Fox getting in on the Centrepin market

[Rusty]

I'm sorry but I cannot comprehend why these things are so expensive. Open up any baitcasting multiplier and you can see why they cost £100+. There is NOTHING involved in making one of these "centre pins" that any half competent machinist with a basic CNC machine couldn't do in his back street workshop! I'd say £50 - £100 would be a fair (though high) price, purely dependent on material selection.

It makes me laugh to see all this rubbish about how they spin for five minutes or whatever. My old multipliers will do that if I rinse all the oil out of the bearings, so what? I'd expect any reel with ball bearings that has been balanced properly to do the same.

 

No need to apologise Colin I think most people would agree with you, it does seem that CP prices are artificially high when you look at what you’re getting for you money.

 

Some say that the high end products (Lythes, Carters etc) offer no more performance than £100 reels but if you’re considering hand made stuff you’re motivation isn’t based upon needing a functional reel, under those circumstances the sky’s the limit.

 

It’s been said on this forum many times that spin duration is unimportant so again you’re quite right. What is critical IMO is how easily the reel starts to spin and there can be huge variations between different manufactures products. A reel that needs constant help is no use to me.

 

All of my reels get used but I’ll freely admit that most have been bought out of curiosity or the desire to own something different which looks nice and has a certain tactile quality, I'll probably continue to do that. The only reel I bought purely for functional reasons was the first one.

 

It would be interesting to hear Worms and Andy’s view on the current selling price. Both have manufactured their own, Worms on a small scale for personal use and Andy the AN’pin on a larger scale.

[JV44]

Hope to use it for some of the lunker Chub that reside around our mooring in the winter or so i am told ,gonna have to buy another rod as well now what have i done wallet to take a hiding alert .

Arbocop wrote It's a slippery slope I'm afraid JV! We must have trot sometime. I've had a really good summer, big chub, small chub, trout, barbel, nice dace and perch all from the Kennet ....... I have struggled lately but had a good afternoon trotting Sunday and although i doubt any fish went over 5oz really enjoyed it ,so much that i had a rush of blood and bought the reel.

No idea how well it will perform but looking forward to finding out and that is surely half the fun?? ,The rivers need some flow round here if the Thames goes any slower then it will be flowing the wrong way!! , Once the river has a bit more water in it will get the boat out on a Perch hunt but a few things going on and i just aint getting out as often as i would like Steve.

[Peter Waller]

I suspect those that remember Bob Jame's contribution to the ACA will hesitate, as might one or two who are not overly impressed by Fox!

 

But is it worth spending that sort of dosh on a reel that will probably catch no more fish than a good working reel like an Okuma?

[JV44]

The Okuma trent looks a bit heavy - does it spin freely enough for normal trotting?

 

Yep used it for the first time this morning and caught Dace,Perch,Bleak,Roach and Chublets form a bit of the kennet with hardly any flow,Wind was a bit of a pig though Steve.

[DavyR]

Even though I know that functionality is more important than looks, I still couldn't bring myself to use one of those Okumas. In my eyes, they're just plain ugly. I'll stick with my secondhand Match Aerial (which I got on eBay for quite a bit less than an Okuma).

[lutra]

Even though I know that functionality is more important than looks, I still couldn't bring myself to use one of those Okumas. In my eyes, they're just plain ugly. I'll stick with my secondhand Match Aerial (which I got on eBay for quite a bit less than an Okuma).

There's plenty of new cars i don't like the look of, but if we all wanted old bangers how much would they cost?

[mark barrett]

I'm sorry but I cannot comprehend why these things are so expensive. Open up any baitcasting multiplier and you can see why they cost £100+. There is NOTHING involved in making one of these "centre pins" that any half competent machinist with a basic CNC machine couldn't do in his back street workshop! I'd say £50 - £100 would be a fair (though high) price, purely dependent on material selection.

It makes me laugh to see all this rubbish about how they spin for five minutes or whatever. My old multipliers will do that if I rinse all the oil out of the bearings, so what? I'd expect any reel with ball bearings that has been balanced properly to do the same.

 

if you cant comprehend it then you have no basic grip on economics

 

There's a very small market for a centrepin, as in all but a few circumstances a fixed spool will be better, but there are occassions, such as trotting, when a pin is better. Theres also an awful lot of machining involved in a true centrepin, and they will last and spin like they do from the box for a lifetime if looked after, whereas a ball race will always eventually break down, its the nature of the beast, and why a ball race "centrepin" will cost an awful lot less than a true pin.

 

All that aside. for the occassional user, a ball race pin will be a very good tool, and if you then want to go on and buy a true pin, then thats your choice, and theres a certain amount of pleasure involved in just using one.

[lutra]

if you cant comprehend it then you have no basic grip on economics

 

There's a very small market for a centrepin, as in all but a few circumstances a fixed spool will be better, but there are occassions, such as trotting, when a pin is better. Theres also an awful lot of machining involved in a true centrepin, and they will last and spin like they do from the box for a lifetime if looked after, whereas a ball race will always eventually break down, its the nature of the beast, and why a ball race "centrepin" will cost an awful lot less than a true pin.

 

All that aside. for the occassional user, a ball race pin will be a very good tool, and if you then want to go on and buy a true pin, then thats your choice, and theres a certain amount of pleasure involved in just using one.

Do you know any anglers that have managed to wear out a ball race pin?

 

If you look at things that do a lot of turning like car wheels, i don't think you will find many that don't have bearings in.

 

I'm no engineer so i will be happy for you to tell me I'm wrong, but i would have thought a ball race pin would out last a true pin if well looked after.

[chesters1]

if you cant comprehend it then you have no basic grip on economics

 

There's a very small market for a centrepin, as in all but a few circumstances a fixed spool will be better, but there are occassions, such as trotting, when a pin is better. Theres also an awful lot of machining involved in a true centrepin, and they will last and spin like they do from the box for a lifetime if looked after, whereas a ball race will always eventually break down, its the nature of the beast, and why a ball race "centrepin" will cost an awful lot less than a true pin.

 

All that aside. for the occassional user, a ball race pin will be a very good tool, and if you then want to go on and buy a true pin, then thats your choice, and theres a certain amount of pleasure involved in just using one.

 

the best pins dont have bearings they contribute to friction ,an abu 507 or 8 make very fine pins

Edited October 4, 2009 by chesters1

[lutra]

the best pins dont have bearings they contribute to friction ,an abu 507 or 8 make very fine pins

I used a 501 for trotting for many years until i got a centre pin. The only time i would think of using a closed faced reel for trotting now is if i needed to cast a long way. Varying amounts of friction/drag/holding back (whatever you what to call it) are desirable for me and a centre pin gives much better control of that in my view.