My Project
Moderator: Ken M 44
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TroutmanSE
- Master Guide
- Posts: 866
- Joined: 02/10/13 02:14
Re: My Project
#23Thanks for the new pictures of the casting process . It is great to see your project moving forward and really looking forward to seeing the finished product. On the placement of the auxiliary brake handle to my thinking you would want to be able to use your top hand to apply it as your lower hand would be off rear grip and on the handle of the reel to reel in fish or if fish was running hand would still be close to reel and not on grip. Thanks for posting pictures . Daryl
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restoration
- Guide
- Posts: 126
- Joined: 08/10/10 18:00
Re: My Project
#24Field Test
Progress has been slow but steady on my reel and I am happy to say the prototype is finished. The brake lever and disc brake have been lightened and the reel foot changed for a lighter aluminum one. I am getting great support now from a local Toolmaking company who have made the CNC drawings for the frame and spools and I will be placing an order for those parts very soon.
The reel sports it's name now and is booked in for a field test on the river Lochy in Scotland for the first and second week of September. I will go over to Inverness with my amazing wife to view some of the testing and take photos which I will post here when we get back.
There will be a few experts involved and their comments will be posted here as well. I want to thank those guys now for their efforts and willingness to give the reel it's first test run.
The bronze check cover being machined to take the pawls and springs.
Pawls and springs fitted to the check cover
Check cover bronzed, pawls hardened and the springs tuned to give an even pressure. The thin washers are to stop the pawls from rubbing on the frame.
Check set up.
Disc brake set up.
The finished prototype with the internals polished and lacqured.
Kindest regards to everyone on the forum - John Mackenzie
Progress has been slow but steady on my reel and I am happy to say the prototype is finished. The brake lever and disc brake have been lightened and the reel foot changed for a lighter aluminum one. I am getting great support now from a local Toolmaking company who have made the CNC drawings for the frame and spools and I will be placing an order for those parts very soon.
The reel sports it's name now and is booked in for a field test on the river Lochy in Scotland for the first and second week of September. I will go over to Inverness with my amazing wife to view some of the testing and take photos which I will post here when we get back.
There will be a few experts involved and their comments will be posted here as well. I want to thank those guys now for their efforts and willingness to give the reel it's first test run.
The bronze check cover being machined to take the pawls and springs.
Pawls and springs fitted to the check cover
Check cover bronzed, pawls hardened and the springs tuned to give an even pressure. The thin washers are to stop the pawls from rubbing on the frame.
Check set up.
Disc brake set up.
The finished prototype with the internals polished and lacqured.
Kindest regards to everyone on the forum - John Mackenzie
Re: My Project
#25John,
Very nicely done and Thanks for keeping us informed on how its coming together. Hope testing goes well and looking forward to hearing about your trip as well. Hope you get some fishing in as well. It,s very good of you to include us all in seeing this project being done and really looking forward to The Mackenzie Reel. Daryl
Very nicely done and Thanks for keeping us informed on how its coming together. Hope testing goes well and looking forward to hearing about your trip as well. Hope you get some fishing in as well. It,s very good of you to include us all in seeing this project being done and really looking forward to The Mackenzie Reel. Daryl
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restoration
- Guide
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Re: My Project
#27THE MACKENZIE REEL
So it’s more than a year since my last post on my project. I am sorry for the long silence but it has been an interesting time for me. Five stays in hospital and now on the road to full recovery. My thanks and gratitude goes to my Neurosurgeon – Jaroslaw Andrychowski of the University hospital in Warsaw. An amazing man who gave me back the use of my legs.
Reel Test.
My good friend Paul Machugh pointed out to me a possible issue with calling the reel “MACKENZIE” He told me there is a registered brand name of “Mackenzie Fly Fishing” and this could cause all sorts problems for me if I used the name. So I sent an email with photos of the reel to Scott Mackenzie and followed this up with a telephone call. We had a very pleasant discussion and he gave me permission to use the name.
I had booked flights for me and my wonderful wife and we arrived at Inverness airport. We had already booked our hotel “The Winston” which sits on the bank of the river Ness and opposite the castle. We had been in the room for five minutes when Scott Mackenzie arrived as arranged for a chat. We had coffee and talked for a couple of hours about everything related to spey casting and salmon fishing. I had the reel with me and I am happy to say Scott was very complimentary about my efforts and he agreed I could use the Mackenzie name. He also agreed to me including him in this posting on the understanding I make the following statement.
"There is no business or financial connection between us. We just happen to have the same surname and we both come from Inverness"
http://www.mackenzieflyfishing.com/shop ... /spey-rods
We travelled to Fort William and stayed at Paul Machugh’s Bed and Breakfast accommodation “The Willows Guest House” Paul had agreed to test the reel for me so this was a great chance for us to have a short holiday and to watch the reel being tested for the first time. Paul took me to the fast water on the Lochy and on his first cast pulled in a very nice sea trout.
We stayed for a few days and left the reel with Paul for a few months so that he could put it through its paces on the river.
http://www.thewillowsfortwilliam.co.uk/
This is Paul’s report…
I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE SELECTED TO BE THE FIRST PERSON TO TEST THE NEW MACKENZIE REEL , I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE HAD IT EARLIER IN THE SEASON FOR THE BIG SPRINGERS AND SOME FAIRLY LARGE TROUT TOO BUT I MADE THE BEST OF THE BACK END FLOODS ON THE FABULOUS RIVER LOCHY , FIRST FISH WAS A 1LB SEA TROUT WHICH DIDNT REALLY TEST THE REEL BUT LATER ON 4 SALMON WERE LANDED UP TO 15LBS AND 4 LOST IN THE HEAVY AUTUMN SPATES , A FEW GOOD TROUT WERE LANDED TOO INCLUDING A 5LB BROWNIE AND IN HEAVY SPATE WATER THESE FISH PROVED HOW WELL THEY CAN FIGHT. THE FISHING WAS VERY HARD WITH DIFFICULT CONDITIONS BUT I MANAGED TO TEST THE REEL AND IT DIDNT DISAPPOINT , THE FIRST THING THAT STRIKES YOU ABOUT THE REEL IS THE SHEER QUALITY , ALL HANDMADE AND WITH A BEAUTIFUL FINISH , AS GOOD AS ANY HARDY REEL , I HAVE USED MANY PERFECTS , DINGLEYS , YOUNGS AND MALLOCHS FROM MY OWN COLLECTION AND THIS REEL RATES AS HIGH AS ANY OF THEM , ITS A GREAT SIZE AND TOOK MY SKAGIT LINE PLUS RUNNING LINE AND BACKING EASILY , THE WIND IS SWEET WITH A UNIQUE DESIGN HAVING BOTH CHECK PAWLS IN PLAY AND THEY CLICK ACCORDINGLY , I CAN IMAGINE IT WOULD BE VERY HARD TO GET THESE IN POSITION TO WORK CORRECTLY , AGAIN A TESTAMENT TO THE WORK AND EXCELLENT ENGINEERING PUT INTO THIS REEL , THE ROTATING GOLD PLATED LINEGUIDE IS A BEAUTIFUL FEATURE AS IS THE UNIQUE 1912 DOUBLE SIDED WORM , MADE OF THE FINEST MATERIALS , THE MAIN THING ABOUT THE REEL IS THE RIM BRAKE , USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE RIM TENSION , I ALWAYS HAVE MY TENSION SET LOOSE AND THE RIM BRAKE WAS SOMETHING THAT I JUST NATURALLY FOUND MYSELF USING WHILST PLAYING A FISH AND IT REALLY IS A VERY USEFUL ADDITION AND EFFORTLESS TO USE , THE BALL BEARING RACE AND 3 PART HARDY PERFECT DESIGN ENSURES A SMOOTH WIND IN AND OUT AND A GOOD TIGHT FIT ENSURES NO WOBBLE OR PLAY , I FISHED WITH THIS REEL IN THE TOUGHEST OF CONDITIONS , COLD , WET , FAST FLOWING WATER ETC BUT EVERY MINUTE WAS A PLEASURE AND I WAS ALSO LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE GIVEN THE USE OF A SCOTT MACKENZIE DTX-G2 15FT ROD TOO , THE ROD IS EXCELLENT AND PUTS OUT A HEAVY SKAGIT WITH A 5” SUNRAY NO PROBLEM AT ALL , A VERY GOOD COMBINATION , SO IN SUMMARY , IF YOU WANT A WORLD CLASS HAND MADE REEL WITH GOOD LOUD TRADITIONAL CLICK PAWL DESIGN THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME RATHER THAN A MODERN VIRTUALLY SILENT DISC DRAG MASS PRODUCED PIECE OF JAPANESE RUBBISH THEN THIS IS THE REEL FOR YOU AND ITS UNIQUE DESIGN WILL CERTAINLY CAPTURE THE INTEREST OF OTHER ANGLERS , ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HOOK A FISH AND THE zzzzz OF THE CHECK KICKS IN , PRESENTED WITH A LOVELY FINISH AND ENGRAVED WITH REEL DETAILS , IT TRULY IS A STUNNING REEL AND AS FAR AS I KNOW THERE IS NOTHING OF THIS QUALITY AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ELSE AND BECAUSE ITS HANDMADE RATHER THAN MASS PRODUCED ANY SLIGHT MODIFICATIONS WOULD BE EASILY CONSIDERED , I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS REEL EVENTUALLY AVAILABLE IN LARGER SIZES AS I FEEL THE RIM BRAKE WOULD SUIT NORWEGIAN AND RUSSIAN WATERS, IM ONLY SAD THAT I HAVE HAD TO RETURN IT BUT IT WAS A REAL PRIVELEGE TO BE THE FIRST TO TEST IT AND AS A COLLECTOR AND USER OF VINTAGE REELS ITS A BREATH OF FRESH AIR TO FINALLY SEE A DECENT REEL ON THE MARKET THAT HAS BEEN DESIGNED FROM AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW.. TRUST ME.. YOU WILL FIND THE RIM BRAKE LEVER THE MOST USEFUL TOOL WHICH YOU WILL USE WITHOUT EVEN THINKING ABOUT IT. IT ALSO MAY BE WORTH NOTING THAT I HAVE BEEN A RIGHT WIND FISHERMAN ALL MY LIFE AND THIS ONE WAS A LEFTY, I ADAPTED STRAIGHT AWAY WITH NO AWKWARDNESS, AS ALL IT TAKES IS A PINKY TO OPERATE THE LEVER...
PAUL MACHUGH
A special thank you must go to John Veitch the manager for the river Lochy. He loaned the Mackenzie DTX-G2 salmon rod to Paul. He also extended the fishing season for Paul by two weeks so that he could continue testing the reel and to catch salmon for the rivers breading stock.
http://www.riverlochy.co.uk/
I have managed to have a batch of unfinished basic frames and spools made on CNC. These will be machined and hand finished by me so that I can make left or right hand reels with or without the auxiliary brake or line guide. I changed some of the design on the frames giving them some nice curves on the pillars and the inner edges where the line feeds through onto the spool.
I also want to thank…
Andrzej Browarek
Wojciech Mergel
These gentlemen are the owner and senior engineer of ABF Engineering here in Dzialdowo, Poland. The company specialise in making glass bottle moulds for Vodka bottles and other glassware. So for them to undertake the making of fishing reel parts was a challenge for them and they have done a fantastic job making the blanks for me.
http://www.abf.com.pl/eng_firma.php
The Reel
When the reel came back to me the original black bronzing had started to blister and fade, the handle had seized into the cup because I had not given it enough clearance and the fibre brake pad had swollen causing a slight rub on the winding plate. All good news for me after a thorough testing, finding only minor faults that could be sorted out easily. I decided I didn’t like the black colour anyway. For me it looks dated and old fashioned so I decided a bright finish would look smart and make the reel look lighter. The handle and brake pad issues have been resolved and I have changed the brake pad material and the design of the auxiliary brake spring.
The line guide will be gold plated and I will use ivorine for the handles. All of the other kit will be made from bronze. The check wheel, pawls and springs made from high carbon steel and all of the screws made from stainless steel. The reel weighs 365 grams. (Or 1 year on the Looney scale)
I plan on making twelve reels, eight left hand and four right hand.
Kindest regards to all – John Mackenzie
First cast and a fish
Finally I must say a big thank you to my amazing wife Ewa for putting up with me over the past year. This was a very hard time for her acting as nurse, interpreter, secretary and most of all being the very best friend to me.
And my gratitude to the many friends who supported and encouraged me to make the reel.
So it’s more than a year since my last post on my project. I am sorry for the long silence but it has been an interesting time for me. Five stays in hospital and now on the road to full recovery. My thanks and gratitude goes to my Neurosurgeon – Jaroslaw Andrychowski of the University hospital in Warsaw. An amazing man who gave me back the use of my legs.
Reel Test.
My good friend Paul Machugh pointed out to me a possible issue with calling the reel “MACKENZIE” He told me there is a registered brand name of “Mackenzie Fly Fishing” and this could cause all sorts problems for me if I used the name. So I sent an email with photos of the reel to Scott Mackenzie and followed this up with a telephone call. We had a very pleasant discussion and he gave me permission to use the name.
I had booked flights for me and my wonderful wife and we arrived at Inverness airport. We had already booked our hotel “The Winston” which sits on the bank of the river Ness and opposite the castle. We had been in the room for five minutes when Scott Mackenzie arrived as arranged for a chat. We had coffee and talked for a couple of hours about everything related to spey casting and salmon fishing. I had the reel with me and I am happy to say Scott was very complimentary about my efforts and he agreed I could use the Mackenzie name. He also agreed to me including him in this posting on the understanding I make the following statement.
"There is no business or financial connection between us. We just happen to have the same surname and we both come from Inverness"
http://www.mackenzieflyfishing.com/shop ... /spey-rods
We travelled to Fort William and stayed at Paul Machugh’s Bed and Breakfast accommodation “The Willows Guest House” Paul had agreed to test the reel for me so this was a great chance for us to have a short holiday and to watch the reel being tested for the first time. Paul took me to the fast water on the Lochy and on his first cast pulled in a very nice sea trout.
We stayed for a few days and left the reel with Paul for a few months so that he could put it through its paces on the river.
http://www.thewillowsfortwilliam.co.uk/
This is Paul’s report…
I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE SELECTED TO BE THE FIRST PERSON TO TEST THE NEW MACKENZIE REEL , I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE HAD IT EARLIER IN THE SEASON FOR THE BIG SPRINGERS AND SOME FAIRLY LARGE TROUT TOO BUT I MADE THE BEST OF THE BACK END FLOODS ON THE FABULOUS RIVER LOCHY , FIRST FISH WAS A 1LB SEA TROUT WHICH DIDNT REALLY TEST THE REEL BUT LATER ON 4 SALMON WERE LANDED UP TO 15LBS AND 4 LOST IN THE HEAVY AUTUMN SPATES , A FEW GOOD TROUT WERE LANDED TOO INCLUDING A 5LB BROWNIE AND IN HEAVY SPATE WATER THESE FISH PROVED HOW WELL THEY CAN FIGHT. THE FISHING WAS VERY HARD WITH DIFFICULT CONDITIONS BUT I MANAGED TO TEST THE REEL AND IT DIDNT DISAPPOINT , THE FIRST THING THAT STRIKES YOU ABOUT THE REEL IS THE SHEER QUALITY , ALL HANDMADE AND WITH A BEAUTIFUL FINISH , AS GOOD AS ANY HARDY REEL , I HAVE USED MANY PERFECTS , DINGLEYS , YOUNGS AND MALLOCHS FROM MY OWN COLLECTION AND THIS REEL RATES AS HIGH AS ANY OF THEM , ITS A GREAT SIZE AND TOOK MY SKAGIT LINE PLUS RUNNING LINE AND BACKING EASILY , THE WIND IS SWEET WITH A UNIQUE DESIGN HAVING BOTH CHECK PAWLS IN PLAY AND THEY CLICK ACCORDINGLY , I CAN IMAGINE IT WOULD BE VERY HARD TO GET THESE IN POSITION TO WORK CORRECTLY , AGAIN A TESTAMENT TO THE WORK AND EXCELLENT ENGINEERING PUT INTO THIS REEL , THE ROTATING GOLD PLATED LINEGUIDE IS A BEAUTIFUL FEATURE AS IS THE UNIQUE 1912 DOUBLE SIDED WORM , MADE OF THE FINEST MATERIALS , THE MAIN THING ABOUT THE REEL IS THE RIM BRAKE , USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE RIM TENSION , I ALWAYS HAVE MY TENSION SET LOOSE AND THE RIM BRAKE WAS SOMETHING THAT I JUST NATURALLY FOUND MYSELF USING WHILST PLAYING A FISH AND IT REALLY IS A VERY USEFUL ADDITION AND EFFORTLESS TO USE , THE BALL BEARING RACE AND 3 PART HARDY PERFECT DESIGN ENSURES A SMOOTH WIND IN AND OUT AND A GOOD TIGHT FIT ENSURES NO WOBBLE OR PLAY , I FISHED WITH THIS REEL IN THE TOUGHEST OF CONDITIONS , COLD , WET , FAST FLOWING WATER ETC BUT EVERY MINUTE WAS A PLEASURE AND I WAS ALSO LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE GIVEN THE USE OF A SCOTT MACKENZIE DTX-G2 15FT ROD TOO , THE ROD IS EXCELLENT AND PUTS OUT A HEAVY SKAGIT WITH A 5” SUNRAY NO PROBLEM AT ALL , A VERY GOOD COMBINATION , SO IN SUMMARY , IF YOU WANT A WORLD CLASS HAND MADE REEL WITH GOOD LOUD TRADITIONAL CLICK PAWL DESIGN THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME RATHER THAN A MODERN VIRTUALLY SILENT DISC DRAG MASS PRODUCED PIECE OF JAPANESE RUBBISH THEN THIS IS THE REEL FOR YOU AND ITS UNIQUE DESIGN WILL CERTAINLY CAPTURE THE INTEREST OF OTHER ANGLERS , ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HOOK A FISH AND THE zzzzz OF THE CHECK KICKS IN , PRESENTED WITH A LOVELY FINISH AND ENGRAVED WITH REEL DETAILS , IT TRULY IS A STUNNING REEL AND AS FAR AS I KNOW THERE IS NOTHING OF THIS QUALITY AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ELSE AND BECAUSE ITS HANDMADE RATHER THAN MASS PRODUCED ANY SLIGHT MODIFICATIONS WOULD BE EASILY CONSIDERED , I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS REEL EVENTUALLY AVAILABLE IN LARGER SIZES AS I FEEL THE RIM BRAKE WOULD SUIT NORWEGIAN AND RUSSIAN WATERS, IM ONLY SAD THAT I HAVE HAD TO RETURN IT BUT IT WAS A REAL PRIVELEGE TO BE THE FIRST TO TEST IT AND AS A COLLECTOR AND USER OF VINTAGE REELS ITS A BREATH OF FRESH AIR TO FINALLY SEE A DECENT REEL ON THE MARKET THAT HAS BEEN DESIGNED FROM AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW.. TRUST ME.. YOU WILL FIND THE RIM BRAKE LEVER THE MOST USEFUL TOOL WHICH YOU WILL USE WITHOUT EVEN THINKING ABOUT IT. IT ALSO MAY BE WORTH NOTING THAT I HAVE BEEN A RIGHT WIND FISHERMAN ALL MY LIFE AND THIS ONE WAS A LEFTY, I ADAPTED STRAIGHT AWAY WITH NO AWKWARDNESS, AS ALL IT TAKES IS A PINKY TO OPERATE THE LEVER...
PAUL MACHUGH
A special thank you must go to John Veitch the manager for the river Lochy. He loaned the Mackenzie DTX-G2 salmon rod to Paul. He also extended the fishing season for Paul by two weeks so that he could continue testing the reel and to catch salmon for the rivers breading stock.
http://www.riverlochy.co.uk/
I have managed to have a batch of unfinished basic frames and spools made on CNC. These will be machined and hand finished by me so that I can make left or right hand reels with or without the auxiliary brake or line guide. I changed some of the design on the frames giving them some nice curves on the pillars and the inner edges where the line feeds through onto the spool.
I also want to thank…
Andrzej Browarek
Wojciech Mergel
These gentlemen are the owner and senior engineer of ABF Engineering here in Dzialdowo, Poland. The company specialise in making glass bottle moulds for Vodka bottles and other glassware. So for them to undertake the making of fishing reel parts was a challenge for them and they have done a fantastic job making the blanks for me.
http://www.abf.com.pl/eng_firma.php
The Reel
When the reel came back to me the original black bronzing had started to blister and fade, the handle had seized into the cup because I had not given it enough clearance and the fibre brake pad had swollen causing a slight rub on the winding plate. All good news for me after a thorough testing, finding only minor faults that could be sorted out easily. I decided I didn’t like the black colour anyway. For me it looks dated and old fashioned so I decided a bright finish would look smart and make the reel look lighter. The handle and brake pad issues have been resolved and I have changed the brake pad material and the design of the auxiliary brake spring.
The line guide will be gold plated and I will use ivorine for the handles. All of the other kit will be made from bronze. The check wheel, pawls and springs made from high carbon steel and all of the screws made from stainless steel. The reel weighs 365 grams. (Or 1 year on the Looney scale)
I plan on making twelve reels, eight left hand and four right hand.
Kindest regards to all – John Mackenzie
First cast and a fish
Finally I must say a big thank you to my amazing wife Ewa for putting up with me over the past year. This was a very hard time for her acting as nurse, interpreter, secretary and most of all being the very best friend to me.
And my gratitude to the many friends who supported and encouraged me to make the reel.
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J Gustavsson
- Master Guide
- Posts: 641
- Joined: 10/04/13 03:07
Re: My Project
#30John, I really do like that reel, I fish in Norway for some really big boys and this is a reel that I can use in my rotation.
I will send you a PM and we can discuss my order. Great Job!!!
I will send you a PM and we can discuss my order. Great Job!!!
**** I ‘LL BE BACK IN 5, GONE FISHING, YOU JUST KEEP READING THIS EVERY 5 MINUTE !! ****
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Whitefish Press
- Owner
- Posts: 1061
- Joined: 06/24/07 18:00
Re: My Project
#31That is one of the coolest reels I have seen in a long, long time. Congratulations, John! That's just an amazing achievement, and as it is apparent how much you love and cherish classic reels, to make one of your own that belongs on the same shelf as an Edward vom Hofe and a Hardy Perfect ... well, that's about as good as it gets in my opinion.
Really incredible stuff. Somewhere above Ben Milam and W.H. Talbot and Fred vom Hofe are smiling and nodding in agreement -- there's a new member of their club, and he goes by a great Scots name if there ever was one: Mackenzie. As your ancestors might have said: Meal do naidheachd!
-- Dr. Todd
Really incredible stuff. Somewhere above Ben Milam and W.H. Talbot and Fred vom Hofe are smiling and nodding in agreement -- there's a new member of their club, and he goes by a great Scots name if there ever was one: Mackenzie. As your ancestors might have said: Meal do naidheachd!
-- Dr. Todd
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bvandeuson
- Bamboo Fanatic
- Posts: 2222
- Joined: 07/31/12 06:21
Re: My Project
#32restoration wrote:G'Day Boris,
Your comments are well received and a few other people have made the same suggestion. On the last count there was a split vote of 50/50 as to the best position for the brake and I admit I am not sure which is the best option. This won't cause a problem when it comes to building the ten reels I have in mind. The design allows for the brake to be either at the top or bottom of the reel. All that's needed is for me to position the check gear in the correct place to suit left or right hand wind and with the brake above or below as needed.
I still have to reply to some of the emails sent to me and I ask for a little more time before I do this. Been busy making drawings and trying to find the right people to help make some of the parts I am going to need. The "Bronze Man" is in place and he should be sand casting the bronze internals (check covers, adjusting arms and brakes) by this weekend. When I have these parts I will post a few photos to keep the interest alive in my project.
I was thinking the same thing about the brake lever. If the fish is not on the drag (still holding the line in your hand), you don't need it. If he is on the drag, the line hand is free to apply additional drag when not reeling. When I have a big fish on, my rod hand is doing all it can do to manipulate the rod.
If you have it tested in Ireland or Scotland, have the tester take you with him so you can experience a real thrill and gain some experience with truly powerful fish. Nothing will compare to seeing the reel in action and listening to any comments the tester may have while it's being used.
BB
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tightloops
- Guide
- Posts: 136
- Joined: 01/19/12 08:32
Re: My Project
#33Wow John, that reel is absolutely amazing! Congratulations to you on a fantastic job!! Do you have any plans to make a 2 7/8" trout reel along similar lines? If you do, you can add me to the order list now!
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krautcaster
- Guide
- Posts: 253
- Joined: 11/07/06 19:00
Re: My Project
#34CONGRATS John!
Who, if not you, would be a worthy heir to continue the great tradition of hand made Perfect style reels!
The special construction details of your Mackenzie reel are just marvellous.
As you know, I own a vintage 4" Perfect. Other than my pre-war trout reels, who I all use for my fishing, my salmon Perfect is primarily a shelf item. One of the reasons for this is that I never had much confidence in the static "drag" force of the traditional Perfect design. Fine for trout, but a concern with fish strong enough to drag a man into the water (if there wasn´t a flexible system of rod & line that is...). We all dream of that BIG salmon of a lifetime and I wouldn´t want to find myself in problems trying to control such a fish with a reel that that is not set properly. Your design answers that concern and I am sure that all serious salmon anglers with a taste for classic gear will appreciate this aproach.
I salute you and your superb reel, Mr. MacKenzie!
Andy
Who, if not you, would be a worthy heir to continue the great tradition of hand made Perfect style reels!
The special construction details of your Mackenzie reel are just marvellous.
As you know, I own a vintage 4" Perfect. Other than my pre-war trout reels, who I all use for my fishing, my salmon Perfect is primarily a shelf item. One of the reasons for this is that I never had much confidence in the static "drag" force of the traditional Perfect design. Fine for trout, but a concern with fish strong enough to drag a man into the water (if there wasn´t a flexible system of rod & line that is...). We all dream of that BIG salmon of a lifetime and I wouldn´t want to find myself in problems trying to control such a fish with a reel that that is not set properly. Your design answers that concern and I am sure that all serious salmon anglers with a taste for classic gear will appreciate this aproach.
I salute you and your superb reel, Mr. MacKenzie!
Andy
Re: My Project
#35The talent of the Reel Makers on here never seizes to amaze me. You always make my day.
Re: My Project
#38Congratulations John on a stunning reel. Its a wonderful accomplishment to design and build a new type of perfect check and the auxiliary brake is icing on the cake. Anyone that has had John do repairs or restorations on a reel knows the very high standard he works to and these reels will be top quality in fit and finish with out a doubt. Glad to hear your on the mend.Glad you have seen this project through. I spoke to John today via skype and John was kind enough to go to his shop and bring this reel up so I could hear it and see it in virtual time and she is a beauty in sound and looks.Very exciting to see and hear. Thanks for sharing this with us not every day a new reel design comes along. We are lucky that this forum gives us a place too all share in the fine workmanship being done by a very skilled craftsman. Congratulations again John on a great reel.
Daryl
Daryl
Re: My Project
#40
Stunning reel John , I'm kinda jealous of Nacky for being so lucky to be the first to field test it out , he sure put it to some good use on salmon ,
I see and like the little changes you made to it , I like the reel for looks better in the not leaded , I think after a few years of fishing the reel would even look better , brass darken up and a good worn look to it , the check has the best of all 3 , any plans to add a Turks head to the top of the adjustable drag on top of the strap over like the old 1912 reels , would even add a touch more class to a fine reel
I'm drooling for your reel and more so for the one thing i do see and know I'd love to get my hands on , that 25 year old bottle of fine single malt scotch , would go hand in hand with that reel on a great River to sip
I look forward to testing it out now for you on some good big fresh steelhead
Come book a fishing trip with me on Canada's best trout river , the world famous Bow River , also other fine mountain rivers , I collect old Hardys , Dingleys, Youngs , also buy sell & trade