What can this be?

[Lunker Larry]

Always love this picture but I often wondered what that piece of equipment was to his right with the reel handle on it. Is the handle part of equipment or is it being held for repair?
Anyone have an idea what it is?

[ClintB]

My guess is that it's the handle to the reel he's working on. Why it's being held in that device is unknown to me.

[RowdyW]

It has to be some kind of press. The handle for the reel he is working on is right in front of him.       Rudy

[philaroman]

It has to be some kind of press. The handle for the reel he is working on is right in front of him.       Rudy

that was my 1st thought: mini-press of some kind w/ reel handles in place of adjustment wheels
you can see a 2nd smaller "vertical" handle SW of the big "horizontal" handle

[Swami805]

Maybe for penning the knob on?

[oc1]

That same photo was discussed here before and that thread also focused on the same gizmo.  Sal thought it was a press too.  I think it is neat that he is working next to an open window. It also seems to show piping for a compressed air system in the building.

[Lunker Larry]

Didn't know this had popped up before with the same question. Interesting. I always thought it was a balanced reel handle but not sure if it was integral or being worked on.

[Bill B]

I would have to say the reel looks like it's in for a service the spool looks full of line...Bill

[foakes]

Bill is right, this is a repair and service station for reels sent in to be repaired & serviced.

It is only for conventional reels — since that is all Penn manufactured in those days.

Penn did not waste anything.

So, my guess is those devices are 2 things — the front-bench device with the old horizontal wood crank knob was likely for cleaning up the domed-rivet head of the knob axle that was attached to the handle blade.

Then, the larger vertical device with the larger reel crank — was for pressing the Bakelite crank knob onto the fluted axle.

These repair guys were craftsmen — who spent their careers at the Penn Plant in Philadelphia.  When they came up with an innovative idea for more effective service techniques — it was shared across the benches as a new, adopted idea.

A client needs their 16/0 serviced, and any broken parts replaced, reel tested for functions, and sent back to them ready to fish.  Generally this would be a $25 - $35 flat charge, for a 16/0, in those days.  That is why all of the small commonly used parts are in front of the Tech — and just whatever is needed for the reel is repaired, swapped out, and brought up to near new condition.

Many a Penn Conventional reel we have all worked on — will have a loose or bent crank assembly.  Instead of replacing the entire crank knob and blade with a new one — they fixed what was broken.  

These were the days when reels would be repaired with pride — not just parts changed out.  Wage labor was cheap — unlike today.  So quality parts of Penn reels were repaired and brought up to speed.

A good, experienced tech like this — could completely do 12 of these reels in a day shift.

Best, Fred

[Gfish]

Yeah Bill, never picked-up on the lined spool. Good detail Fred, godda be correct. I was thinking it was the assembly of handle/knob parts, but the line on the spool says different. Is that bench mounted tool what they call a "jig"?
I have that exact box cutter handed down from Gramps, to Dad, to me. Comes with a leather sheath, or Dad, or Gramps made one for it. Got a ball-peen hammer that looks just like those, too.

[JasonGotaProblem]

That strainer though. Soaking parts in solvent? Funny how the more things change, the more they stay the same.

[jurelometer]

 

Is that bench mounted tool what they call a "jig"?

Jigs guide tools.  Usually cutting or forming tools.   An example of a jig is a gizmo that guides a drill bit on a hand drill into the part at the correct angle.  OTOH, a drill press is not a jig.  I would say that the gizmos with reel handles are tools and not jigs, but hard to say for sure unless we know what they are used for.

Once I finally learned the difference between  a fixture (holds a part) and a jig (guides a tool), it kinda annoys me when other folks mix them up.  Guess it reminds  that I was getting it wrong for a long time.  Human nature

-J

[Midway Tommy]

That strainer though. Soaking parts in solvent? Funny how the more things change, the more they stay the same.

They used serious solvents back in those days.    It was serious business so they didn't have time to wait around for mediocre results.   

[Wompus Cat]

Is that bench mounted tool what they call a "jig"?

Jigs guide tools.  Usually cutting or forming tools.   An example of a jig is a gizmo that guides a drill bit on a hand drill into the part at the correct angle.  OTOH, a drill press is not a jig.  I would say that the gizmos with reel handles are tools and not jigs, but hard to say for sure unless we know what they are used for.

Once I finally learned the difference between  a fixture (holds a part) and a jig (guides a tool), it kinda annoys me when other folks mix them up.  Guess it reminds  that I was getting it wrong for a long time.  Human nature

-J

It seems there are discrepancies here .

A jig is a lively, festive kind of dance. When you do a jig, you spend a lot of time hopping, kicking, and shuffling your feet. The jig is mainly associated with Ireland and Scotland, and it plays a big role in both traditional Irish dancing and Scottish country dancing.


AND

Tool - Urban Dictionary
Tool
(n.) - an individual who willingly changes his or her behavior for personal gain or profit. In this context, a tool is similar to a person who has too many fishing reels in his living room that his wife can not vacuum the floor and refuses to move them .
then  she has to do a jig .

[JasonGotaProblem]

That strainer though. Soaking parts in solvent? Funny how the more things change, the more they stay the same.

They used serious solvents back in those days.    It was serious business so they didn't have time to wait around for mediocre results.   

According to Fred they went through a dozen reels a day. That's some super fast degreasing.