A 'Threepenny' Aerial

[Horgaszember]

Anyways, it is nice to see You back in here!

[Hovis]

Watermole+ what a delight. I've now had chance to study these images on a larger screen and what a treat! Just about perfect in every respect. I had considered the "TFF aerial" the ultimate but this surpasses it by some distance in both form and finish.
I hope you'll indulge me a couple of questions? Firstly, the material of choice for both the brake "pad" and "drum". Secondly, the bezel for the agate eye. Is it turned solding the the faces on the OD ground on?
What I do know is that I really like it.

[Spinner]

The reel I named "The Waffle" and thank you Watermole for turning my mad ideas, designs, bits of wood and mammoth tusk into such a piece of fine working art.....

[Watermole+]

I hope you'll indulge me a couple of questions? Firstly, the material of choice for both the brake "pad" and "drum". Secondly, the bezel for the agate eye. Is it turned solding the the faces on the OD ground on?

Firstly, Thank you to all for your most kind words.
Making this one did pose a few challenges, but learnt a great deal in the process.

Hovis:- I experimented with quite a few material combinations before settling on something akin to "Fibrax" for the brake disc. This was once used to make the brake shoe linings on motor vehicles.
The changeable brake pad is made from a hard rubber. I tried "Tufnol" but there was too little friction between the two.

Again, I tried different metals for the agate lined guard mount but the ones decided upon were special bronze for the bezel and nickel for the attachment leg.

Not quite sure what you ask secondly, but it was made by the jointing of two component parts with the hardest, very high melting point silver solder that I could find, in an aluminium fixture that I made for the purpose. Heat source was my 3000 degree 'Oxy-Turbo' brazing torch with a very fine nozzle.
For successful jointing, it is vital to both maintain a gap of 0.005" between the two components for the alloy to flow into and to hold both parts rigidly and absolutely square to each other. No gap means No join! Once the joint was established, it could be 'built up' with silver alloy to blend the two together. Soft solder would be far too weak for this job.

This is the actual fixture. It looks a bit tatty because it has been subjected to a lot of heat!





This shows the two components set up and clamped in position (For demo. These had already been joined).



The threaded rod (screwed in too far here!) allowed me to hold it in any position for jointing through the 'window'.





...and here are a couple of other completed attempts with nickel alloy and hard bronze, plus an unused bezel ring.





The bezel rings were made entirely on the Myford-as was all else. The twelve flats were achieved by using the 60-tooth "bull" wheel in the lathe headstock for division purposes.
The bezel bore is stepped so that the agate liner insert only fits in one way and is retained by a thin aluminium ring which is pressed in afterwards.

Hope this is of some help..?

wm+

[Barbelseeker]

Leszek,

I get much pleasure from your posts which in turn generate admiration for you, when you show the absolute engineering dedication and processes behind your reel creations that you make. I know from our personal conversations, emails and on-board conversations that you rate yourself as a self taught engineer, but let me assure you that as a professional Charted Engineer, that you are amongst the best.

Please keep educating us mere mortals.

God bless you and your dear wife who lets you work wonders.

Peter

[Hovis]

I agree wholeheartedly with barbelseeker here in that you have skills most could only dream off.

What I love how humble you are. I also love the detail you provide. Few would have though that creating the bezel would be so complex. You've also made your fixture to do the job - this alone is a task that takes engineering skill. I applaud your effort. Simply first class

[Dave F]

WOW……

[Liphook]

I agree Dave F, Lezek is in a category of his own yet I expect he is far too humble to admit that. Show me a better maker....

[Swythyn Troutbeck]

This workmanship literally takes my breath away. Not just exceptional engineering but also the highest level of artistry. Perfect judgement in both departments. It is truly sublime and, yes, I would fish with it...but veeeeery veeeeery carefully!

Troutbeck

[Crucian]

Absolutely beautiful Leszek, beautiful in every way