Ultimate bobbin

[Andy Macfarlane]

How about this:

 

A bobbin with a normal head and cord for calm conditions, except you attach a wide bore ring (or two) to the head. When it's windy, put a thin metal rod in the ground and it converts into a modern day monkey climber. Because you still clip the line into the normal bobbin and the ring(s) is wide and the rod thin, it shouldn't create any significant friction and would completely overcome any strength of wind. And when the wind stops - normal bobbins again. No need for expensive 'cord' material. (This wouldn't be any use for Richard though, because he needs to run cables through the 'cord'.)

 

 

Didn't Mick Brown do something much the same with the stem and head off a Fox indicator and hollow bankstick? I think he simply pulled the stem and head off the terry clip or whatever it was at the time and simply slipped it down the inside of a bankstick and then shoved the bankstick in between the firt the rings....more or less a fancy monkey climber.

[Andy Macfarlane]

When I used to use monkey climbers, I used to simply stick them in so the stem was tilted forwards to reduce the amount of resistance or pull required to lift the cotton reel. I knew that when I was a wean (that's a child for those not up up on Glasgow Parliamo).

Anyway, is bite indication really this difficult. What happened to watching your line or knocks on your spinning rod sitting at 90 degrees? It worked when I was 10 so it would work now.

[Steve Burke]

You don't always want maximum sensitivity with your bobbin. If you do want to see tiny bites though you can an extra rod ring close to an existing one. If you put your bobbin on the line between these two rings you'll magnify the effect of any bites. This is because the bobbin will move up or down for a greater distance for a given amount of line being taken.

[tincatinca]

Just about there with the prototype and it works well. It all breaks down for easy transportation and with adjustable balance weights in front and behind the pivot, it can be adjusted fom a near neutral setting to loaded. The bracket can be set anywhere on rod rest and on the upward movement of the arm it comes to a dead stop when the rear balance weight makes contact with the bracket ensuring that the line comes out easy from the gate latch when you have a bite.. Now that I think the principles are sorted I will start to make some users. At the moment, grub screws have been used as the locking devices on the arms and balance weights but for adjustment on the user models I will look to utilise some thumb screws.

 

 

 

[poledark]

Tinca, looks very impressive. I did away with any screw/locknut etc on the sliding weight. I was always losing them

 

 

 

 

Nothing for the line to catch on...........I use it on the same B&Q tube

 

 

 

 

Den

Edited February 7, 2009 by poledark

[Dick Dastardly]

Nice one Tinca.

[tincatinca]

Tinca, looks very impressive. I did away with any screw/locknut etc on the sliding weight. I was always losing them

 

 

 

 

Nothing for the line to catch on...........I use it on the same B&Q tube

 

 

 

 

Den

 

Yes, I have used a similar format for the front weight. I am currently playing about with drilling a hole through the side of a sliding weight and bonding O ring cord into the hole. This is similar to how Fox do it it on their swingers. Easy to replace as well. What did you use as the plug behind the O Ring. I suppose that you could drill and tap the hole in the weight and then run a die down a bit of rod to make the plug. You would then have some adjustment to put some squeeze the O ring. Its surprising what you can do with a bench drill, saw, files and a dremmel. I could really do with a small lathe though.

[poledark]

Tinca, I didn't realise you had no lathe! The plug is a bit of brass rod turned down to a press fit. I found no need to put any pressure on the O ring, I just picked one out that was a nice fit and made everything else to fit around it. I have a rifle with an O ring fitted on the breech and it has fired(moved) several thousands times with no sign of wear, so I am confident mine will not need replacing.

 

Back to the "no fiddly bits to get tangled on" I have used sliding weights with litle knurled locking bolts, very nice, but occasionaly, usualy when I got a violent take, the line ended up getting caught around the bolt. Everything whacks up, pulls out of the bobbin and bounces around, and if the fish stops then a loop of slack line is left, the bobbin drops back down, and ends up tangled.

 

That is not meant as a critisism, simply an observation that may be useful.

 

I just love all this "messing about" with bits of tackle (and bits to attach cameras to scopes), a huge amount of satisfaction when it all works

 

Den

[tincatinca]

Tinca, I didn't realise you had no lathe!

 

Den, I served my time as a fitter and like you I enjoy making things I have a radial drill and with various attachments I can mount the workpiece in the chuck then use the file. Making collars is fairly simple but I really do need a lathe, preferably with a milling attachment which would considerably increase versatility and reduce the making time. I am currently looking around for a suitable one such as a Myford. In the meantime though its mostly handwork. On the swingers I would really like to use collets on the adjustable pieces which would eliminate any projections to catch the line but that will have to wait until I get the proper kit which will give me the accuracy I need. It is great fun though making your own kit to solve problems.

 

[poledark]

I started with a Myford ML10 to make my first patented design (44 years ago) Borrowed £80 from my dad when the bank turned me down.

 

Sold it for £250 and bought a Warco lathe and Warco milling machine,, served me well, and only had to replace the drive belt once on the lathe.

 

I fully expect to be using it more and more when I get to old/rickety to fish.................maybe another steam loco?

 

 

 

A bit more swarfe been built since that was taken..............No, honestly, I have had a clear up

 

Den

Edited February 8, 2009 by poledark