Old, Weird, Historical, and Unusual Spinning Reels --

Started by foakes, August 26, 2017, 06:36:33 PM

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Alto Mare

What an amazing restoration Tom, I would have thought it couldn't be done, using the tools you're showing.
Looks like you could do just about anything. How did the fin on top of the ss tube get attached?
I'm amazed by your work Tom, nice job!

That's one cool looking reel.

Sal
Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.

foakes

Beautiful result and great skills on that job, Tommy!

Patience, cleverness, and foresight win the day...

Best,

Fred
The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

--------

The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
                                                     Fred O.

bhale1

Tommy,
Have to agree with the other guys. That is some very impressive work you did there. Most people probably would have written it off as a loss! A true labor of love. Are you sure you don't want to get one fish before it's shelfed ;D?
Brett

Donnyboat

I agree Tom, that is good work well done, nice old reel now you have brought it back to life, thanks for showing us, cheers Don.
Don, or donnyboat

Midway Tommy

Thanks for the interest & compliments, guys.

Steve & Sal,

I wanted to use the original arm but I couldn't get the old tube out without over reaming the hole. I used it as a pattern but made the new bail trip arm a little wider to allow for additional metal around the tube hole. I wish I had a drill press, it would have made life a little easier, especially on this job. I drilled a 7/32" hole in the arm & finished the fit (quite tight) with one of the chain saw files. I've got 6 different sizes & they come in real handy for situations like this. I made a little wood support jig to hold it square in both directions and my neighbor, who is an accomplished rail car welder, brazed them together on the back side. He did amazing work, for free too boot. Roughing the parts out with a bench grinder, etc. wasn't too difficult but putting the final touches on the arm & oscillation slot with the hand files was tedious trial, & file some more, work. It took a lot of patience. The completed project was really rewarding. 
Love those open face spinning reels! (Especially ABU & ABU/Zebco Cardinals)

Tommy D (ORCA), NE



Favorite Activity? ............... In our boat fishing
RELAXING w/ MY BEST FRIEND (My wife Bonnie)

mo65

   Great save Tommy...hand tools git 'er done again! 8)
~YOU CAN TUNA GEETAR...BUT YOU CAN'T TUNA FEESH~


happyhooker


Midway Tommy

Went through three old Swiss Fix-Reels a couple of weeks ago. They're really nothing special but I figured I'd post a little info & photos of the process anyway, just in case someone might have an interest. They consisted of a manual pickup, half bail & full bail. The manual & half bail are from the late '40s & the full bail is from the mid '50s after Hardy's full bail patent expired. The paint prep on the early models was terrible. The paint peels easily, especially in ares subjected to lubricants. The later full bail fared much better so they must have added or improved undercoating. The half bail is a knuckle buster if your finger is ahead of the leg/foot & not pulled back tight against the leg, mainly because the leg is so short. They are about the size of a Mitchell CAP/304 but somewhat heavier. All three are made the same so I'll just use the half & full bails as examples.

One of the side plate screws is an oil port (OEL). I don't think anyone ever cleaned any of them, they probably just added oil every now & them. The drag washer is wool/fiber. As you'll see, they were PIGS!







Here's the half & full bail parts all cleaned & ready to put back together.



The anti-reverse mechanism works against the crank handle. It's a detent type design where the spring pushes the pin against the notches in the crank handle and the pin is engaged, & bypasses them when it's pulled back. The spring goes in the hole first, insert the pin with the beveled end in the correct direction and screw the lever into the threaded hole in the pin. Grease & lube the main gear, slip it in place and install the crank handle with the drive pin.



The half bail parts are pretty straight forward. The bail trip plate on the underside is activated by hitting the body and the wire springs it closed and holds it in place.



The pinion gear is held in place with a couple of notches and studs on the back side of the rotor and spanner nut on the opposite side.



The rotor is attached to the body via the main shaft tube. The shim washer goes between the pinion and body. The tube is held in place by a small screw at the very back of the tube. Next step is to insert the main shaft and install the oscillation block.



Here's the spool & drag knob parts. It has a standard type click dog & spring. The drag knob has two detents to prevent it from turning on the spool when adjusted.




The full bail is an interesting design. The bail spring extension slips into the little slot on the back of the fitting.



The bail arm fits into the large slot on the front side of the fitting.





The bail trip mechanism is detent oriented and screws onto the back of the rotor. When you open the bail the detent catches on the bail arm and is tripped when the bail arm contacts the body just behind the rotor.



Here's the half bail all lubed up and ready to install the main gear side plate, handle knob, spool and drag knob. Just above the leg you can see a hole in the body. That's the oil port when the screw on the side plate marked "OEL" is removed.



All three together. Left to right: manual pickup, half bail & full bail.




Nothing really special but a neat part of spinning reel history, a little different design and some Swiss craftsmanship. 



     



   
Love those open face spinning reels! (Especially ABU & ABU/Zebco Cardinals)

Tommy D (ORCA), NE



Favorite Activity? ............... In our boat fishing
RELAXING w/ MY BEST FRIEND (My wife Bonnie)

oc1

Thank you for another great look and explanation Tommy.  They weren't kidding around when they made those.  I think the oil hole is perfect.  The oil drops onto the main and the main spreads it to the pinion and the pinion spreads it to the oscillation shaft and it gets all over the place.
-steve

Gfish

Nice! Relatively simple and tuff lookin. Possibly built by, or influenced by watch/clock makers, they made use of alotta springs. This thread's been onea the most interesting for me, givin the historical variability of spinning reel design.
Fishing tackle is an art form and all fish caught on the right tackle are"Gfish"!

festus

Interesting reel indeed!  I don't know anything about Swiss reels other than the Swiss Whiz and your reels are several cuts above those.  :)

Midway Tommy

Quote from: festus on April 22, 2018, 06:31:08 PM
Interesting reel indeed!  I don't know anything about Swiss reels other than the Swiss Whiz and your reels are several cuts above those.  :)

The Swiss Whiz wasn't Swiss.  ;) It was a cheap American made reel from Detroit, MI manufactured by Myco, Inc. Back in those days Swiss watch makers were a big deal so Myco used that terminology as sales propaganda. They probably found some shirttail related Swiss dude as the design engineer so they could make the claim they had Swiss engineering.  ::) I always chuckle when I see one of those "tuna can" reels.  :D I have yet to figure out why people pay so much for them,  ??? they're not rare & they're not a quality made reel.  :o
Love those open face spinning reels! (Especially ABU & ABU/Zebco Cardinals)

Tommy D (ORCA), NE



Favorite Activity? ............... In our boat fishing
RELAXING w/ MY BEST FRIEND (My wife Bonnie)


Gfish

"Shirt tail related Swiss dude"  Can't figure out the emoji deal, so I'll just say " good one!" 
Fishing tackle is an art form and all fish caught on the right tackle are"Gfish"!

Midway Tommy

Quote from: festus on April 22, 2018, 08:39:16 PM
Ah, then Popular Mechanics made a big boo boo in one of their back issues.  ;D

Ha! Then Popular Mechanics got duped on the propaganda, too.  :)  It says right on the paperwork at the bottom of the front page "Made in America by Myco, Inc."  :D
Love those open face spinning reels! (Especially ABU & ABU/Zebco Cardinals)

Tommy D (ORCA), NE



Favorite Activity? ............... In our boat fishing
RELAXING w/ MY BEST FRIEND (My wife Bonnie)