Underhead 501 jigmaster

[Rothmar2]

Pretty brave to do this to a set of Accuplates. You have rightfully grown in confidence with your skills to take on this challenge.

[Maxed Out]

 I like that dark purple too. It has a sinister look to it. Ready for action.

Those accuplates are now mhc plates. Looking good !!

You can't stop making Underhead reels Mike. The Ohana demands that you must continue making more one off masterpieces to share with the world

Ted

[mhc]

Thanks guys, good to know some of you like the dark purple, I've still got the dye that produced that color but it was frustratingly finicky trying to reproduce any consistant results with it. Im still tossing around a few ideas for the finish on this reel ranging from all black like the accurate 'mutant' reels I've seen to my default all silver and a few color combinations in between.

On its way on being a masterpiece...

Sal

I hope so Sal, there is still a fair bit of finishing to do - not my favorite part!  

Great idea with the router bit Mike.
-steve

It's one of the reasons I've tried anodizing Steve - I have wanted to make / modify aluminium parts for a while after I saw a friend use a hand held electric planer to smooth out some Al welding a few years ago. It just needs a bit of vegetable oil to stop the aluminium binding to the tungsten blades / cutters.

Man, routing those edges looks like it would be a bear.  

Correct, a drill press is the wrong tool for this type of work, not only is it tedious raising the table in small increments it can be a bit risky - the chuck is held in the quill by a morse taper, perfect for downward pressure that the press is designed for but the chuck can work loose under lateral loads when trying to 'mill' with one. The bearings supporting the quill aren't designed for lateral loads either.

Pretty brave to do this to a set of Accuplates. You have rightfully grown in confidence with your skills to take on this challenge.

Thanks mate - more confident but not yet confident, I circled these plates for a few days before starting.  

You can't stop making Underhead reels Mike. The Ohana demands that you must continue making more one off masterpieces to share with the world

Ted

Thanks Ted, I'll give the underheads a rest but I've got a couple more one off reels planned - and possibly some adventurous anodizing.  


Thanks again
Mike  

[mhc]

Everyone knows that when you don't use a one piece frame with aluminium side plates the recess where the main gear is housed needs a cover over the area outside the spool - even me, but I forgot until I started polishing the plates. Sal has shown us the cover he and Allan C used on the stainless jigmaster plates that was recessed into the plates so that it sat flush with the inside surface of the plate. I was reluctant to modify the plate so opted for a 2mm cover that is thick enough to tap 5-40 hole at the uncovered end and recessed area at the other end under the spacer bar.
First was to roughly cut a piece of 2mm stainless to shape, drill and tap one end and drill a 3.2mm through hole at the spacer bar end;





Next was to mark the shape and location of recess under the spacer bar;



I used a flat carbide burr to reduce the thickness of area under under the bar to 0.8mm;



Cleaned it up with a fine file;



Then used the same file to cut a 0.8mm recess in the end of the spacer bar;



Cleaned up and screwed in place - complete with a few gaps but not enough to make a new one  . 



With the spool in place to check clearance,



And a sneak preview of the reel;



Now to decide on a finish...

Mike

[Alto Mare]

Excellent choice with the cover plate, this is why you are who you are.
To me that is the best looking Jigmaster out there and I mean it!

Sal

[Donnyboat]

Really nice work Mike love it, cheers Don.

[broadway]

You have created a masterpiece that will be the envy of whatever boat (or surf fishing) you take her out on.
You spared no expense and cut no corners.
Be proud of yourself... I know we are!
Thanks for the preview.  Now I can;t wait to see which route you go with the finish.
I love Ted's OG color, pewter.
Dom

[mhc]

Thanks again guys, I ended up going for black fade over a light blue base with the anodizing dyes - it turned out a gunmetal color that's darker on the bottom of the reel;



The cap head stainless screws were sticking out a bit with the rounded edge on the plates so I used button head socket screws and had a go at darkening the stainless by heating it with a butane torch;





Not sure how long it will last but the color blended in with the plates more than bright stainless.
The reel fully assembled for the first time;









I'll try to dye one of Ted's handle arms and eccentric levers to match the plates next time I anodize some stuff.

Mike

[oc1]

I've seen homemade reels before, but never one that looked like it came out of a factory.  That's just incredible Mike.
-steve

[Crow]

Truly, a job to be proud of !

[Swami805]

Looks great!! Impressive doesn't begin to describe it!

[Donnyboat]

Yes Mike, I agree with Steve, sweet reel alright, you would have to be a very proud man, I hope your going to keep it, I wont to fish with it when you come over here, cheers Don.

[Alto Mare]

priceless!!!

[fishhead69]

You learn something everyday. I know it's the opposite of an overhead.

[broadway]

I agree with Steve... that reel looks like a production reel, all day!
Mike, you did an exceptional job of build an amazing reel for yourself.
Congratulations on all your hard work and thanks for taking us along for the ride.
So impressive,
Dom