Monthly Archives: August 2012

Spindle Wrench Set

Posted on August 31, 2012 by dave49

The fixed spindle of my new reel design is a piece of stainless shaft material that holds a bronze thrust washer against the reel back plate. It is secured by a custom screw with a large head. I did not … Continue reading →

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Fixed Spindle Reel

Posted on August 27, 2012 by dave49

My earlier designs were “rotating spindle”, which require full front and back end plates and a crank to turn the spool. This new design is “fixed spindle” which means an open front end ring, no crank, and a spool that … Continue reading →

Posted in My Reels | 5 Comments

Electrolytic Coloring

Posted on August 24, 2012 by dave49

My anodized aluminum reel parts have mostly been undyed, that is, clear anodize. I did try out some dyes (23 April 2012) and even produced a reel with black end plates (9 May 2012). Other than black, I did not … Continue reading →

Posted in Anodizing/Plating | 4 Comments

Water Cooled Cathode

Posted on August 22, 2012 by dave49

When anodizing, power is dissipated in the cell and heats the water/acid electrolyte. The heat has two components, electrical resistance heating of the anode’s barrier layer and heat of formation of the oxide film. For example, if the anode area … Continue reading →

Posted in Anodizing/Plating | 5 Comments

Aluminum Finishing

Posted on August 21, 2012 by dave49

By now I have made enough reel parts of aluminum to have established a routine procedure for finishing. My goal is to arrive at a finish that is uniform but not highly reflective. If the aluminum is shiny before anodizing, … Continue reading →

Posted in Abrading, Frame | Leave a comment

RPN Calculator

Posted on August 12, 2012 by dave49

I believe that I have owned a total of 4 HP calculators, but the one that I like the best is the HP15C. Earlier calculators had LED displays which used a lot of energy, requiring a large rechargeable battery pack. … Continue reading →

Posted in Tools | 3 Comments

How to (Not) Extract a Broken Tap

Posted on August 3, 2012 by dave49

When tapping, whether on the lathe or on the mill, I always use a guide pin in the hole on the back of the tap handle. This does two things. First, it ensures that the tap is started straight. Second, … Continue reading →

Posted in Repair | Leave a comment