Author Topic: The Westville Reel (Read 23103 times)

PH · « **on:** March 29, 2011, 04:19:14 PM »

I don't know what to call it

I'ts not quite a Scarborough Reel nor a KP Reel, more like an Alvery reel due to
the "side cast" ability it will have..

I did not have enough Brazilian Rosewood (the stuff classical guitars are made of) so I decided
to make the "bracket side" from Yellowood, which is lighter in weight as well.

The rod will probably need massive eyes due to the large diameter of the reel? (6 inches)
I'm starting to wonder if it will be practical to make it "side cast"

The metal parts will be made from "German Silver" which is tough and does not tarnish.

The blank:

benniejordaan · « **Reply #1 on:** March 29, 2011, 08:57:03 PM »

I will be keeping a close eye on this one!

PH · « **Reply #2 on:** March 30, 2011, 06:26:07 AM »

Advice please?

I figured out the mechanism to have the reel turn and lock through 90 degrees and is quite simple.

But would it be really practical? Common sense tells me that the first eye should be very far
from the reel and be at least 70 - 100mm in diameter to limit friction of the line against the eye.

The other eyes should be gradually smaller but being that big, the eyes would be damaged easily,
apart from looking rather ridiculous.

A side cast reel should really be smaller.

Opinions, please?

benniejordaan · « **Reply #3 on:** March 30, 2011, 07:30:52 AM »

Quote from: PH on March 30, 2011, 06:26:07 AM

Advice please?

I figured out the mechanism to have the reel turn and lock through 90 degrees and is quite simple.

But would it be really practical? Common sense tells me that the first eye should be very far
from the reel and be at least 70 - 100mm in diameter to limit friction of the line against the eye.

The other eyes should be gradually smaller but being that big, the eyes would be damaged easily,
apart from looking rather ridiculous.

A side cast reel should really be smaller.

Opinions, please?

Where you going to find a guide that size?

PH · « **Reply #4 on:** March 30, 2011, 07:41:16 AM »

Quote from: benniejordaan on March 30, 2011, 07:30:52 AM

Where you going to find a guide that size?

That answers the question. I guess.
Maybe a side cast reel should be another project

REEFMAN · « **Reply #5 on:** March 30, 2011, 08:04:16 AM »

PH... why would you need a guide that big? All rods, spinning and casting, have to gather the line somewhere, and the friction on the first guide is inevitable (mister andersen!). Sure, making a huge first guide would help, but then the friction is just transferred to the next guide...
I have heard a trend of thinking in the rodbuilding industry, that especially when fishing with braid, the quicker you gather the line from a cast and channel it thro smaller guides, the less the total friction on the guides and the further the cast ... I think ET knows much more about this concept...? This shouldn't put you off making the Westville!!

Cam Mundy · « **Reply #6 on:** March 30, 2011, 08:46:04 AM »

Hi PH another interesting project well done.

A quick question if you have your heart set on making a side cast "KP" why don't you bring the diameter of the reel down and rather make the spool broader to compensate. You will lose on you retrieve rate but the reel should be more manageable

Cam Mundy · « **Reply #7 on:** March 30, 2011, 08:48:28 AM »

Another thing to consider is that the reel should empty slower on a cast with a broader spool resulting in less friction and a further cast (if the spool is mounted horizontally)

PH · « **Reply #8 on:** March 30, 2011, 08:53:33 AM »

Thanks, for the very interesting info. Reefz.
I was not going to abandon the Westville, only make it a traditional fixed spool, but based on what you say
I think I will carry on with the side cast concept and not use excessively big eyes.
It may be an oppertunity to test the casting affect of big vs. small eyes on a rod.

Cam Mundy · « **Reply #9 on:** March 30, 2011, 08:55:50 AM »

Sorry about all the posts
I've always wanted to do this only out of aluminium here's what I'm thinking PH

PH · « **Reply #10 on:** March 30, 2011, 08:57:57 AM »

Quote from: Cam Mundy on March 30, 2011, 08:46:04 AM

Hi PH another interesting project well done.

A quick question if you have your heart set on making a side cast "KP" why don't you bring the diameter of the reel down and rather make the spool broader to compensate. You will lose on you retrieve rate but the reel should be more manageable

There is no particular reason for the spool to be 6 inhes, only that I want a fairly fast retrieve rate and
from previous enquiries 6 inches seems to be the most popular.

PH · « **Reply #11 on:** March 30, 2011, 09:01:44 AM »

Quote from: Cam Mundy on March 30, 2011, 08:55:50 AM

Sorry about all the posts
I've always wanted to do this only out of aluminium here's what I'm thinking PH

Thanks for the ideas CM. It is certainly something to think about.
My reasoning for making a side cast reel is to eliminate overwinds.

E.T. · « **Reply #12 on:** March 30, 2011, 10:08:26 AM »

Pierre what rod are you going to use for this reel? What guides have you got on this rod currently?

Answer these two questions, then I might be able to tell you if it is necessary to change it or not?

Finish the reel, cause honestly I don't think that guide sizes are going to make that big of a difference at this stage.

Let me explain this to you quickly. On a fly rod, lets say a 6wt, you get normal reels and the you get large arbors. Now does the reel make any difference at all when using the exact same line? No. The only difference might be the weight of the reel.

When it comes to conventional rods you get spinning guides and you get casting guides. There are others too, but for this example I am using the two. If you use a Stella you will go with a Spinning configuration. I have never gone bigger than a size 30 as my first guide from reel. Casting Reels you will have Casting guides which are in general smaller than spinning, not insert wise, but height, etc. Now you can start here on 20 and go smaller.

Mind you I used a size 20 on Louis's Purglass and you can ask anyone who has had a look or a shot at casting it, what that rod does in terms of casting and distance.

Is one guide better than the other? Hell yeah! If you want distance, accuracy, sensitivity then Fuji SiC is the way to go.

I once did a revamp on a 9wt Fibreglass rod. Fitted it with Halide strippers and single foots. I can roll out 20 meters of line pick the rod up, flick it and shoot that line out in one cast. Would I be able to do that if I had normal snake guides on? No way! Might I also add that this rod is like a pool noodle....

This brings me back to my first two questions?

PH · « **Reply #13 on:** March 30, 2011, 10:14:08 AM »

Thanks for the advice ET.

Answer is simple: No rod as yet, but I intend to use it maily for spinning off the kayak and shore.

What blank do you suggest ( and guides)?

E.T. · « **Reply #14 on:** March 30, 2011, 10:22:50 AM »

Quote from: PH on March 30, 2011, 10:14:08 AM

Thanks for the advice ET.

Answer is simple: No rod as yet, but I intend to use it maily for spinning off the kayak and shore.

Ah-ha so you are already putting the ox in front of the cart, no wait there is no cart yet.....

Build the reel, finish it and then you can decide on a rod that will work for your application.

What did you have in mind? 10ft or 11ft Spinning?
If thats the route you want to go, may I suggest the Composite Development Graphcast Blanks? Fan-bloody-tastic rods and they are really not that expensive and seeing that you have your own wrapper now, you should be able to sort yourself out pretty good.

PH · « **Reply #15 on:** March 30, 2011, 10:30:53 AM »

Thanks. There's no hurry to build the rod as yet, but from a kayaking point of view - the shorter; the easier to handle.

E.T. · « **Reply #16 on:** March 30, 2011, 10:37:52 AM »

Quote from: PH on March 30, 2011, 10:30:53 AM

Thanks. There's no hurry to build the rod as yet, but from a kayaking point of view - the shorter; the easier to handle.

On the kayak you want short, agreed. But what are you going to do with a short rod from the side?

This might actually interest you.....
http://www.jigstarafrica.com/pages/892622478/Products/Jigstar-rods/jigstar-rods.asp

Look at those prices

You won't custom build a rod like that for that price, forget it!

PH · « **Reply #17 on:** March 30, 2011, 11:04:51 AM »

I'm not doing it for economical reasons :sml:

So why am I doing it?

Why do people climb mountains?

E.T. · « **Reply #18 on:** March 30, 2011, 11:32:42 AM »

Quote from: PH on March 30, 2011, 11:04:51 AM

I'm not doing it for economical reasons :sml:

So why am I doing it?

Why do people climb mountains?

Agreed and thats a question I have asked myself many times before.

I just added this link to give you an estimate and for you to see some of the options available.

I would still go with the CD Rods, they have other options too like the Viper, etc. And I would go with these guides.....

http://www.mudhole.com/Shop-Our-Catalog/Silicon-Carbide-old/Fuji-LCSG-Surf-Guides-Gunsmoke

or

http://www.mudhole.com/Shop-Our-Catalog/Silicon-Carbide-old/MNSG-Concept-Spin-Cast-Guides

or

http://www.mudhole.com/Shop-Our-Catalog/AT-Spin-Cast-Guides/NCRLVL-Virtus-Lite-Saltwater-Casting-Guides

And if you intend to go for a heavy spin setup, this would be it

http://www.mudhole.com/Shop-Our-Catalog/AT-Boat-Guides/NIRLVH-Virtus-Heavy-Saltwater-Casting-Guides

Maybe you would even like to go with a reel seat like this.....
http://www.alpstackle.com/CAH%20Reel%20seat.html

or like this....
http://www.alpstackle.com/CAH-18LX.pdf

Blanks....
http://www.cdrods.co.nz/shop/Composite+Developments+Saltwater+Series.html

and
http://www.cdrods.co.nz/shop/Composite+Developments+Blanks.html

If you see something you like from CD, let me know and I will point you in the right direction as to getting sorted locally.

PH · « **Reply #19 on:** March 30, 2011, 11:36:19 AM »

Thanks I will have a look.