Boxed Speedia extra tiny hole?

[Aitch]

On the mend slowly Ted... taking things easy at the mo

[Mr B]

All this interesting dangling comments pilgrims.... ( and cracking reels!)
But.. how about my very special tiny hole just 11 o clockish past the spool release!
Looks like Grumpy has a cracker there!

Mr B

[Paul F]

My guess the hole is a fault in the alloy, and was just ignored in production, as they were manufactured at a low cost, it certainly serves no purpose to the operation of the reel.

[Mr B]

My guess the hole is a fault in the alloy, and was just ignored in production, as they were manufactured at a low cost, it certainly serves no purpose to the operation of the reel.

Thanks Paul, goid point, but I think it is a perfect small hole the same size at the small holes that take a rivet.. I have a feeling it was a mistake and as you say wont make difference in the working of the reel... but as you say.. manufactured at low cost..
I think it might have slipped through the quality control measures of its day?
I wonder how many more are out there the same?
Interesting....

[Lea Dweller]

Sorry Mark, we got side tracked from your original question Having looked at a great many speedia's I cannot account for the small hole in your reel. I feel that the most likely answer is a production fault that went unspotted, as I can see no other logical reason for a hole in that spot!

[Mr B]

Sorry Mark, we got side tracked from your original question Having looked at a great many speedia's I cannot account for the small hole in your reel. I feel that the most likely answer is a production fault that went unspotted, as I can see no other logical reason for a hole in that spot!

No problem at all mate,
Thats what I think too. It has no baring on the reels performance.
I just wanted to run it through you TFF Speedia aficionados.. just in case it was a different model with something missing. I just had photos of other reels on TFF to go on.
My other Speedia is the wide spool with drag wheel(not sure of its proper name)

Thanks again and all.
Mr B.

[Watermole+]

I know nothing of Speedia reels Mr.B, and don't know if the line drum plates were turned from castings like the backplate, but looking at your first picture, it doesn't look as if the little hole is round.
If it is irregular-and the drum plates were turned from castings, it might just be a 'blow hole', or flaw in the casting and not considered worth scrapping because of that.
It is difficult to see from the picture, but if there is original paint inside of the hole, it was as made-and wasn't drilled afterwards.

Blow holes were quite common in small castings produced at speed. A lot of alloy was recycled from scrapped aircraft post war-often recycled more than once! I have found them even in Hardy Altex reels, so not even the best makers products were always 'perfect'.. (Excuse pun...)

..My two denarii worth..

wm+

[Mr B]

I know nothing of Speedia reels Mr.B, and don't know if the line drum plates were turned from castings like the backplate, but looking at your first picture, it doesn't look as if the little hole is round.
If it is irregular-and the drum plates were turned from castings, it might just be a 'blow hole', or flaw in the casting and not considered worth scrapping because of that.
It is difficult to see from the picture, but if there is original paint inside of the hole, it was as made-and wasn't drilled afterwards.

Blow holes were quite common in small castings produced at speed. A lot of alloy was recycled from scrapped aircraft post war-often recycled more than once! I have found them even in Hardy Altex reels, so not even the best makers products were always 'perfect'.. (Excuse pun...)

..My two denarii worth..

wm+

Elementary my dear Watermole.
After thinking about it last night in the "wee small hours" a fellow TFF'r above made me think it could be in the casting and not a drill hole.
I didn't have a clue how these reels were made..
I imagined the backs were cast but didn't give a lot of thought to the spool... just took things for granted you could say.
But after you comment and pedigree I got my old eye glass out to have a closer look.
And yes... its not uniform and it has the original paint inside the hole.
So... it has a new name "spitfire"

Thanks for your input Watermole.

Mr B.

[Hovis]

I suspect its likely not a defect in the casting. Indeed the reel faces are thin on the example I own and very simple. Could they even be pressed or stamped?
Regardless, that does indeed have finish in it. I suspect a factory mistake that simply slipped through. It does look partial countersunk, possibly a line lay hole in the wrong place?. Assuming the assembly was far from automated and mistakes do happen from time to time.

[Crucian]

I think it’s a very rare ‘Lightweight’ version, and could be extremely valuable