349/349H Frame kits.

[Keta]

What is the advantage of the 349 vs 114 narrow?  What is the application for the 349?  Just trying to understand the difference between the two.  

Thanks!

Andy

No one makes a kit to turn the stronger 114H into a 349 width reel, a 114HNN (Jigmaster 501 width) is on my list of wants.

Still, the 349 is a great reel, all have their place.With that said, I'm just glad Tom is offering these and will definitely buy them. I'm also glad  I never jumped on the Bandwagon and purchase a 349 when you guys were raving about them.

Most of my 349 pile was purchased for parts or were left in my shop when the owner learned about how rare spools were, 349 reels tend to warp spools when filled with mono worse than other reels. even the heavy bronze ones. With help from family here I have all but 2 in working order now, 12 fishable 349s. All 12 have 7+1 or 5+1 drags, 1 is a Newell "Wahoo Special",  2 with Tiberone aluminum spools (one a lefthand) and 1 lefthand with aluminum frame and spool.

Bearings continue to be hard to locate.


Comparing a 114HN to a 349H Wahoo Special is not fair, the 114H is a different class of reel.  With the strength comes weight though.

[mikeysm]

Lee if you need bearings we can do some trading. Good parts are hard to find. Allot of the reels I see on ebay have millage. I just found a reel for about 60 dollars never used. I had wire on it and the side plate was engraved. I used it for parts but new reels are getting harder to find.

Mike

[Cortez_Conversions]

Bearings?

Because I haven't had time to make spools, I went with the stock bushings. They are a separate insert into the cup, so in due time you will be able to swap them out for a new spool and bearings.

The polished, anodized finish has been driving me nuts. I simply cannot find a vendor who can reliably remove the tooling marks. The bead blast was a hopeful trial, but the matte finish just doesn't work for me.

[handi2]

Lee every time I get a 349 in the shop thats not needed I will send it to you. That type reel wont get used around here. I have a regular 349 I'm sending soon.

Keith

[Tiddlerbasher]

Keith if you find some good condition outer rings for a 349HC please let me know - no splits reasonable chrome

[Cortez_Conversions]

Let's see if I can get some pics to load...

[Cortez_Conversions]

ans a few more...

[STRIPER LOU]

Outstanding as usual, Tom! The bead blast may be OK if you can finish with Electro- Polishing? Do you have any good houses in the area that can try that for you?

All the best,  ..  Lou

[Alto Mare]

Beautiful as usual Tom! How many colors are you offering?

[broadway]

Tom,
   While you aren't a huge fan of the finish I absolutely love it and hope you do more stuff with it.  I don't use 349's but if I did I would be ALL over these.
Beautiful work as usual, pal
Dom

[redsetta]

Simply sensational Tom - love your work.

[Cortez_Conversions]

Beautiful as usual Tom! How many colors are you offering?

Sal,
I'd doing two options on these kits.
There will be 25 or so full frame and side plate kits in one color yet to be determined, and the second will be just  just the frame in hard anodize black.


Lou,
I can't electropolish on top of the anodize. It will burn thru and leave the aluminum unprotected.

Thanks for all the compliments guys, without your input none of this would happen.

I think I'll send this reel around to a few of you to get a hands on evaluation. Again, the color is irrelevant...

Thanks,
Tom

[mhc]

The matte finish looks great Tom and I reckon polished would look great as well. If you are considering selling frames separately, I'm guessing that stock plates will fit your frame and also your plates would fit a tib or accurate wahoo special frame? If that's the case, is there a chance the plates will be available separately at some stage?
In the meantime, I am still interested in one of the narrow kits in whatever finish or color you decide on.
Mike

Skip the side plate question - I've realised the cut down sections of your side plates won't work with the Tib or Accurate full diameter frames.    

[Bryan Young]

What is the advantage of the 349 vs 114 narrow?  What is the application for the 349?  Just trying to understand the difference between the two.  

Thanks!

Andy

No one makes a kit to turn the stronger 114H into a 349 width reel, a 114HNN (Jigmaster 501 width) is on my list of wants.

Lee, it could happen...with a little love, money, and definitely patience. 

I need to figure out how I can get myself a CAD program that does not have yearly license agreements.  I cannot afford that especially with the onetime program cost plus a CAD computer.

[Bryan Young]

BTW, I saw these parts at Tom's the other week...they are spectacular.  Tom is an awesome machinist = perfectionist.  He doesn't like those little machine marks that probably wouldn't bother us but definitely bothers him.  He wants to produce the best and cleanest product available.  It can be difficult to keep costs down, but that still doesn't fix the fact that those little imperfections bothers him.  I'm glad especially coming from a machinist that makes parts for medical device.