Revisiting the old style DR reels

[stairman]

Im still using one as a primary. I and everyone else has birdneted it even being careful. It doesent happen on dry land because there is no water to float it over the drum. I wish the shaft was longer so I could insert a tethered cotter pin in it to remove the drum underwater. It would seem the tolerance between the drum and frame could be tighter and avoid all this. Im thinking of epoxying a piece of metal to the bottom of the frame right over the drum with feeler guage tolerances. There would have to be 2, one at the front and one the back but it would seem to work. Now why isnt the tolerances tighter to the drum from the factory? I like the reel for a primary but prefer a lower profile handle[sidewinder] to swim with. Any Mcgyvers out there with similar ideas for old reel improvement?

[OFG-1]

Any Mcgyvers out there with similar ideas for old reel improvement?

Liberal application of a 8 pound sledge hammer and a new reel. (BTW, I have 3 of them)

[RN]

Liberal application of a 8 pound sledge hammer and a new reel. (BTW, I have 3 of them)

Does applying an 8 pound sledge hammer to the reels make you so happy you had to buy 3 reels??

[OFG-1]

Does applying an 8 pound sledge hammer to the reels make you so happy you had to buy 3 reels??

No, it made me so happy I bought three 8 pound sledge hammers.

[Half-Fast]

Liberal application of a 8 pound sledge hammer and a new reel. (BTW, I have 3 of them)

Does it have to be done by a liberal, or could a conservative handle it?

[OFG-1]

Does it have to be done by a liberal, or could a conservative handle it?

By definition, a conservative would want to conserve the reel. They would point out that just hoping that the new reel would be better would be more of the "Hopey-Changey" thing that is not working and keeping the economy down. They would want a study of ways to make new line that would not snag when using the reel. They would argue that smashing the snot out of your old reel would, while on one hand encourage small business that supplies your new reel, overall be wasteful, and represent big spending policies that they are against. It would be, in their view, too wasteful, and therefore anti christian, and that would get the entire religious right excited.

No, some things, like reel beatings, are better left to the liberals.

[Half-Fast]

By definition, a conservative would want to conserve the reel.
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No, some things, like reel beatings, are better left to the liberals.

You're probably correct. Of course, under the "Cash for Clunker Reels" program, the lib would sieze money from all cave divers to subsidize your purchase of a new reel before compacting your old one.

[FW]

I still use the one in Blueprint for Survival (page 8, I think), never had a bird nest with it

[Marchand]

Maybe because the manufacturing process doesn't really allow for a tighter fit.

[Line Squirrel]

Maybe because the manufacturing process doesn't really allow for a tighter fit.

Anytime you "tighten up" tolerances on a manufactured item the costs go up...plain and simple.