What's the sweet spot on a mini-spool?

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10-30-2012 12:19 PM
Greenwood_60

What's the sweet spot on a mini-spool?

What's the sweet spot on a mini-spool?
10-30-2012 12:48 PM
Sludge

I thought a "mini-spool" was ten feet?
10-30-2012 01:24 PM
a64pilot

Just my opinion, but anything over about 40 ft., I'd rather use a reel as I can reel in line faster than I can wind it up.
10-30-2012 01:33 PM
Greenwood_60

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slüdge

I thought a "mini-spool" was ten feet?

I'm not sure I'd ever use one with only 10'. I'd be pissed if I got 90% of the way there and ran out of line.
10-30-2012 01:41 PM
Jax

What the heck is a sweet-spot?

(Seriously. I know what it is on a bat or a golf club. . .)
10-30-2012 02:00 PM
Greenwood_60

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jax

What the heck is a sweet-spot?

The best length, balancing size against capacity.
10-30-2012 02:14 PM
stairman

I like about 40 or 50 ft on one. As long as I can get the double ender thru the hole, to me its good.
10-30-2012 02:19 PM
DA Aquamaster

40'

I don't plan on using that much as it's a bit of a pain to roll it all back up, but it also sucks to come up a few feet short.
10-30-2012 03:11 PM
CCRMichael

20 ft. Most jumps in florida can be done with 10 feet or less. The smaller the spool the more I can fit in my pocket which means the more jumps I can do.
10-30-2012 03:37 PM
FW

I have several "Neptuno" mini spools. I tried them for awhile, but it is easier to handle standard size reels, so I just use them, no matter how short the jump is.
10-30-2012 04:00 PM
Greenwood_60

Quote:

Originally Posted by FW

I have several "Neptuno" mini spools. I tried them for awhile, but it is easier to handle standard size reels, so I just use them, no matter how short the jump is.

Good point. I'll PM you the details on what I did to resolve that.
10-30-2012 06:36 PM
Sludge

Bring back the snap-n-gaps! :ele
10-30-2012 06:41 PM
Superlyte27

What's a spool? :D
I only use reels.
10-30-2012 07:09 PM
CanadianCaver

I still use jump reels, never been big on spools
10-30-2012 08:28 PM
phillip1

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slüdge

I thought a "mini-spool" was ten feet?

me too
10-30-2012 09:35 PM
RN

I have 18' on my Neptuno spools. I have to disagree that most jumps in Florida are less than 10' though. I don't use my Neptunos as much as I'd like to.
10-31-2012 05:54 AM
curtschu

One of these days I'm going to need to learn how to run a spool. I have one I won in a drawing and never used. I only use reels but I am getting a little leery of using two of then since they are original Diverite gap reels and appear to be getting collector interest. I would hate for someone to replace my reel on me :-)
10-31-2012 07:06 PM
diverdarren

Personally, I consider a reel clipped on to my kit as just another potential entanglement hazard and I only use spools, which I carry in my drysuit pocket.
10-31-2012 08:01 PM
Superlyte27

Quote:

Originally Posted by diverdarren

Personally, I consider a reel clipped on to my kit as just another potential entanglement hazard and I only use spools, which I carry in my drysuit pocket.

I guess it could happen. But been cave diving since 97 and it hasn't happened yet. And more than 10 of those years had D-Rings on my tanks and the reels hung from D-Rings. :D
But the spools look good.
10-31-2012 09:37 PM
Greenwood_60

I've had spools come off and spool out behind me, but it has only been in the basin from sitting on them putting gear on. I changed the way I clip them so that can't happen anymore. If the snap comes off the spool is gone cleanly.
11-01-2012 04:41 AM
FW

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greenwood_60

I've had spools come off and spool out behind me, but it has only been in the basin from sitting on them putting gear on. I changed the way I clip them so that can't happen anymore. If the snap comes off the spool is gone cleanly.

If you thread the end of the line through a hole, before putting the snaplink on, they won't fall off, or un-spool.
11-01-2012 07:00 AM
a64pilot

Quote:

Originally Posted by diverdarren

Personally, I consider a reel clipped on to my kit as just another potential entanglement hazard and I only use spools, which I carry in my drysuit pocket.

It happened to me in Hole in the Wall when I was scootering, the whole line spooled out and because the line was attached to the butt plate and the scooter essentially pulls on the butt plate, it took me a few seconds to figure out what was going on, I just slowly came to a stop without feeling anything pulling on me. Then to add insult to injury when I was wadding up all the line that had played out to stuff in my pocket, some of it got entangled in the scooter turning it on and causing a silt out.
Now don't get upset, there is no bulldozer looking gash in the cave floor or anything, I don't think there is even a mark, but places in Hole are quite silty, and point a scooter's prop wash towards this silt and you can kick up quite a bit of it. I have since then removed the bolt sticking out of the side of the magnetic switch and fashioned a cover plate out of .025 aluminum to keep anything from getting there again.

I do as Forrest says now, play the line through a hole in the spool and attach the double ender to the line loop, that way if it comes off again, I lose the whole spool.
11-01-2012 07:11 AM
Sludge

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superlyte27

been cave diving since 97 and it hasn't happened yet. And more than 10 of those years had D-Rings on my tanks and the reels hung from D-Rings.

Been doing it this way for sixteen years with no problems.
11-01-2012 08:37 AM
Greenwood_60

Quote:

Originally Posted by FW

If you thread the end of the line through a hole, before putting the snaplink on, they won't fall off, or un-spool.

Quote:

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I do as Forrest says now, play the line through a hole in the spool and attach the double ender to the line loop, that way if it comes off again, I lose the whole spool.

Yep. That's exactly what I do. I'd rather just lose the spool.
11-01-2012 08:46 AM
a64pilot

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greenwood_60

Yep. That's exactly what I do. I'd rather just lose the spool.

Then we would get to post in lost and found and have the International divers berate us dumb ass Americans for losing everything :)
11-01-2012 10:08 AM
JamesK

Quote:

Originally Posted by FW

If you thread the end of the line through a hole, before putting the snaplink on, they won't fall off, or un-spool.

same way I do it now thanks to Tara showing me that cool party trick.
11-01-2012 11:00 AM
gasdiver

I put a small bungee on the loop at the end of the spool (I saw this on the web somewhere). This makes it very easy and fast to unhook the line, stow and put the spool away. The bungee keeps the line tight where it can't unspool and you don't need to thread the loop through a hole. I think this technique was developed by cold water divers because the dexterity required to thread the loop through a hole with gloves on was challenging.
11-01-2012 11:42 AM
FW

Quote:

Originally Posted by gasdiver

I put a small bungee on the loop at the end of the spool (I saw this on the web somewhere). This makes it very easy and fast to unhook the line, stow and put the spool away. The bungee keeps the line tight where it can't unspool and you don't need to thread the loop through a hole. I think this technique was developed by cold water divers because the dexterity required to thread the loop through a hole with gloves on was challenging.

Cute idea, I may try that. I had a little trouble threading the hole with gloves on.
11-01-2012 11:55 AM
jj1987

I say we T everything and quit using spools :)
11-01-2012 12:17 PM
FW

Quote:

Originally Posted by jj1987

I say we T everything and quit using spools :)

I agree with that, at least for the popular jumps.
11-01-2012 12:38 PM
Paulmal

Quote:

Originally Posted by FW

I agree with that, at least for the popular jumps.

Agreed.
11-01-2012 01:37 PM
JamesK

Quote:

Originally Posted by jj1987

I say we T everything and quit using spools :)

Pretty please?
11-01-2012 01:54 PM
FW

Maybe we need a pool on Ts vs jumps/gaps.
11-01-2012 01:54 PM
Greenwood_60

Quote:

Originally Posted by FW

Maybe we need a pool on Ts vs jumps/gaps.

A poll would be more productive. :)
11-01-2012 02:04 PM
OFG-1

I thought the sweet spot on my spool was where I dropped the bear claw on it??
11-01-2012 02:38 PM
a64pilot

Quote:

Originally Posted by gasdiver

I put a small bungee on the loop at the end of the spool (I saw this on the web somewhere). This makes it very easy and fast to unhook the line, stow and put the spool away. The bungee keeps the line tight where it can't unspool and you don't need to thread the loop through a hole. I think this technique was developed by cold water divers because the dexterity required to thread the loop through a hole with gloves on was challenging.

Put a swivel on the end of that bungee and you've really got something
11-01-2012 04:12 PM
gasdiver

Quote:

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Put a swivel on the end of that bungee and you've really got something

I don't use the bungee to tie into the permanent line because the bungee loop is only 3" in dia. The spool line still has a 8-10" loop in it and that's what I run the spool back through to secure it. The bungee loop is attached to the end of the spool loop. When you pick up the spool, just pull the bungee and it makes it easy to get the spool loop open so you can run the spool back through it.

I assume the swivel is to keep the spool line from becoming kinked, correct? If so, maybe you could attach the spool loop to the spool line with the swivel to accomplish your objective. I've not had a problem with spool line kinking, but I do flip the spool when making it up to avoid kinks.
11-02-2012 06:55 AM
Sludge

Quote:

Originally Posted by jj1987

I say we T everything and quit using spools

I can't. I'd have to quit using reels.
11-12-2012 05:09 PM
Neptuno

makes no sense making a mini spool with 40', it will be just a regular spool.....

the mini's are 20' #18, if you need longer either use a spool, an enclosed spool (which I like) or reels. they are all easily available at all colors and kinds.

the idea was for places with many short jumps, like mexico for example, is easier to carry 6 minis than 6 spools or reels for a 10' or less, some times inches away gaps..
11-12-2012 07:46 PM
hunabku

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neptuno

makes no sense making a mini spool with 40', it will be just a regular spool.....

the mini's are 20' #18, if you need longer either use a spool, an enclosed spool (which I like) or reels. they are all easily available at all colors and kinds.

the idea was for places with many short jumps, like mexico for example, is easier to carry 6 minis than 6 spools or reels for a 10' or less, some times inches away gaps..

I think the idea here is that the redesigned spool allows 40' of line to be stored on a spool the size of a conventionally designed 20 footer.