yet another reason not to imbibe

[Tightlines667]

You'll have to explain John.
...
-steve

Steve,

I said Miesselbach, but was thinking of the way the Perez clutch was developed with tension springs to help keep the moving bridge in its position when the lever is thrown.  I know this is a very different mechanism, but I was basically getting at using a spring (maybe a flat piece of spring metal), and a notch or 2 to keep the gears engaged or disengaged when the bridge is moved. 

I am sure you have spent much more time thinking about this then me.

Keep up the hands on creative thinking. 

[oc1]

Thanks John.  Is the Perez the one that pulls (or pushes) both sides of the bridge (both bridge screws) at the same time?
-steve

[sdlehr]

The Pflueger reels I have with the Kopf clutch have an eccentric that moves the bridge with a very firm "on" and "off" that will not pop out when a fish is engaged with the line.

You said you could not keep the clutch engaged by pushing on the lever.... I'm not sure I understand the weak link here.... what exactly failed when this was going on? If the clutch won't stay engaged unless both bridge screws are locked down this is going to need an outside the box solution....

[oc1]

The bridge screws are locked down now because all the clutch parts have been removed. 

When the main gear slipped away from the pinion, pushing the lever did not have enough leverage and the right angle to pull the main gear back into position.  All pushing the lever does is allow the spring to take over and it is the spring that pulls the sliding bridge screw.  The lever could not pull the sliding bridge screw itself because it is pulling at almost a right angle to the slot.

I'm thinking that it may have worked much better if the other bridge screw had been the one that slides.  When the spinning pinion puts pressure on the main gear, the force is tangential.  That tangential force was pulling against the stationary side of the bridge and pushing the sliding side of the bridge.  It pushed the sliding side away from the pinion.  If it were reversed, the tangential force would be pushing against the stationary side of the bridge and pulling the sliding side of the bridge inward toward the pinion.  Need to draw a picture to explain better.

-steve

[oc1]

That was all from a few weeks back.  Since then, I've been working on alternative to using magnets.  Making a centrifugal clutch sounded easier than learning to thumb cast.

Remember that donor reel that the gear set was removed from?











Without gears there is not much to loose if the spool is narrowed.  I didn't do any better getting the flange put on straight this time.  It is a little crooked (not perpendicular to the arbor).  The thin flange and the heavy arbor heat and expand at different rates so it's hard to prevent things from shifting.





For a centrifugal brake race, a slice was cut out of a big old brass nipple.  I don't remember where the nipple came from but knew it would come in handy some day.  Sometimes we save things.







The left spool flange was turned down so it would tuck into the lip of the race.  I tried to fudge a little here and there to compensate for the crooked flange but ended up with a large gap where line could get under the spool



The stand and posts had to be cut down.  I didn't want to mess with the foot rivets but wanted to save the quick take-apart feature.  Some pieces of tubing, one inside the other, were used to center and guide the drill bit.  It made straight holes for a change.  





The other posts were turned down with the precision lathe and cut to length.



The early ABU centrifugal brake system seemed like the easiest thing to mimic.  They had two wires with little brake blocks that rubbed against the race when casting.  I had no idea what size or number of brake blocks would be needed to stop a heavy brass spool.  Three brake block wires were brazed to the clicker ratchet.



The wires were cut to length so they would ride inside the race.  Staying with a theme, brake blocks were cut froma  bamboo twig.





The first few casts were without brake blocks.  One backlash was so bad that line got under the left spool flange.  Three large brake blocks was way to much.  Two small blocks was about right at first but I later put the third one back in as the reel loosened up and started breaking in.







It casts OK for a direct drive.  Not be best, but good enough.  The size is just right and it fits nicely in the hand.  The line capacity is 120 yards of four-strand dyneema which is no more and no less than what is needed for the task.  That crooked spool flange is annoying, but tolerable.  Not a bad little reel.

-steve

[mhc]

You keep surprising us Steve, or me at least - when you were frustrated with magnets and suggested centrifugal brakes as the best alternative I thought the brake drum and spokes would be beyond back yard filers like us. I was wrong (in your case anyway)

Mike

[Crow]

    Another great build ! I love the drill centering solution .

[mo65]

Bravo Steve! Now I know what to use to replace those darn brake blocks...a bamboo twig...sheer genius!

[oc1]

I was surprised too Mike.  The key bit of luck was finding the brass nipple which just happened to be the perfect diameter.  The race sits in the original cut-out for the spool flange on the tail plate.  That cut-out really helps to align the race and keep it centered while brazing.

Mike, I cut the bamboo twig blocks and then ran a hot needle through them to scorch the inside and smooth it out.  Then soaked in oil.  Notice they are not perfectly round, but they do not seem to be binding.

One problem with centrifugal brakes (new or old) is that you cannot watch them do their thing.  It would be nice to be able to see if they wobble or bind on the wire in action.

I'm making another one now and found a solution to the crooked flange problem.  Will also use a smaller wire diameter wire to accommodate smaller bamboo blocks.

-steve

[Bill B]

Steve, you continue to amaze.....your experiments are lessons for us all to learn from....Bill

[oc1]

Thanks Bill.

Crow, I jinxed myself by bragging that I can drill a straight hole now.  Had one today that got started a little off center and I screwed the whole thing up trying to make a course correction.  From now on I'll pull the pieces of tubing off and check the center as soon as the bit makes a dimple.  Once it gets started off center there is no fixing it.

-steve

[Crow]

    I understand !  With those super small bits....which are really hard to sharpen, anyway....just a slight difference in "lengths of the cutting edges" can make the bit "lead" off centered...and once it starts...you're pretty well screwed .  As my eyes get "older", I have more and more trouble sharpening bits....and , therefore, the size of the bits I feel "confident " about sharpening keeps going up ! I mounted my "desk top magnifier" on the bench, near my grinder...and that helps....but, pretty soon, anything smaller than about 3/16 will just have to stay dull, I guess

[oc1]

I usually start with 1/16" and work up through the bit index.  This particular screw-up was due to starting with a dull bit.

I'd be lost without Donegan brand Optivisor loupes and 3X reading glasses.  What I can't find is a good headband loupe that can be worn under a full face shield.
-steve

[Bill B]

Steve, I have found the Drill Doctor drill bit sharpener to be a good tool.  I have sharpened many bits from 7/16 to 1/2 masonary bits (havent tried it on smaller).  It sure saves me time from having to go to the hardware store because I either broke or dulled my bits.  I bought the smallest (cheapest) model over 15 yrs ago.  Would highly recommend it.   Bill

[Tiddlerbasher]

Like you Bill I used to sharpen all my dull drill bits - but that got old very quickly. Now I just buy bulk (usually HSS Cobalt) and toss 'em when they blunt. The larger (and more expensive) TCT sds masonry bits (and some woodworking bits like the forsteners) I still sharpen though, but they don't get used that often.