Jig for Winding Line

[directdrive8]

I've been reading about how much pressure to apply when winding spectra onto a reel.  I've experience first hand how the D#!* stuff digs into itself and binds up.  That can be after spooling it up or after retrieving a bunch of line while fishing.  Mucho pressure is needed to keep it from screwing up.  I've found that when putting line on the spool or when retrieving it, to cross it rather than keep it lined up neatly.  The crossing seems to prevent or at least limit the amount of "digging in".  That being said, has anyone made a jig to wind spectra line that will let you adjust the amount of resistance precisely?  I don't have the money to buy a professional winding jig.  My process is hit or miss and takes two people to accomplish.  One cranks the reel handle and the other holds the line wearing a pair of gloves as it comes off the spool applying as much pressure as possible.  It's a slow, inexact and tedious process.  I was think about making a little jig to hold the spool that has a spring I can crank down with a large wing nut resting on a washer.  I could then test the tension until it was the poundage I was looking for and then spool it up.  Any suggestions?  Thanks and Tight Lines.

[Norcal Pescador]

This is from another post started by Bryan Young on the same subject.  I made a jig to hold both reels in a vise to make the spooling easy and I don't criss-cross the spectra with this setup.

.............
I have been using a 113HL as a line tensioning device for loading Spectra on my reels. I transferred the line from the supply spool to the intended reel under gloved finger tension, then transferred it to the 113HL under about 6-8 measured pounds of drag, then put it back on to the intended reel under 14-16 measured pounds of drag.
I tried the last transfer under 20-22 pounds which is my max drag on the 113HL, but it was way too hard to pull the line off and I was concerned about trashing the gears. When I disassembled the reel to install a s/s gear sleeve, I noticed marks on the brass gear sleeve where the s/s metal drag washers had left their imprints. Fortunately, no visible damage to the gears.
The Spectra is on nice and hard......
Rob

[wallacewt]

go here,all you need to know.criss crossing makes it worse
www.jerry-brown-industries.com/841.html
hope this helps.

[directdrive8]

Norcal and wallacewt, thanks for the info. and tips.  BTW, my criss-crossing of line isn't overly done.  IOW, it's much like what a person would do when retrieving line.  It isn't laid down perfectly with each strand side by side.  Is isn't "exaggerated" as Jerry Brown states.  I've done it both ways and for me, the side by side causes a lot more binding and digging in. 

Tight Lines

[Roddy Hays]

I don't know if this will help, but I recently discovered a decent way to spool braid and other line single-handed.

Take a 24" length of 3/8" or 1/2" fuel hose (the hose with a hard surface is better than one with a soft surface). Thread some parachute cord through it so there is just enough to tie a bow-line in each end. Thread the fuel hose through your spool of line, and hang both bow-lines on a hook or nail on a horizontal surface at the same height or higher than you will be winding on (the spooling works better when the spool has something to rest on. You can even have someone just hold the loops. Bend the fuel hose behind the spool and use a zip-tie to close the two lengths parallel at the ends of the hose. Tighten the zip-tie just enough so you can slide it up and down the two lengths of fuel hose. Push the zip-tie down towards the spool to increase pressure, slide it away from the spool to ease off. If your spool twists from side to side, put the spool over the edge of a box or similiar to keep it straight as you wind.

If your spool of line has an unbalanced spindle hole (flush one side but recessed the other) simply jiggle the spool of line so the recessed side of the spool touches more of the fuel-line than the other  -  it will always "lean" that way.

You can test the drag on the spool of line easily enough too  -  it will remain reasonably constant throughout your winding.

Hope this helps.

[alantani]

thanks for that and welcome!  also, we have a section at the bottom with items for sale by members.  if you would like to put a link to your products in a separate post, you are welcomed to do so.  alan

[mako42]

 

 
You can test the drag on the spool of line easily enough too  -  it will remain reasonably constant throughout your winding.

 

This sounds like a great idea!  How many pounds of drag can you generate with this method, and does it stay consistant with higher pressures too?   Are 25 to 30 lbs possible?  David

[Roddy Hays]

I have not used this method for loading braid under VERY high pressure, but it generates enough drag "as is" to suit most inshore applications.  I want to find two stainless discs and use them outside the spool  -  then you will be able to really put some drag on.

However, a word of caution. Braid, like dacron, has splices in it when on bulk spools.  Sometimes these splices are poorly done. If you wind line without feeling it you will never feel the poor spots and will never be able to do something about them.  I always wind braid and dacron with a cotton glove on the left hand so I can both apply pressure and feel the bad spots. On average there is at least one spot that needs repair every 1000 yards on a bulk spool of fibre line.

[Pescachaser]

Here is a winding jig I made.  The bolts are all loose so that you can see what I did to put it together.  Once tightened I placed a drag scale on the line and measured the drag.  I loaded 130lb Jerry Brown Spectra on my Penn 50vsw under 20lbs of pressure using this set-up.




This next photo is a close-up of the bolt set-up.  I used an eight inch 5/8 bolt with washers.  In between the washers, I put one of those plastic or nylon washers that were replaced by HT-100 drag washers.  Instead of throwing them away you can utilize them in this set-up.  As you will note they are greased so that the drag is kept smooth.


The last photo shows how it is held in the vise.  Note the space between the washers, I forgot to mention to put those plastic washers on both sides and grease them.  I can get pretty accurate drag settings using this set-up.  Once you get the drag weight you want for placing line on the reel lock the nut down with the locking nut.  It is a little tricky to get it set right when you are tightening the lock nut.  The trick to getting accurrate drag pressure is to tighten the nut against the washers keep the wrench on the bolt so that when you rotate the spool it does not turn the nut tighter.  Then tighten the lock nut using two wrenches.  Dominick

[redsetta]

Great work Dominick.

[mako42]

Do you load the reel while its on the rod you are going to use, or do you anchor it to something solid, maybe a kite rod, to keep the pressure consistant?  Dominick, that is a great set up for heavier line.  At the higher pressures, do you have problems with the bolt twisting out of the vice?  David

[Jim]

That's a nice setup!
I just use an old tiagra and grind it back on my reel by hand, slow and tedious, best done with a baseball game on.
IMPORTANT consideration that I learned the hard way, be especially aware of getting the spectra hard up against the spool side when you get over there. It's easy to leave a little almost imperceivable gap there, and well you know what can happen . . .

[Pescachaser]

Do you load the reel while its on the rod you are going to use, or do you anchor it to something solid, maybe a kite rod, to keep the pressure consistant?  Dominick, that is a great set up for heavier line.  At the higher pressures, do you have problems with the bolt twisting out of the vice?  David

David:  I use an old half rod and prop the rod against the workbench.  On a two speed reel in low gear 20 lbs goes on fairly easy.  You can feel the steady pressure.  I did have some trouble with the Jerry Brown digging in off the spool but it worked okay.  At least I think it is ok.  I'll know when I start pulling on a big fish (I hope).  I have the vise cranked down pretty good and if you will observe I have it held to two bolts, it's pretty solid. 
Jim you are right, I loaded it during a Giants game.  Tonight the Phillies are going down .  Dominick

[beachbob]

for all the buck$ i spent/wasted on gear and tackle and whatnot, i spent the $30 for a berkely winding station - should have done that years ago.  though i mostly use l/w casting reels, it works just fine for spinners as well.  with casters, i remove the handle nut cover and use a v/s drill with a checked nut driver to super fast wind up a reel's spool.  the line spool tensioner is very adjustable and works perfectly.

[Keta]

Most of the reels I deal with will destroy one of those when putting Spectra on a reel but I've been considering one for my smaller reels.  The real line winders I've priced are all over $1000.

Jerry Brown told me 10lbs of drag works well when spooling Spectra.