality epoxy to assemble the reel seat, preferably a non-running epoxy gel .  Do not use super glue or expanding urethane glues.  

Take care to ensure there is a glue seal and bond all the way around the joins between the wood insert and metal parts, and between the wood insert and the blank.   If you are using an uplock reel seat, make sure that you seal the void area between the cork, blank and reel seat hood so water cannot seep under the cork handle or wood insert.  

It is usually best to fit one or other of the reel seat or cork handle, allow the glue to dry, then fit the other. There is more risk of parts moving or leaving gaps if you try and glue them all to the rod blank at the same time.

It is important that you allow your rod to dry completely after each use before storing it in a rod tube.   An occasional wax and polish will help keep the wood insert in good condition.

If the wood dulls over time with use you can restore the shine with a fine polish  Plastic or car paint polishes are a good choice, or try polishing pads finishing 8000-12000 grit.  

If the varnish finish on the wood insert gets damaged, chipped or cracked in use,  sand back the affected area, clean and allow to dry.  Then apply several thin coats of outdoor or yacht varnish, fine sanding between coats.  Wiping on very thin super glue coats will also work but make sure you buy the semi-flexible kind, not the cheapo stuff!.  Allow the finish to fully harden then fine polish.

Cork inserts clean up well with soap and water, or try a little tooth paste.

LC1 /LC7/U20/D20 insert dimensions

OD main cylinder: 16.3mm

Length main cylinder: 55-60mm

OD rebate for screw fitting: 14.5mm

Length of rebate for screw fitting: 20-27mm

ID (bore): 10-11mm approx

Weight (approx) cork 2g, stabilised hardwood or acrylic 6-8g