How to modify fishing reel

[Arron]

Hi. Apologies if this is the wrong forum. I'm putting it here because the solution is likely to be made of metal.

Anyway, I'm wanting to modify a fishing reel to allow an optional power wind. The problem is that I like lure fishing but have hand injuries which make it difficult for me to repetitively wind in the reel. I can do it a bit, but not for long.

For those who don't know or care, lure fishing requires one to continually cast out and reel in a lure. Its unlike bait fishing which is usually stationary.

So I want to modify a standard spinning reel by adding a power winder which I can switch too when things start to hurt. But I still want the handle to be there - to switch back to when needed.

Attached is a photo the reel which I have in mind.

I'm thinking of a lithium battery and motor pirated from a cheap power tool attached to the rod handle. Probably from one of those straight bodied power screwdrivers. Then some type of power drive up to the reel - probably to the body of the reel on the opposite side to the handle. Most of these reels allow the handle to be attached to left or right side. There is usually a nut screwed into the unused side - just to blank it off but sometimes also to keep the handle in place. In this case the 'nut' is actually a very small-diameter bolt which threads into the shaft of the handle.

A couple of extra things are that it would be nice if it were portable from rod to rod, and also if it could do an excentric retrieve. The latter is very far down on the list.

That's about as far as I have got it. Being hopeless and underequipped for working metal, I was hoping to be able to pirate parts from something else to make this. I haven't seen anything suitable so far.

So my question is, does anyone have any suggestions on how to make this ?

cheers
Arron
355529355530

[Arron]

attached is a diagram of what I've thought of so far. My drawing skills are poor but what this is supposed to show is a rod and reel - with the reel hanging below the rod. A power plant (say a power screwdriver) had been attached to the lower rod grip with cable ties or something similar. The dotted line is the power train I need to make - the main problem is the 90 degree turn.

This is how I see it being done. but any other out of the box solution is very welcome.

ps. I know electric fishing reels are available. Mostly they are overhead reels for fishing in very deep water. Not suitable for land based spin fishing at all. There are a few spinning reels with built in power winds - I may go that route but not found anything suitable yet viz price, durability, retrieve speed and power and battery life. Mostly, they are a gimmick.

cheers
Arron

355531

[pipeclay]

Depending on how much room you have you might be able to get away with a pair of bevel gears to give your drive.

You might be able to run them direct from your power source or you might need an extension from the power source to handle rod.

[Stustoys]

But you'll need it to freewheel, having to disconnect it when you get a strike would be painful and there would be a lot of hand changing. Something with a ratchet maybe?

I'm thinking a small stepper motor.
Yeah forget that, I thought my reel was driven via a dog clutch from the handle...it would appear to be a combo of the dog clutch and the hex shaft
*Make up a adapter to replace the thumb screw. It will need some sort of teeth to engage with the reel, a hole for a screw through the middle to hold it to the reel and the handle on and I guess a bore with grub screw to fit the stepper shaft.*

I've no idea of the power of these things... I assume steppers have more torque and are more easily controlled for speed than brush motors.

Something like this might fit nicely(with a torque arm back to the handle to stop it spinning)
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-Nema17-Hybrid-Stepper-Motor-DC12V-2-Phase-4000g-cm-4-Lead-1-8Degree-/111620202199?hash=item19fd151ed7
Though as I said I have no idea if it would be strong enough.

Stuart

[_fly_]

attached is a diagram of what I've thought of so far. My drawing skills are poor but what this is supposed to show is a rod and reel - with the reel hanging below the rod. A power plant (say a power screwdriver) had been attached to the lower rod grip with cable ties or something similar. The dotted line is the power train I need to make - the main problem is the 90 degree turn.

This is how I see it being done. but any other out of the box solution is very welcome.

ps. I know electric fishing reels are available. Mostly they are overhead reels for fishing in very deep water. Not suitable for land based spin fishing at all. There are a few spinning reels with built in power winds - I may go that route but not found anything suitable yet viz price, durability, retrieve speed and power and battery life. Mostly, they are a gimmick.

cheers
Arron

355531
Issue with using the thread on the other side of the handle will be that it will unscrew when it is winding in.
You need to wind from the handle side whichever that is.

[Oldneweng]

Is the shaft on the handle square?

If so that could be extended and utilised for the drive.

Dean

[Steamwhisperer]

A flexible shaft drive from the motor to the reel would make it interchangeable.

Phil

[BaronJ]

A flexible shaft drive from the motor to the reel would make it interchangeable.

Phil

Hi Arron, Phil,

Yes this was my thought too. I have some flexible drive shafts, ex WWII radio equipment. They have a 1/4" inch diameter spindle and bush on one end and a sleeve with a flat on the other designed to push onto a 1/4" inch shaft. The bowden cable is about 1/8" diameter. The bush is 3/8" or 7/16", I don't remember which. The overall length is around six or seven inches. In use the bush was fitted in the front panel and the other end taken to some kind of tuner or variable capacitor. I've also seen these in aircraft bomb sight computers. I have a vague recollection that they were made by "Bulgin"
<http://www.bulgin.co.uk/> The company is still around and may be able to help.

[KBs PensNmore]

Have you thought about using a windscreen wiper motor and gearbox, the speed would be very close to what was needed, and is already fitted with a right angled shaft ready to take an adaptor to connect. You would need a M/cycle battery to run it and a small on/off or button switch could be installed quite easily. I think it would be a very easy to do conversion. If the motor runs to fast, I have a magazine that has an article on making a speed controller for a 12 Volt motor.
Kryn

[BaronJ]

Hi Guys,

Most wiper motors are dual speed and some of the newer ones have a speed controller built in. However a 555 timer and a power FET would easily do the job. I can't lay my hands on the circuit at the moment, but I did a golf trolley controller a while back for a friend of mine. That used two 12 volt gel type batteries and two large wiper motors, one on each wheel. One battery was in use whilst the other was a spare, it just required a plug swap to change the battery. The downside is that the motors whine quite loudly as the load increases.

[neksmerj]

I don't reckon you would want to be lugging around a battery.

There are better alternatives if you investigate right angle drive electric drills such as this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DeWALT-DW160V-3-8-VSR-Right-Angle-Drill-/171886519134?hash=item28053c235e

There are stacks more on eBay, find a local item to minimise postage.

Ken

[pipeclay]

Probably easier to just take a lackey with you to wind it when you get tired.

[_fly_]

A cordless screwdriver, the little ones the size of an electric toothbrush.
I've got an Aldi one that lets me turn it across the centre at 45, makes it from straight to more a cordless drill shape.
Put a shaft in it to a disc (2 inches diameter)
Put 2 bolts thru the outside of the disc that stick out about 1 inch.
Might be worth putting something in centre of disc so you can position nicely on the centre of the handle.

you can hang it around your neck on lanyard.
When you want to use push it over handle where the bolts go past the handle on both arms.
Your picture showed a handle with 2 arms (handle side and balance arm)
once against handle bars the bolts turn the handle, press the button to turn the handle.
Quick and easy to use, easily removed and its winding on the right side of the reel.

[Thylacene]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Daiwa-Super-Tanacom-S-600-4-Speed-Big-Game-Electric-Reel-/381350160764?hash=item58ca3da97c

[DavidG]

http://www.coolthings.com/power-fishn-hybrid-reel/

[KBs PensNmore]

I don't reckon you would want to be lugging around a battery.

There are better alternatives if you investigate right angle drive electric drills such as this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DeWALT-DW160V-3-8-VSR-Right-Angle-Drill-/171886519134?hash=item28053c235e

There are stacks more on eBay, find a local item to minimise postage.

Ken

What's wrong with lugging around a battery, you've still got a tackle box, bait bucket, a seat, liquid refreshments, an esky to put the catch in, to lug around.
What's wrong with another couple of Kgs.
Why not buy a cordless angle drill, compact enough, no modifications to fit it, just tighten the chuck on the drive where the handle goes.

Kryn

[Arron]

I've been away for a few days and not able to respond till today, but I would like to say thanks to all those who have taken the time to contribute to this post. As I very much appreciate the responses I will respond to all of them. I'll put it all together in this post to save space, and then sum up in the next post :


Depending on how much room you have you might be able to get away with a pair of bevel gears to give your drive.

You might be able to run them direct from your power source or you might need an extension from the power source to handle rod.

Yep. I will need to investigate that further. Are these available already in a drive train ?


But you'll need it to freewheel, having to disconnect it when you get a strike would be painful and there would be a lot of hand changing. Something with a ratchet maybe?

Spinning reels handle this by design. They are anti-reverse by default. A combination of drag and rod flex handles the strike.
Also, I have thought about the hand changing but actually I don't catch enough fish for the hand-changing to be an issue.



*Make up a adapter to replace the thumb screw. It will need some sort of teeth to engage with the reel, a hole for a screw through the middle to hold it to the reel and the handle on and I guess a bore with grub screw to fit the stepper shaft.*

Sounds a possibilty. I will need to find out more about stepper motors as I know nothing about them.



Issue with using the thread on the other side of the handle will be that it will unscrew when it is winding in.
You need to wind from the handle side whichever that is.

I hadnt even thought of that. To wind from the lhs it has to be anticlockwise. The handle still has to stay on the right. It still we be doing the work when a fish is on etc.



Is the shaft on the handle square?

If so that could be extended and utilised for the drive.

Its actually a hex. But yep, it could be the drive.




A flexible shaft drive from the motor to the reel would make it interchangeable.

Yep. That would be nice. The main problem is I have no idea how to go about this so any input would be gratefull accepted.




I don't reckon you would want to be lugging around a battery.

You are dead right. The maximum gear I take is a box of lures which fit in the back pocket. Imagine fishing a beach with big surf. As the wave goes out, you run down the beach following it to cast. Cast. Then as the next wave comes in you run like hell to keep in front of it. Only way to get required distance. Obviously I dont want any extra gear when doing this.



A cordless screwdriver, the little ones the size of an electric toothbrush.
I've got an Aldi one that lets me turn it across the centre at 45, makes it from straight to more a cordless drill shape.
Put a shaft in it to a disc (2 inches diameter)
Put 2 bolts thru the outside of the disc that stick out about 1 inch.
Might be worth putting something in centre of disc so you can position nicely on the centre of the handle.

you can hang it around your neck on lanyard.
When you want to use push it over handle where the bolts go past the handle on both arms.
Your picture showed a handle with 2 arms (handle side and balance arm)
once against handle bars the bolts turn the handle, press the button to turn the handle.
Quick and easy to use, easily removed and its winding on the right side of the reel.

Yep, I have thought of that - especially for fly fishing (which is a different story which I didnt touch on). The main problem is that it requires me to hold the cordless screwdriver in position, up against the handle. Once the hands start getting sore that is way too much to ask for. Thats why I wanted the body of the cordless screwdriver (or whatever) to be mounted on the shaft of the fishing rod - so the only thing I need to contend with is pressing a button down (which after a while becomes an insurmountable hurdle in itself).

I still might pursue this idea for fly fishing though. Fly fishing reels are much simpler.



http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Daiwa-Sup...item58ca3da97c

thats a big game reel - not a lure-casting reel. Actually, its mainly usually used for bait-fishing in very deep water for things like bluenose and gemfish. There are probably lots of these around cheap now that electric reels are illegal in NSW.



http://www.coolthings.com/power-fishn-hybrid-reel/

Yes, I've seen that ad many times. My main issue is the brand. I've promised myself never to buy another Shakespeare product - as I dont like buying fishing gear that is good for only 3 trips. Its a design with potential, just a shame they attached it to a Kmart reel - and would still cost $300-400 once landed in Australia.




What's wrong with lugging around a battery, you've still got a tackle box, bait bucket, a seat, liquid refreshments, an esky to put the catch in, to lug around.
What's wrong with another couple of Kgs.

Actually, I dont carry any of those things. I think you are thinking of stationary bait fishing.


Why not buy a cordless angle drill, compact enough, no modifications to fit it, just tighten the chuck on the drive where the handle goes.

I've been looking at that option for a couple of years without success. The main problems are ergonomic.

[Thylacene]

Yep, game reel, was for inspiration.

Maybe one of these http://www.milwaukeetool.com/power-tools/cordless/2667-20 with a fitting manufactured/machined from a replacement handle for your reel with a hex fitting. They are two speed and bulk torque.

[Arron]

After the many helpful responses here, I'm starting to become clearer on what I need.

First, for the power plant, a straight-bodied cordless screwdriver or right-angle drill sounds good - light, cost effective and versatile. It would need to be mounted along the long axis of the rod, fixed hard to the rod. Its very important that its mounted in such a way that it doesn't impart twisting forces to the rod when its being held (source of hand-stress) so I guess that means it needs to be mounted directly under the rod.

It needs to be have one of those new lightweight, very powerful lithium batteries. Dragging a lure through water for hours on end takes a lot of energy. I guess I'd need several.

There needs to be an off-on switch on the body of the rod (not on the tool), again to minimize hand stress.

Then there needs to be a drive train up to the reel. This should probably interface to the keeper nut on the lhs of the reel. This only needs to screw into the hex shaft on the handle - to keep the handle in place and provide the rotation.

Drive train could be gears, or flexible shaft or belt.

At the moment I'm thinking about a belt drive solution - as its low tech and suits my low skill level.

I've attached an image of what I have in mind - any suggestions welcome.

Many thanks for the input so far.
cheers
Arron

355838

[Arron]

Yep, game reel, was for inspiration.

Maybe one of these http://www.milwaukeetool.com/power-tools/cordless/2667-20 with a fitting manufactured/machined from a replacement handle for your reel with a hex fitting. They are two speed and bulk torque.

While you were typing this I was typing my response. Comes to pretty much the same thing really. I"m just working on the belt drive because it allows me to keep the body of the drill fixed to the shaft of the rod, plus it has some tolerance in terms of alignment, plus it allows me to gear up or down with the pulleys.

and if it doesn't work I get a nice drill which will be useful anyway.

cheers and thanks
Arron

[Arron]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-4-Hex-Flexible-Flex-Quick-Change-Magnetic-Screwdriver-Extension-Angle-Driver-/161401150805?hash=item2594421d55

cheap, flexible, tolerant of alignment issues, and will work with a basic straight bodied drill/driver (such as the one I own already).

cheers
Arron

[JDarvall]

I think your idea would work. But you'll probably cop a fair bit of flack from other fishos.

when I was struggling with back pain, I modified a trolly to carry my esky and a cutting board and rod holders, to minimise lifting and bending, but it drew attention. When I go fishing I want to get away from people, not attract.

I use a right angle makita at home and I can see how the switch on the tool would be ideal for your application. You can get the speed right with harder pressure on the switch, and quickly stop when a fish is on, and its got a toggle knob on the switch that allows you to select a max speed.

ie. what I'm trying to say is -> a cordless makita right angle drill would be perfect such that you don't need to worry about that extra switch up higher.

just an opinion. Love to see the end result. good luck

[janvanruth]

How about a small steppermotor directly drivhttp://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41EgiaD2wcL.jpging the unused side of the crank and fixed to the reel itself.
light and strong
battery and electronics in seperate compartment on the back of the rod,

[JDarvall]

maybe , have the step motor and put a heafty battery in a backpack, to save it bulking up the rod. Somebody's going to meddle and have a field day with you though. You will have to have a tough skin. They may email/ iPod (whatever) their mates telling the world that some d******* is trying to catch a fish with a motor attached to his rod.

Is it your fingers that make it hard to reel in ? I guess you can still cast.

I found fishing was good for my back. It was the only time I didn't feel pain for a few months. Fishing stopped me from pushing myself to lift, despite the pain which made things progresively worse. Walking and casting on the beach was perfect. Didn't feel a thing walking off my face on medication. Only problem was I couldn't sit without pain, so I had endure that in the car to get there.

Even if your hand injury is b******* mockery, I'd like to see it work. I know of some people who struggle with hand arthritis etc . Who can berely move their fingers. They may actually find some use for the idea. Maybe even in an application not related to fishing. ???