I've never turned my own reelseat, I've only built 2 rods but on my 3rd, I want to do even more. What size of stock should I start with. They sell pen blanks on eBay usually with dimension 3/4" square by 6 inches.   Some really beautiful wood. Would this suffice?  (Justin Ehart)

1 inch is easier to work with but measure your hardware (REC, Struble etc.) and that will tell  you what you need to turn down to. If your hardware is say .46 for the sake of argument, then .5 is going to be close and you will need to be very accurate.  (Rich McGaughey)

I use 3/4 stock it works fine. You have to be sure you center the hole in the stock. I can send you a series of shots on making the reel seat. I get most of my wood from a local hardwood specialty company. They always have cut off strips that are from 3/4 to 1". I get some great small pieces from their trash barrel.  (Tony Spezio)

I'm looking to get some turning blanks for reel seat inserts.  I notice that the VAST majority of turning blanks are 3/4" x 3/4" x 5".  IS 3/4" a big enough diameter for standard 4/5/6 wt rods?  (Joe West)

I always cut my blanks to about 1 X 1 X 4.  3/4 might do it, but it does not allow much margin for error.  Most of the sliding band reel seats I make and have seen have an ID of about .680.  That gives you .070.  It's not enough for me.  (Mark Babiy)

Yeah, that ain't much.  What if we turn our handle sections down to 5/16ths?  (Joe West)

5/16 would be the size of the hole through the middle of the wood insert.  .680 is referring to the ID of the reel seat component (sliding ring and cap) or the OD of the wood insert.  (Mark Babiy)

3/4 by 3/4 blanks are very workable, but you have no room at all for error. I use them now and then, especially when I have a really nice pen blank. If you center bore first, make sure the block is absolutely vertical, and your center is accurate. It helps if you have a drill bit with a point to make sure you are hitting the right spot. But 1 x 1 blocks are far easier to use. But use what you have, and just take your time. The critical errors usually come in turning. Start measuring diameter before you get it fully round. If you are off a bit and reach diameter when part of it is still flat, that part can be the mortised edge.   (Jeff Schaeffer)