Reel Modifications

[Kevanf1]

I must admit that the only things I have ever done is to polish the spindles and grub screws on my pins. I must get around to properly radiusing the tips of some of those same spindles. A good reprofile will seen them spinning an awful lot better. I have a couple of old Strike Rights that are fair game for some experimentation. They can be made to spin at a fine rate if they are given a little care and attention

[Vole]

The ones with the nylon (or similar) bushes?
I always thought the bush was the problem... if you do manage to tweak yours successfully, I'd love to hear how it's done!

[Kevanf1]

The ones with the nylon (or similar) bushes?
I always thought the bush was the problem... if you do manage to tweak yours successfully, I'd love to hear how it's done!

Not as far as I am aware... The lower part, from memory, is a blued metal (steel?). The tube in which the spindle itself runs is all metal.

I think, but stand to be corrected by those with superior engineering knowledge/skills, that a big problem is slap or wobble at the lower end of the shaft rather than at the top where the spindle tip mates with the adjusting grub screw. I find that this area, at the lower end, is often quite substantial. Now, if the whole of the tube (middle of the spool) were given a slightly larger gap between itself and the spindle, perhaps slightly barrel shaped, but tapering back to a slim and snug ring at the bottom it may make for a very free running pin. Or would it? It is just a musing of mine, letting my brain run with ideas (brainstorming in my own head).

By the way, one of my Strike Rights is rather odd in that it has a variable ratchet pressure akin to the de-luxe Speedia. I have never seen another. Has anybody else?

[Chevin]

Reprofiling the pin...... has anyone done this, does shaping the grub screw into a point make much difference.

[Kevanf1]

The Gough pin from the 60's used a ball bearing swaged right in the end of the spindle. Here was me thinking I was being daft for conjuring that idea up in my head. Now that 'could' possibly transform some very cheap pins. Not an easy task though.

[SeanM]

Reprofiling the pin...... has anyone done this, does shaping the grub screw into a point make much difference.

I wouldn't recommend shaping it to a point as this is likely to result in increased wear to the top of the pin. A nice rounded profile is probably best on both the pin and the screw. This minimises the contact area, but maintains the oil film.

[Kevanf1]

Subtle modifications are the order of the day. Once happy with a session of reprofiling give the reel a try. It would be possible to overdo it

[Nobby]

Yes, I've re-profiled pins and the grub screw many times.

To work on the screw I put it into the centre-boss upside-down and use that as a 'vice' while I work the screw flat with a small sharpening stone in 'fine' grade. Once I have achieved a radius that takes a mark dead-centre when stroked with the stone when held perfectly level, thus showing I am not off-centre, I polish the screw first with Solvol Autosol and then finish with Brasso. The result is a shine equivalent to chrome plating.


I do the same with the top of the pin and use very fine watch-makers files to make sure the groove into which the release arm goes is absolutely undamaged.

I then take the long seam cut from a shirt sleeve which has one end impregnated with Solvol Autosol and whip it around the pin shaft like a wood-carver's treadle lathe. Move over to a clean section of the strip and do again and you have a pin polished to perfection.


I still find the oil needs changing after a few spins though, just like running-in an engine years ago.


Youngs appear to hav experimented with pin and screw profiles over the years.

I have had the good fortune to come across nearly un-fished examples and it seems clear that some pins had flat bottomed screws and others had radiused ones.
I'm now convinced that radius to radius spins easier and longer, but Hardy went the other route and went for a broad area of contact to 'float' the spool on a film of oil.

In the Conquest, they achieved this by having no screw at all. Instead they put a soft copper 'plug' in the hole and it is 'tapped' to create a 'pin shaped dent' in the copper.

A bit of running in and an oil change and you have a beautiful ,smooth, quiet pin, but adjusting end float is a bit fraught. I won't go in to that here in case someone over-does it and jams their pin up!


Suffice to say, if you can lift the spool up and get a 'click' it's about right...if you can measure the end-float, it should be about .005 to .008 thou. I feel.


It might be interesting to try a copper screw as a grub screwin a Youngs or Speedia if anyone ever comes across some copper studding in 6BA.



Some Youngs reels have a brass grub screw, rather than steel, I presume in an attempt to achieve the same thing, but with a less wear occuring over time.

[Kevanf1]

It might be interesting to try a copper screw as a grub screwin a Youngs or Speedia if anyone ever comes across some copper studding in 6BA.



Some Youngs reels have a brass grub screw, rather than steel, I presume in an attempt to achieve the same thing, but with a less wear occuring over time.

It would be easy enough to make a brass grub screw. The rod can be obtained from most model shops or online and then careful use of a 6ba die and bingo

[Kevanf1]

A thought for your perusal... Hypothetically, take one Speedia with a worn out grub screw. Grind the grub screw flat to the threads, leaving those threads of course. Now, put the reel and spool back together and drop a tiny ball bearing into the hole where the grub screw is placed. A few drops of oil and now replace that modified grub screw.

Could it work to bring back a Speedia (or other reel of course) from the damaged/awaiting repair pile?