Category Archives: Spool

A “Perfect” Reel Configuration

Posted on June 13, 2020 by

An iconic reel design is the Hardy Perfect. I have never had one in hand to photograph but I did borrow a Hardy Bougle from a friend, and it is the same thing except that the frame is raised pillar … Continue reading →

Posted in Frame, My Reels, Plans, Spool | 2 Comments

One Piece Spool, Again

Posted on August 15, 2017 by

This post is not so much about how to make a one piece spool (topic covered June 2013) as it is about a comparison of two types of metal lathe available to hobbyists. I now have both a MiniLathe (China … Continue reading →

Posted in Spool, Turning | Leave a comment

Bronze Frame Reel – Spool

Posted on February 12, 2017 by

Recently I have been making spools from a single piece of aluminum, even though it takes a lot of time to remove all the waste material. An advantage of using aluminum is its light weight, and the most significant aspect … Continue reading →

Posted in Plans, Spool | Leave a comment

Spool Porting

Posted on February 13, 2015 by

The “ports” are holes in the flanges of a spool, made to reduce weight and to provide ventilation for a wet fly line. Today I am using my rotary indexer to port a group of 5 spools. I am building … Continue reading →

Posted in Spool | 4 Comments

Reel 37 Spool

Posted on March 19, 2014 by

On fixed spindle reels like this, the knob and its counterweight attach directly to one face of the spool. So I have made the face flange thick enough to accept 4-40 screw threads. A step-by-step pictorial on making this part … Continue reading →

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One Piece Spool

Posted on June 1, 2013 by

For some time, I have been plotting how to make a one piece spool. My spools so far have been assemblies. The difficulty is the limited power and size of my Sherline lathe and mill. Recently I am developing a … Continue reading →

Posted in Milling, Spool, Turning | Leave a comment

Line Volume

Posted on May 10, 2013 by

I have some friends who are interested in small reels. This fits well with my machining resources, as my lathe and mill are quite small (Sherline). So I am working on a new design that can be made in several … Continue reading →

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A Loss of Concentration

Posted on April 5, 2013 by

This was to be the front spool end of a reel. The very last machining operation is to plunge mill 10 larger lightening holes. It is a repetitive operation; plunge, index 30 degrees, plunge again. But at this radius, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Spool End | 2 Comments

Spool Capacity Data

Posted on February 19, 2012 by

I get a few questions about the line capacity of my reels. So I did a study to try to see how commercial reel manufacturers rate their reels. Many have ratings (line size + yards of backing) on their web … Continue reading →

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Bonding Fixture

Posted on November 23, 2011 by

The Delrin assembly on the left is a fixture that holds the spool ends square on the shaft while Loctite 609 adhesive sets up. The ends fit a bit loose (0.001-0.002) on the shaft because there has to be some … Continue reading →

Posted in Bonding, Fixtures, Spool | Leave a comment