The Jigmaster Project

aking65 · September 23, 2017, 06:03:58 PM

Hi readers, attached is a photo of Chris hooked up to the billfish he was talking about. It's starting to run deep and peel some line off after the surface acrobatics.
Chris is right about catching the upgrade bug. After seeing his bulletproof reels in action, I picked up a 501 off Ebay and have fitted a SS gear sleeve, CF drag washers and changed out the screws with SS ones. In the middle of making up some posts similar to Mike's, then will get onto making a SS seat from some scrap pipe I picked up.
Also picked up a Senator 4/0 113HLW cheap, so will probably start doing that one as well.
Can see a lot of hours drilling, filing and polishing coming up.
Adam

Rothmar2 · September 23, 2017, 08:28:58 PM

Adam, I had forgotten you took that pic! Make sure you post a few pics of what you come up with for the parts your making. At least you won't have to fight me for lathe time this swing away,

. I hope you get to catch a few fish with your 501 too.

Mike C, a few pages back, you did tell me to go catch a billfish with the reel I was making. I have at least hooked one. You must have a good crystal ball at your place, along with all your fantastic reels!

aking65 · September 23, 2017, 09:26:06 PM

Will do Chris. Bit limited on what I can do. The 2.6mm drills, new Double dog bridge and 113 arrived at home a couple of days after I flew out.
The 501 is in bits and we are in a new location, so haven't got a line wet yet.

mhc · September 24, 2017, 08:37:16 AM

Quote from: aking65 on September 23, 2017, 09:26:06 PM
Will do Chris. Bit limited on what I can do. The 2.6mm drills, new Double dog bridge and 113 arrived at home a couple of days after I flew out.
The 501 is in bits and we are in a new location, so haven't got a line wet yet.

Welcome to the site Adam, it's good to have another person on-board interested in making custom parts. I'm looking forward to seeing your creations.

Chris, I know you had told me about the 501 field testing, but it's good to read the reports again - thanks for sharing.

Mike

Alto Mare · September 24, 2017, 10:02:01 AM

Nice to have you here Adam, enjoy your stay!

Sal

Penn Chronology · September 28, 2017, 02:23:56 PM

QuoteMike C, a few pages back, you did tell me to go catch a billfish with the reel I was making. I have at least hooked one. You must have a good crystal ball at your place, along with all your fantastic reels

Hello Chris,

That is the test and you now have a Jigmaster 501 capable of Bill fishing. Seems you have created a bullet proof Jigmaster beyond the expectations of any other builder.

Your one complaint was the weight of the reel. Weight problems are usually solved by changing the base material of the build. I wonder,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, how about ""Titanium"". Some of you processes and techniques would have to be altered in order to deal with the Titanium but your end result would be a Jigmaster with the corrosion resistance and strength of stainless steel and the weight of aluminum. Even if you only made the side plates from Titanium, it would get you on the path of the Nirvana of Jigmaster 501's (ha, as if you have not arrived at Nirvana already with your stainless steel version)........

Only a suggestion.

You do some amazing work. You have skills that go back to the industrial age. Good to see that in today's world.

Rothmar2 · December 21, 2017, 11:50:18 AM

A little more to add....

Mike C, Titanium! now we really are getting into big dollar territory! Would hate to think what the cost would be for raw materials to machine a set of plates from billet, and plate to bend frames from. But such a reel would survive decades of years of use with a bit of care.

There will be no more SS jigmaster frames from me. All the tooling I made now resides at the bottom of the Indian Ocean. Long story not for here. I do have a couple of Aluminium frames bent, which I will get to soon. One will eventually support the Cortez Plates. Have got onto a place to get the anodising done when I have finished carving out the frame.

Have cleared a few jobs recently, and have had some time to get back onto my own gear. Inspired by Ted's clutch levers, and Mike (mhc) having made an SS piece from a blank I sent to him, it was about time I made one for myself.

Took a lot longer to make than previous levers I have done. But it was well worth it. Absolutely love the extra purchase gained by the wider section lever. Hat's off to you Ted! A great concept.

This lever kind of symbolises the many influences that have inspired me during this project. Alan C, Adam's, Tom H's SS parts and designs. Sal bringing delrin into the mix (stopper is made from delrin), and his help behind the scenes. Ted's rethinking design, and coming up with his own range of upgrade parts. And the help from Mike (mhc) with part procurement, and original concepts and fabrications, that he has shared with us all.

With our offshore fishing season about to get into full swing, hopefully there will be some fishing done with these jigmasters again soon.

Alto Mare · December 21, 2017, 12:59:53 PM

Chris, I'm surprised you're not designing for Penn yet, that's one of the best eccentric lever I've seen.
I do have one miner criticism

, try flipping the star and let's see it again, I bet it will look even better.
Excellent work as always, Chris.

Best,

Sal

Rothmar2 · December 21, 2017, 06:45:43 PM

I've got to hand it to you Sal, there is not much that gets by you! Mike (mhc) will be laughing when he see's this. I had already 'fessed up to him over the phone. The lever is actually a ball-up. I wasn't thinking when I traced Adam's star arm onto the lever blank, nor was I thinking when I picked up the hacksaw to start carving it out. This is probably a symptom of how many of the parts I make are made. Doing an hour here and there, in between everything else I have to do, wife, kids, chores etc.
So focus can be lost at times. I like the way the star is currently orientated. It is more comfortable to crank the star down, as you don't get a pressure point on your fingers from the tip of the star. When backing off, your fingers naturally (for me a least) seem to rest a bit further towards the centre of the star away from the tip.
At the end of the day, I'm not really worried. Maybe some day I'll get around to shaping another lever, with the curvature the correct way to match the star. Maybe not.....

Alto Mare · December 21, 2017, 06:52:17 PM

...just messing with you Chris, you're too perfect. I'm just trying to find something, but not able to

Rothmar2 · December 21, 2017, 06:59:34 PM

Well played Sal! I got pants'd big time. Too funny!

Maxed Out · December 22, 2017, 01:01:10 AM

Sorry to hear about your hard work sitting on bottom of the ocean.

I love the curved shape of the shift lever. It gives it a very smooth sexy modern appearance, plus it just looks bad to the bone !!....but we all know the most important feature is function first and foremost. The wider body of the lever makes shifting so much easier. No more fumbling for the little bump on the top when your fingers may be half numb or slimy from bait or fish. The material you used will outlast father time.

Thanks for sharing all your exceptional knowledge and talent and can't wait to see what's next, but somehow you always continue to raise the bar and have no doubt the wheels are turning on the next surprise....I'll be patiently waiting !!

Merry Christmas from across the pond

Ted

broadway · December 22, 2017, 03:24:34 AM

Chris,
You never cease to amaze me. That is one cool looking shifter obviously modeled after Ted work of art with a nice curve to it.
When I read that your tooling is sitting at the bottom of the Indian Ocean I was first curious to hear the story, and then I realized maybe you weren't the one who threw it overboard. $:-\$
Like Ted said, sorry to hear that!
I can;t imagine what you would come uo with if you had more time.
Thanks for showing what's possible,
Dom

mhc · December 22, 2017, 12:57:17 PM

Quote from: Rothmar2 on December 21, 2017, 06:45:43 PM
I've got to hand it to you Sal, there is not much that gets by you! Mike (mhc) will be laughing when he see's this.

Correct! When Chris told me he cut the curve in the 'wrong' direction I (like Sal) suggested turning the star over so they would both be in the 'wrong' direction. Chris wasn't keen on that idea so I then suggested the curves are subtle and that it wouldn't be noticed anyway...... looks like I was wrong!

Mike

Alto Mare · December 22, 2017, 01:18:29 PM

Quote from: mhc on December 22, 2017, 12:57:17 PM
Quote from: Rothmar2 on December 21, 2017, 06:45:43 PM
I've got to hand it to you Sal, there is not much that gets by you! Mike (mhc) will be laughing when he see's this.

Correct! When Chris told me he cut the curve in the 'wrong' direction I (like Sal) suggested turning the star over so they would both be in the 'wrong' direction. Chris wasn't keen on that idea so I then suggested the curves are subtle and that it wouldn't be noticed anyway...... looks like I was wrong!

Mike

...
I'm thankful for most members here, especially you two...Merry Christmas guys!

Sal