TackleTour

As I mentioned in my other thread, I'm having my first custom built this summer. I wanted to custom paint a Fuji ECS seat to match the reel I'll be using on the rod.

Does anybody know how to do this or if it will work? The thing I'm concerned about is the threads getting too built up with paint for the hood to screw on. What paint should be used?

I've got a friend that paints cranks, and my dad's sprayed paint/stain for year including a few cars (I could use some nice bright red paint from the '65 Mustang conv he's painting now). So I'm sure between the three of us, we can figure something out. But I'd prefer some advice so I don't have to go through a handful of ECS seats to get it right, lol.

Also, how would I go about shortening the threaded section of the stock ECS seat?

Thanks!

BB144 wrote: Does anybody know how to do this or if it will work? The thing I'm concerned about is the threads getting too built up with paint for the hood to screw on. What paint should be used?

Board member Calfish has painted a few seats for my customers. That way their reel and reel seat have the exact same paint.

With the high wear reel seats see, you really need to use automotive grade paints and clears.

BB144 wrote: Also, how would I go about shortening the threaded section of the stock ECS seat?

I put a strip of masking tape around the threads so I have a straight edge.

I cut mine on a chop saw with an abrasive cutoff wheel. Before I had the saw, I just used a Dremel with an abrasive cutoff wheel. Touch it up on a sander, or with a sanding block. And then I use an X-Acto to remove any flash.

Mattman wrote:

BB144 wrote: Does anybody know how to do this or if it will work? The thing I'm concerned about is the threads getting too built up with paint for the hood to screw on. What paint should be used?

Board member Calfish has painted a few seats for my customers. That way their reel and reel seat have the exact same paint.

With the high wear reel seats see, you really need to use automotive grade paints and clears.

BB144 wrote: Also, how would I go about shortening the threaded section of the stock ECS seat?

I put a strip of masking tape around the threads so I have a straight edge.

I cut mine on a chop saw with an abrasive cutoff wheel. Before I had the saw, I just used a Dremel with an abrasive cutoff wheel. Touch it up on a sander, or with a sanding block. And then I use an X-Acto to remove any flash.

Thanks for the info Matt!

Automotive paint it is. After a coat or two of paint and then a clear top coat, will the threads be too large for the hood to screw down? Just got to make sure the red matches the reel I'll be hopefully buying to put on the rod. How's that for en excuse to buy a reel: I'm building a custom rod to match a reel I don't have, so I need to buy the reel to match the rod!

I figured the dremel would work for shortening the seat. How about a band saw with a fine tooth blade? I've got access to a handful of different saws, but none with a cutoff wheel. I believe they've even got a band saw with a metal cutting hack saw-like blade in it.

BB144 wrote:
After a coat or two of paint and then a clear top coat, will the threads be too large for the hood to screw down?

Just don't get carried away with the paint. Keep your mil thickness to a minimum.

BB144 wrote:
How about a band saw with a fine tooth blade?

That'll work.

I've used an X-Acto saw in their miter box before.

You can always try Matagi stuff. The painted Mudhole seats are Matagi, so you can save on shipping from Japan. Otherwise, Merrick Tackle should be able to get you colors not available through Mudhole.

Tokugawa wrote:You can always try Matagi stuff. The painted Mudhole seats are Matagi, so you can save on shipping from Japan. Otherwise, Merrick Tackle should be able to get you colors not available through Mudhole.

I've never heard of Merrick Tackle before. I checked out the site, and there goes my hopes of keeping this under $400!

The Matagi stuff looks great, but I've heard it's really expensive...

BB144 wrote:

Tokugawa wrote:You can always try Matagi stuff. The painted Mudhole seats are Matagi, so you can save on shipping from Japan. Otherwise, Merrick Tackle should be able to get you colors not available through Mudhole.

I've never heard of Merrick Tackle before. I checked out the site, and there goes my hopes of keeping this under $400!

The Matagi stuff looks great, but I've heard it's really expensive...

You've heard right!

Try painting with an airbrush setup, you can control the amount of paint going on the seat as with the clear.