Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Fishing => Fishing Line, Knots, Splices and Rigging => Topic started by: pcde123 on February 12, 2014, 05:38:51 AM

Title: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: pcde123 on February 12, 2014, 05:38:51 AM
i bought some braid , and  i wanna see how well the braid performs but i dont have the proper equipment to do so. i wanna try and test 5 lines, i can mail them to you in an envelope for you to test, 1 is 100lb tufline xp, 1 is 100lb whiplash braid, 1 is 60lb spider wire , 1 is 50lb seaguar braid, and 1 is a unknown 16 strand hollow core braid. i wont expect the line to be returned to me, so if you have a system set up and have some free time please help me out
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: Keta on February 12, 2014, 06:06:50 AM
I still have a few 150lb spring scales for sale.
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: Irish Jigger on February 12, 2014, 09:41:09 AM
Check Paulus out, he has tested them all. Nobody on here can test braid.

http://www.paulusjustfishing.com/4linetesting.htm
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: Irish Jigger on February 12, 2014, 10:01:35 AM
Interesting discussion re DIY line testing here.

http://360tuna.com/index.php?/topic/38141-home-line-testing-paulus/#entry417887
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: Shark Hunter on February 12, 2014, 12:29:28 PM
Unless you are Sharking from a boat, I don't recommend braid for Shark Fishing. It cuts too easily for me from shore. I've had 100 lb braid cut like it was thread. I'm pretty sure from another shark.
I know you are getting into Shark Fishing, and from my experience from Shore. This is a weak link you should avoid.
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: Normslanding on February 12, 2014, 06:52:48 PM
Mark at Charkbait has one in Huntington Beach, Ca.  (if he will let you use it)
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: pcde123 on February 12, 2014, 09:04:19 PM
thank you for the link, the website is nice and informative
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: Bunnlevel Sharker on February 12, 2014, 11:29:14 PM
The tuff line is good chit, I won't use straight braid on a reel bigger than 4/0 size off the beach, they have braid backing and mono top shot
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: floating doc on March 13, 2014, 06:55:59 PM
I'm going with straight mono 80 on top of about 25 yards of 80 dacron on my 900H and 115L when I go beach shark fishing this summer.
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: CapeFish on March 13, 2014, 07:10:04 PM
our latest craze this side of the Atlantic with league anglers is using grinders with braid for sharks and anything else that swims. Baits are casted. Some pretty big fish have been landed but it is a very expensive business, the reels aren,t cheap and the line probably costs more than some of my reels. It works well from beaches but rocks it is probably a different story.
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: ijlal on July 19, 2014, 06:16:49 PM
Now, I might sound naive, but I thought and thought and could not figure out why can't line, especially braid or superline may not be tested by simply suspending a weight or pulling against a weighing scale? Okay, I understand the jerks should be eliminated in case of braid.

Hope somebody would help educate me.

Thanks!
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: floating doc on July 19, 2014, 11:31:19 PM
I think the problem is that it's difficult to avoid having it turn into a test of knot strength. I have tested mono up to about 25 pounds by typing a bimini at the end and looping it on my sliding scale, then pulling straight from the spool. The line has to break somewhere in the middle, not at the knot.
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: wallacewt on July 20, 2014, 01:24:24 AM
if it breaks at the knot or 1/2 way along the line
it dont matter,thats what b/s you have.
aint it? ??? ??? ???
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: ijlal on July 20, 2014, 03:19:25 PM
Quote from: floating doc on July 19, 2014, 11:31:19 PM
I think the problem is that it's difficult to avoid having it turn into a test of knot strength. I have tested mono up to about 25 pounds by typing a bimini at the end and looping it on my sliding scale, then pulling straight from the spool. The line has to break somewhere in the middle, not at the knot.

In all my tests, the line never breaks at the knot, it always breaks in the middle and at significantly lesser than rated strength. I form loops at both ends in order to test braid.
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: johndtuttle on July 20, 2014, 03:50:15 PM
The key is whether you want real information or if something that is an approximation to varying degrees of accuracy is good enough for your fishing.

All of the "home" methods are rife with errors when it comes to the Actual Breaking Strength and you need a truly professional method to be accurate, as well as to be safe.

If you are very careful you can come up with "seat of the pants" numbers that may be good enough for your purposes. If you are using it for comparing lines then you really need something more consistent so as to not mislead. ;)
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: ijlal on July 21, 2014, 12:57:43 AM
Quote from: johndtuttle on July 20, 2014, 03:50:15 PM
The key is whether you want real information or if something that is an approximation to varying degrees of accuracy is good enough for your fishing.

All of the "home" methods are rife with errors when it comes to the Actual Breaking Strength and you need a truly professional method to be accurate, as well as to be safe.

If you are very careful you can come up with "seat of the pants" numbers that may be good enough for your purposes. If you are using it for comparing lines then you really need something more consistent so as to not mislead. ;)

What the major difference is what I want to know... Okay, Paulusjustfishing.com has done a great job, but how do I know the line I have bought is not fake. Braid is not so cheap. A friend recently bought an Avet SX with my consultation that had been machine spooled with 40lb green Tuf-line XP. According to the seller, he ordered it from a very well known online shop, one that I also trust. When we tested it through our crudest method of pulling as gradually as we could with a weighing scale, it snapped at 22-23lb! Even if I keep a margin of error of 10lb, Tuf-line 40lb should still break at well above 30lb!

In a real fishing situation, the fish will jerk and pull the line as hard it could... of course you can fight a 40 pounder with 40lb line, but you can also fight it on 20lb because of your drag setting.

I am not arguing or trying to prove anything but I want to get rid of this confusion in my mind. Okay I may not be able to eliminate the slightest jerks at home, but a 40lb TEST line should be able to suspend a 40lb weight without snapping. Or am I wrong?

I guess you are talking about testing the actual breaking strength of the line while I just wanna be sure a 40lb test line will be able to hold 40lb of force... then only can I set my reel drag at 10-12lb with confidence!

Thanks!  :)
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: wallacewt on July 21, 2014, 06:51:21 AM
paulos tested some line(aust;)

igfa tested the same line(usa)
they were different by a big margin ::)
pretest mono is MAYBE the best mono
braid on average will be 25% overstated b/s
I do the same as keta,thinness dia; for given b/s,8ply +
its a lottery
cheers
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: johndtuttle on July 21, 2014, 05:32:03 PM
Quote from: ijlal on July 21, 2014, 12:57:43 AM
Quote from: johndtuttle on July 20, 2014, 03:50:15 PM
The key is whether you want real information or if something that is an approximation to varying degrees of accuracy is good enough for your fishing.

All of the "home" methods are rife with errors when it comes to the Actual Breaking Strength and you need a truly professional method to be accurate, as well as to be safe.

If you are very careful you can come up with "seat of the pants" numbers that may be good enough for your purposes. If you are using it for comparing lines then you really need something more consistent so as to not mislead. ;)

What the major difference is what I want to know... Okay, Paulusjustfishing.com has done a great job, but how do I know the line I have bought is not fake. Braid is not so cheap. A friend recently bought an Avet SX with my consultation that had been machine spooled with 40lb green Tuf-line XP. According to the seller, he ordered it from a very well known online shop, one that I also trust. When we tested it through our crudest method of pulling as gradually as we could with a weighing scale, it snapped at 22-23lb! Even if I keep a margin of error of 10lb, Tuf-line 40lb should still break at well above 30lb!

In a real fishing situation, the fish will jerk and pull the line as hard it could... of course you can fight a 40 pounder with 40lb line, but you can also fight it on 20lb because of your drag setting.

I am not arguing or trying to prove anything but I want to get rid of this confusion in my mind. Okay I may not be able to eliminate the slightest jerks at home, but a 40lb TEST line should be able to suspend a 40lb weight without snapping. Or am I wrong?

I guess you are talking about testing the actual breaking strength of the line while I just wanna be sure a 40lb test line will be able to hold 40lb of force... then only can I set my reel drag at 10-12lb with confidence!

Thanks!  :)


For such simple purposes you can use a spring scale used for weighing fish (shimano). Anchor the line, pull on it with the scale and it will record where it breaks.

The first variable is what knot or how you anchored the line. As any knot weakens the line it will be breaking at the knot and the breaking strength will reflect your choice of knots and tying skill. If it is not breaking where you tied it and/or it is breaking far below listed strength then the line is defective or not as sold.

Typically however, a "40lb" braid will test on a pro machine from 50-60+lbs BUT, when knotted can be well under 40 depending on tying skill and knot choice...which is why we talk about the 'best knot' all the time and people like me emphasize tying skill :D.

The "pro" methods have machines that anchor the line over drums etc to completely eliminate knots.
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: Normslanding on July 21, 2014, 07:42:39 PM
Many people try to test braided line. Without high tec, and high cost equipment there testing is flawed. Ask Mark at Charkbait he will tell you the equipment he has is not up to the task. Paulus has the stuff. Mark would give his eye teeth to have the equipment, and so would I.
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: Newell Nut on July 21, 2014, 08:55:28 PM
I have not tested braid since I don't use it but somewhere on the site is a picture of me lifting a 40 lb dumbbell with 40 lb momoi diamond line with a three turn SDJ knot and a Newell 533 5.5 reel. Best way to test that I know of.
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: ijlal on July 22, 2014, 09:50:19 PM
I can't claim to be a knot expert but my knots have so far not failed on me. I would be happy to see my braid break at knots. So far it's breaking in the middle and that is alarming!  ::)
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: Shark Hunter on August 02, 2014, 12:31:02 AM
Here it is Dwight.
(http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a526/dwebb49/IMG_0297_zps8c4e3e53.jpg) (http://s1282.photobucket.com/user/dwebb49/media/IMG_0297_zps8c4e3e53.jpg.html)
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: Alto Mare on August 02, 2014, 01:06:09 AM
and another from Gstours

(http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p660/gst6814/018_zpsa7030505.jpg) (http://s1344.photobucket.com/user/gst6814/media/018_zpsa7030505.jpg.html)
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: Alto Mare on August 02, 2014, 01:14:54 AM
and another ;D
(http://i1318.photobucket.com/albums/t646/pescatore2/photos/012_zps3086ac7c.jpg) (http://s1318.photobucket.com/user/pescatore2/media/photos/012_zps3086ac7c.jpg.html)
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: ijlal on August 06, 2014, 08:03:05 AM
Those are more like rod tests, and rods being tested to their limits. The angle is even above 90 degrees. I wouldn't dare load my rods at that angle!  :o
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: Normslanding on August 06, 2014, 12:56:44 PM
Spectra/PE tends to break around 8 to 12 " from a connection. The connection usually does not break unless it is very poor. Paulus has a lot of info on his site about home testing. One thing that might help is to test a known, quality product or two. Keep the results and use it as a bench mark. And the result will give you a % compared to the bench mark. Also keep in mind that diameter is a big factor. A few millimeters have a big effect on spool capacity. I quit trying to find out the actual breaking strength. There are to many variables. Strength %, diameter, workability, and cost are the factors I use in deciding if I use a line.
          Hope this helps.
Title: Re: any body have a line strength testing system??
Post by: ijlal on August 10, 2014, 12:03:50 AM
Paulus may have perfected the braid testing system, it means nothing out there in the open. I believe, IGFA should come up with a braid testing with a bimini loop or some other standard at one end because that is what will be used during actual fishing. If I have 40lb braid on my reel that Paulus may have tested at 50lb, but it is breaking at 25lb in the home tests, then chances are, it will break around 25lb out at sea because I will tie a leader to it, and the fish is gonna shake its head in no polite manner!