Ultimate bobbin

[Rusty]

Amazing efforts guys, well done to both of you. One from the machine shop and one from the kitchen table top (my working environment) both designed to do the same thing. No news as to whether Anderoo's have registered any bites yet. Doesn't that boy take his laptop fishing?

[Anderoo]

Amazing efforts guys, well done to both of you. One from the machine shop and one from the kitchen table top (my working environment) both designed to do the same thing. No news as to whether Anderoo's have registered any bites yet. Doesn't that boy take his laptop fishing?

 

I did but Steve has once again failed to get power outlets and free wifi in every peg sorted out. It's like the 3rd world over there.

 

Several people saw the swingers over the weekend, some even saw them in action. Some people liked them, some didn't and some were not at all interested! Strange but true!

 

It was a good test of them actually, very varied conditions inluding a very strong and blustery NE wind, and plenty of bites. They do wobble in the wind but this doesn't cause false beeps like it did with bobbins. They show bites really well, including dropbacks, don't tangle and stay on the line until you strike, when they ping off nicely.

 

So basically they do everything I hoped they would and I'm really pleased with them!

 

Here's a couple of (anti)tackle tart shots:

 

 

 

PS 'varied conditions' included daytime sun so strong I am now burnt and night-time frost so hard I wrote the month and year in it:

 

 

Brr!

[tincatinca]

I did but Steve has once again failed to get power outlets and free wifi in every peg sorted out. It's like the 3rd world over there.

 

Several people saw the swingers over the weekend, some even saw them in action. Some people liked them, some didn't and some were not at all interested! Strange but true!

 

It was a good test of them actually, very varied conditions inluding a very strong and blustery NE wind, and plenty of bites. They do wobble in the wind but this doesn't cause false beeps like it did with bobbins. They show bites really well, including dropbacks, don't tangle and stay on the line until you strike, when they ping off nicely.

 

So basically they do everything I hoped they would and I'm really pleased with them!

 

Here's a couple of (anti)tackle tart shots:

 

 

 

PS 'varied conditions' included daytime sun so strong I am now burnt and night-time frost so hard I wrote the month and year in it:

 

 

Brr!

 

They look really good. Well done Looking at the pictures I am more frustrated than ever as it will be at least another two weeks before I will be able to make my first trip. Really really really looking forward to it.

[Dales]

Several people saw the swingers over the weekend, some even saw them in action. Some people liked them, some didn't and some were not at all interested! Strange but true!

 

It was a good test of them actually, very varied conditions inluding a very strong and blustery NE wind, and plenty of bites. They do wobble in the wind but this doesn't cause false beeps like it did with bobbins. They show bites really well, including dropbacks, don't tangle and stay on the line until you strike, when they ping off nicely.

 

So basically they do everything I hoped they would and I'm really pleased with them!

 

 

PS 'varied conditions' included daytime sun so strong I am now burnt and night-time frost so hard I wrote the month and year in it:

 

 

Brr!

 

Sounds like a job well done, it must be very satisfying to see them action.

[Anderoo]

It was fun to have a proper play with them, and a relief that they work OK. They do wobble more than I thought they would in a stiff wind but the alarms only beeped because of fish or undertow, which I can counter with added weights.

 

However, no indicator in the world makes any difference if your bait's in the wrong place, as Terry proved so well!

[tincatinca]

I have been looking around for a milling machine for a while but to get something half decent means that they are either very expensive or too big for what I want. The main reason I wanted one is to machine the slots in swinger bodies as the slots are the most important element in controlling the movement of the arms and the way that I was doing them by drilling a series of holes, sawing through then filing was taking up a large amount of time. After some deliberation I finally decided to aquire a collett chuck for the lathe along with a set of collets and some end and slot mills.Tried a bit of milling for the first time last night and the result is quite good.It did highlight another problem though and I now need to get a graduated wheel for the leadscrew so that I can control the depth of cut. Hopefully I should have this on and fitted by the weekend but by going this way I will have saved myself a fair bit of money. I think a 6" 4 jaw chuck is next on the shopping list and some 5" aluminium blanks

 

First attempt below

 

[Anderoo]

So Tinca and Richard, how have your bobbins/swingers worked out this season?

 

I've been very pleased with mine. They've worked very well considering how basic they are, showing bites, drop-backs and liners well, not tangling, and pulling off easily on the strike. They do wobble a bit in big winds but it doesn't cause the alarm to beep, so they are as windproof as I was hoping for.

 

However, for no good reason, I would like to stop the little wobbles. I guess once you start tinkering there's no end to it! I am also coming round to Tinca's view that a counterbalance is a good idea in some situations. So I have just ordered another set of 3 slightly different swingers off ebay (for less than a tenner) to butcher with those things in mind.

 

(I also just picked up a good condition Shimano baitrunner 5000 GTE for £38, bargain!)

 

So the Anderoo Mk II swingers will soon be in production

Edited September 16, 2010 by Anderoo

[tincatinca]

Now that is something to look forward to. The Anderoo Mk 2 swinghams. I think that you must have worn the Mk1s out this season I do not think that you will be able to completely stop the wobble but it does help considerably if you can contain the arm around the pivot pin. This is the one area where monkey climbers really come into their own. As far as my own swinghams are concerned, they have worked well but you will always be likely to get the odd beep in heavy wind and waves when striking a balance between too much weight and not enough. I did have a fiddle and tried making a housing which utilised a small needle bearing but it was far too comlicated and time consuming to make without giving any significant improvement. The big advantage to adjustable counterweights and balance weights is that you can set the indicator sytem to suit the conditions and the methodology used. Do you think that Richard may be having a little leaning toward swinghams as opposed to bobbins

[Anderoo]

Now that is something to look forward to. The Anderoo Mk 2 swinghams. I think that you must have worn the Mk1s out this season I do not think that you will be able to completely stop the wobble but it does help considerably if you can contain the arm around the pivot pin. This is the one area where monkey climbers really come into their own. As far as my own swinghams are concerned, they have worked well but you will always be likely to get the odd beep in heavy wind and waves when striking a balance between too much weight and not enough. I did have a fiddle and tried making a housing which utilised a small needle bearing but it was far too comlicated and time consuming to make without giving any significant improvement. The big advantage to adjustable counterweights and balance weights is that you can set the indicator sytem to suit the conditions and the methodology used. Do you think that Richard may be having a little leaning toward swinghams as opposed to bobbins

 

I'm not sure about Richard, I think he still loves his super-duper bobbins!

 

I'm not too concerned about the wobble really, it certainly doesn't affect performance, but I am keen to try to add in some sort of counterbalance. On my last session (in a big wind) I tested how much pull is required to move the swinger, and it is quite a lot. There's a fair amount of friction from the alarm roller, rod rings and swinger line clip. Again, in practice this hasn't been a problem and has probably helped, as proper bites are clear as day, but I'm getting into the winter tinkering again I think!

 

These are the ones I got this time - no idea if they'll be any use, but I think I have a plan for them:

 

 

I am also going to splash out on some ball clips for the swinger heads (they are solar, so easy to swap). That should reduce friction. The ones I have now are plastic.

 

Overall, I'm really pleased I made the switch from bobbins to swingers. On these big windy pits they are much better.

[tincatinca]

Sorry about the poor sketch but this may be one way that you cpould modify your existing swingers to incorporate a removeable counter balance. The attachment would sit on the arm in front of the pivot point to which the arm for the rear adjustable balance weight could also be inserted. If you need something making let me know.