Truing up Aerial type reels.

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Willsmodger
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Truing up Aerial type reels.

Post by Willsmodger »

I got my J.W Young Purist 2041CL out of storage for a fettle.
Noticing a slight wobble (which I should have left alone) I set to with a precision screwdriver.
You can guess the rest.
Anybody any tips on how you true up these Aerial type reels? I've done the tighten/ loosen the spokes a bit exercise and it gets progressively worse rather than better.
This way lies madness I'm sure.

All the best.

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Match Aerial
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Re: Truing up Aerial type reels.

Post by Match Aerial »

When I have done this in the past.
I started by loosening them all right off first.
Then worked from there it's a bit like straightening a bike wheel.
Google it.

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Re: Truing up Aerial type reels.

Post by Duckett »

I enjoy a fettle with my reels (cane is beyond my talents) but having been lucky enough to have Nobby explain the process to me on another thread and having had Gary Mills do it in front of me, I still haven't plucked up the courage to try it myself!
From "... the wilds of the Wirral, whose wayward people both God and good men have quite given up on ...".

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Nobby
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Re: Truing up Aerial type reels.

Post by Nobby »

The main point is to loosen the spoke opposite to the one you want to tighten first.

It helps if you can stabilise the reel back on something first, like fixed rod butt. And then bent a piece of wire, with a point on the end, from the reel clamp up to the edge of the spool. This will show you 'buckle', a twist from side to side and 'out of round' where the edge is not running true to the centre.

On a reel spool you are only likely to get out of round....if you've got a buckle you've dropped it!


But firstly, tap all the spokes with a screwdriver to see if you get a flat note...which will show if a spoke has come loose. If you find one is loose tighten it up to make the same sound as the others do. That might cure the whole thing in one go!

If it doesn't......fit a wire pointer as above....

Use a bit of chalk or felt tip pen to show where the wire point got closest to the spool rim as the rim was slowly rotated and loosen the spoke in the middle of that area...(if it's between two spokes loosen them both) by half a turn. Now tighten the spoke directly opposite, by half a turn.( If you had the two spoke thing before, tighten the spokes opposite now) The same tension now exists as before, but the spool rim will have moved away from the wire pointer where it was closest before. Get the 'loosen and tighten' routine by the correct amount and you should get the reel true again.


You are not looking to get the spokes as tight as you would on a bicycle wheel. Tap them with a screwdriver and you want a 'thunk' not a ding!

This is especially important with a Perfection Flick 'Em....if you over tighten them the spool will split in two! Guess how I found that out.....?

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Re: Truing up Aerial type reels.

Post by Reedling »

Reading that took me back and reminded me of using a lathe with a four jaw chuck and a dial gauge.

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Willsmodger
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Re: Truing up Aerial type reels.

Post by Willsmodger »

Thanks guys. I'll give these ideas a go.
What puzzles me is how tight the spokes were in the first place. So surely tightening them all back up should put it back in true? What do I know? Nothing, and I had to copy from the lad at the next desk to know that.
I've had an email from Mr Mills, they are at the Romsey tackle fair on the 8th.
There might be a parcel waiting for him when he gets back.

All the best.

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Re: Truing up Aerial type reels.

Post by Nobby »

:shocked: An e-mail ????? Are you sure? :shocked:

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Watermole+
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Re: Truing up Aerial type reels.

Post by Watermole+ »

I hope you don't mind me coming in on this..
The method described by Nobby does work, but you need a lot of patience.

However, any other method than using a clock (dial test indicator) can only ever be a matter of guesswork, luck and getting it "near enough".
Those people who claim to be able to get it spot on by eye are pulling the wool over yours because unless you have laser eyes of unheard of accuracy, it cannot be done. The reason for this is what is known as "The Circle of Confusion". This is the standard by which the focus/depth of field of photographic lenses are judged, because it is generally accepted that the human eye cannot tell the difference between a circle or a solid dot of 0.010" (about 1/4 of a millimetre) in diameter.
That amount might not sound much but believe me, it is a lot of run-out on a reel! It does depend though on your standards and what is acceptable to you. I have checked brand new reels costing £400 straight from their boxes and found one running out 0.016" !!! If you do not know how much-or where- you are altering it, then it is a very difficult, if not impossible task to set 6-or 12 spokes.

The point is though, the better and truer a reel runs, the sweeter it is to spin and fish with and to set a 12-spoke reel up from scratch, this is how to do it.
You will need a means of holding the backplate of the reel rock solid and steady, because it has to be set up on the spindle. I just lightly hold it in the lathe chuck jaws, but you can lightly clamp it to a solid bench, facing upwards.
When this is done and the drum revolves freely, albeit miles out of true, mark each spoke position with a number (washable felt marker pen) so that you can remember your last movement of spoke.

Start by lightly screwing all the spokes down so that they are only very roughly true, say, within 1/4" or less, BUT REMAIN SLACK!
You will need a good quality Dial Test Indicator and a stand for it. One with 0.001" increments is good enough, but 0.0005" is better.

Set up the clock so that the stylus is just about touching the rim of the rearmost drum plate-the one nearest the backplate, that is.

Now, the trick is to work in opposite pairs. Spoke 1. will be opposite spoke 4. for example. Very gradually, tension up the spokes with a fine CORRECTLY FITTING screwdriver-in pairs, remember-until the periphery is running reasonably true, say within 0.020". Do not worry about the front yet. The important thing is that the spokes are NOT taut, just roughly adjusted.
Now do the same for the front plate, just get it near enough for now, but keep the spokes slack, otherwise you will not get a true picture.

Now go back to the rear plate and repeat, but this time, get it running within 0.010" and tension up the spokes a bit more until they JUST nip up taut and no more.
Do the same for the front, getting the plate to run better whilst the spokes are getting tauter. The clock will tell you instantly which way to go. If you find that tightening one pulls it in another direction, put it back where it was and try it's opposite number-or the one adjacent to it.

I don't mind admitting that it is a game of patience, but you will surprise yourself, just how good you can get it-and how quick. When you get it below 0.005", check that all the spokes are taut, but NOT so tight that they distort the drum, and try to get it a bit closer if possible.
With patience and care, it will be possible to get it to run within less than 0.001" and you will be astonished at how much better-and longer it runs.

Remember..1.Work in pairs..and 2.Make haste slowly. Only adjust by very small amounts at a time.

Image

Regards-and Good Luck!

wm+

"Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? Yet one of them shall not fall without your Father knoweth" ..Jesus of Nazareth, King James AV

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Nobby
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Re: Truing up Aerial type reels.

Post by Nobby »

I should have added that Lezsek will have a better method for sure...and he does! Of course it helps if you have a pal generous enough to give you a dial gauge.....

And I can confirm just how much nicer a properly trued reel will feel, you might not be able to see any out of true remaining but the reel will still feel it and it will run out of balance. It will slow sooner because of this and you might just find that your fingertips are sensitive enough to feel the out of true as well.

I do have a reel here with virtually no out of true whatsoever. Guess who made it ;-)


http://traditionalfisherman.com/viewtop ... naiad+reel

" One quarter of a thousandth of an inch"


And he's since managed one even better...........

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Re: Trby yuing up Aerial type reels.

Post by Willsmodger »

Yup. An email from Mill Tackle.
Not that I think Mr Mills typed it out himself to me. More an automatic mail out to subscribers.
Thanks for all the helpful advice. I found the tightening and loosening the opposite spoke method as suggested by Nobby to be fairly effective.
It runs truer than it did. However, this is where it gets weird.
As you may or may not know, the Purist CL has a cage line guard, like a Rapidex.
Now, spinning the reel, there is a definite noise, as though the grooved spool is catching the cage somewhere.
However, wait a few seconds and it runs perfectly silently and smoothly!
Baffled of the West Midlands. I'm assuming I've got it almost true. I hesitate to do any more.

All the best, and thanks again.

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