Re: Making the TFF Aerial
Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2012 11:09 pm
Part 10. Making the tension adjuster... ..but it's slooow going..
Do you ever get to a stage with something and then wonder, why am I doing this?
Well, it's been very much like that this week. Spare time has been at a bit of a premium and trying to concentrate on something for the odd half-hour, late in the evening after a long day, is not the best time to try and be creative.
The TFF reel has now got to the stage where a definite decision has to be made about the type of pawl/check spring to have, how to make it adjustable and where best to site it. One of the best-and simplest-ideas is that on the W.R. Speedia reels; a 3-position thumbwheel giving different spring tension on the check pawl.-Just brilliant! The problem with the TFF is entirely of my own making so can't blame anyone else; I wanted a wooden back and by trying to be clever and minimising inside clearance between the drum inner and the backplate, I've managed to box myself into a corner. The line drum is already made so can't, or don't particularly want to alter that-and so just don't have the space to incorporate a Speedia-type wheel. In a way I'm not sorry because this is supposed to be an original sort of design and I don't want to directly copy an existing reel.
Anyway, after much time-wasting and playing around, I decided that the check adjuster will be set centrally on the rim, just in front of the reel seat and be based on the Hardy fly reel type; viz. A thumbwheel operated internal screw. I know it sounds a bit too unnecessarily complicated, but at a pinch, it will be possible to squeeze it in-and, it will look rather neat externally.
The first thing was to determine the pawl and spring layout. None of these parts are finished yet; in fact, some have since been scrapped, as you will see..
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Pawlandspringlayout.jpg)
Now we come to the point of no return and drill through the rim. Fortune favours the Brave, so they say, so here we go...
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Drillingapilothole.jpg)
..And straightaway we hit a snag! Having drilled the pilot hole, I found that the bench drill chuck it too small for the long cutter. Nothing for it but to set it up in the lathe and do it that way. I used the 4-jaw for this, holding it very carefully and keeping the speed right down, put the long cutter through. This is to create the groove for the adjuster screw.
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Millingagroove.jpg)
Because of the low speed, it tended to tear the wood a little bit, so will have to sand that out later. Now we have to bore out the hole true and counterbore a recess to accept the tiny bronze bush for the thumbwheel.
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Boringrecess.jpg)
Next, it was back on the bench drill to 'mill' out the little cross-groove for the screw head. (All will become clear soon)
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Millingsmallslot.jpg)
To make the thumbwheel, I turned a piece of harden-able stainless steel and cut the grooves by broaching.
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Makingthethumbwheel.jpg)
Now, the groove has to be lined to take the little spring holding block which will move up-and down (bear with me on this). I fashioned this from some thin, sheet brass, bending it around a drill shank of the right size and then flattening the sides. You can see the rough shape in this picture. I haven't cut it to length yet.
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Adjusterscrewliner.jpg)
Now it has been cut, the edges filed to thickness and the ends profiled. Here is a trial fitting.
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/trialfittingjpg.jpg)
Although not finished, you can see now how it is (hopefully) going to work. This is an end view of the thumbwheel bearing. (It's actually the second one; I made the first one wrong!) It's an interference fit and has been already pressed in permanently.
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Thumbwheelbearing.jpg)
Next, I made the block which holds the spring and travels up-and down, when the thumbwheel is turned. I soldered a piece of tube to a pin from a 13amp. plug.
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Screwguideforspring.jpg)
Then hand-filed it to shape, tapped the hole to 8 BA and drilled a 1mm cross hole for the spring wire. I soldered a little piece of brass to the end of the groove lining, to be a 'stop' for the screw-which was made from an 8 BA bolt. The component 3rd from left is what remains of the 13-amp plug pin and tube!
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Adjustercomponents.jpg)
There are some 1.4mm holes to go in yet, which will hold the assembly in place, but here in this trial fitting, you can now see how it works.
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Trialassembly.jpg)
Last picture for today shows the bits which are NBG and going in the bin!!
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Bitsthatdidntwork.jpg)
We've nearly got this cracked and can then start on the lever operated check.
More next time.
Regards from wm+
Do you ever get to a stage with something and then wonder, why am I doing this?
Well, it's been very much like that this week. Spare time has been at a bit of a premium and trying to concentrate on something for the odd half-hour, late in the evening after a long day, is not the best time to try and be creative.
The TFF reel has now got to the stage where a definite decision has to be made about the type of pawl/check spring to have, how to make it adjustable and where best to site it. One of the best-and simplest-ideas is that on the W.R. Speedia reels; a 3-position thumbwheel giving different spring tension on the check pawl.-Just brilliant! The problem with the TFF is entirely of my own making so can't blame anyone else; I wanted a wooden back and by trying to be clever and minimising inside clearance between the drum inner and the backplate, I've managed to box myself into a corner. The line drum is already made so can't, or don't particularly want to alter that-and so just don't have the space to incorporate a Speedia-type wheel. In a way I'm not sorry because this is supposed to be an original sort of design and I don't want to directly copy an existing reel.
Anyway, after much time-wasting and playing around, I decided that the check adjuster will be set centrally on the rim, just in front of the reel seat and be based on the Hardy fly reel type; viz. A thumbwheel operated internal screw. I know it sounds a bit too unnecessarily complicated, but at a pinch, it will be possible to squeeze it in-and, it will look rather neat externally.
The first thing was to determine the pawl and spring layout. None of these parts are finished yet; in fact, some have since been scrapped, as you will see..
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Pawlandspringlayout.jpg)
Now we come to the point of no return and drill through the rim. Fortune favours the Brave, so they say, so here we go...
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Drillingapilothole.jpg)
..And straightaway we hit a snag! Having drilled the pilot hole, I found that the bench drill chuck it too small for the long cutter. Nothing for it but to set it up in the lathe and do it that way. I used the 4-jaw for this, holding it very carefully and keeping the speed right down, put the long cutter through. This is to create the groove for the adjuster screw.
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Millingagroove.jpg)
Because of the low speed, it tended to tear the wood a little bit, so will have to sand that out later. Now we have to bore out the hole true and counterbore a recess to accept the tiny bronze bush for the thumbwheel.
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Boringrecess.jpg)
Next, it was back on the bench drill to 'mill' out the little cross-groove for the screw head. (All will become clear soon)
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Millingsmallslot.jpg)
To make the thumbwheel, I turned a piece of harden-able stainless steel and cut the grooves by broaching.
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Makingthethumbwheel.jpg)
Now, the groove has to be lined to take the little spring holding block which will move up-and down (bear with me on this). I fashioned this from some thin, sheet brass, bending it around a drill shank of the right size and then flattening the sides. You can see the rough shape in this picture. I haven't cut it to length yet.
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Adjusterscrewliner.jpg)
Now it has been cut, the edges filed to thickness and the ends profiled. Here is a trial fitting.
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/trialfittingjpg.jpg)
Although not finished, you can see now how it is (hopefully) going to work. This is an end view of the thumbwheel bearing. (It's actually the second one; I made the first one wrong!) It's an interference fit and has been already pressed in permanently.
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Thumbwheelbearing.jpg)
Next, I made the block which holds the spring and travels up-and down, when the thumbwheel is turned. I soldered a piece of tube to a pin from a 13amp. plug.
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Screwguideforspring.jpg)
Then hand-filed it to shape, tapped the hole to 8 BA and drilled a 1mm cross hole for the spring wire. I soldered a little piece of brass to the end of the groove lining, to be a 'stop' for the screw-which was made from an 8 BA bolt. The component 3rd from left is what remains of the 13-amp plug pin and tube!
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Adjustercomponents.jpg)
There are some 1.4mm holes to go in yet, which will hold the assembly in place, but here in this trial fitting, you can now see how it works.
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Trialassembly.jpg)
Last picture for today shows the bits which are NBG and going in the bin!!
![Image](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r3/watermole/Bitsthatdidntwork.jpg)
We've nearly got this cracked and can then start on the lever operated check.
More next time.
Regards from wm+