Starting a rendition of the marbled Philbrook (First Prototype Assembled)

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Holireels
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Starting a rendition of the marbled Philbrook (First Prototype Assembled)

#1

Post by Holireels »

(Part 1):  Getting started on my rendition of the marbled Philbrook fly reel.  First part made is the nickel silver reel foot.  Up till now, all the reel feet I have made use a hole in the middle of the foot to secure the part to the fixture and/or to the reel body.  The Philbrook foot does not have any holes in it and the foot is soldered to the pillars, which made me have to think of a new way to make the foot.  I started out with a 0.75" x 0.25" sized stock of nickel silver, rough shaped it with the mill until it was ready to have its taper applied:
ImageImageImage

I used a 0.75" shaft, a 1.5" aluminum shaft collar, and a custom made fixture to compress and located the rough foot on the shaft.
ImageImageImage

Once the roughed foot is located on the shaft, it is tighened down and placed in the lathe, which is set at a 7 degree angle:
Image

Once the lathe is set, the end is turned down via the AFFTA spec:
Image

Once completed, the part is taken out of the fixture, reversed, and then the other end is machined to completion:
Image

I was a bit leary of the design of the fixture, but it works well, although your not able to machine mulitiple parts at the same time.  Once completed, the foot is sanded and then polished to a  high luster on a buffer.

ImageImage

Next step will be making the nickel silver pillars then silver soldering them in place on the foot.  This will require a new fixture to locate and hold the components in place while they are soldered.


(Part 2):  After making the reel foot, its now time to silver solder the pillars to the foot.  First, now that I've done this, I see why most people use screws... Image  However, first is a picture of all the items used:

Image
In order to solder the nickel silver foot and pillars, I needed to make a fixture to locate the three parts together and hold them while solder was applied.  I use two inexpensive machined angle blocks, a large square of aluminum and a machine ground steel spacer.  One end is fixed and the other floats with slots applied.

ImageImage

First thing to do is to locate/affix the pillars to the fixture.  Once located, the bottom side of the pillars are sanded with emery cloth to clean and rough the surface up:

ImageImage

After locating the pillars in the fixture, the foot's slots are sanded with emery and then solder flux is applied:

ImageImage

After flux is applied, the foot is located in the fixture to the pillars and spaced appropriately.  The foot is slightly pressured by the locating screw and square steel tubing:

Image

Once located, the assembly is placed in a vise and heat is applied via a torch.  Once the flux liquifies, sliver solder is applied to the joint while watching it wet/spread to the other side of the joint.

ImageImage

Once done, the assembly is allowed to cool to room temp, then it is removed from the fixture.

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Now for the hard part, hand sanding, then buffing......this takes some time to reach the final product below:

ImageImage

Next step will be to make the side plates, then tooling for the compression mold.

(Part 3): 

The "mud" will be molded into the side plates of the reel.  In order to do this, a press and molds are required.  I made a small mechanical screw press that uses a pin to position the mold in the press.  Additionally, I added a set screw to prevent the mold from turning/moving during the process.  There a two polished aluminum molds required.  The handle side incorporates a small indentation in the face plate.  The back side of the reel has a slight protrusion.  The molds were made to accomodate the features.  The molds are polished so that the "mud" will have a nice smooth finish once removed from the press:

ImageImage

Each side plate will be molded individually with its own set of molds.  The mold will be placed in the screw press, then the side plate will be inserted on top of the mold.  Once the side plate is placed in the mold, then the "mud" will be applied to the assembly, the upper mold applied to the top of the side plate, and finally the compression plate on top of the upper mold. 

ImageImage

I used aluminum for the base of the screw press and the molds because it transfers heat readily and is light weight.  This whole assembly will be placed on a heating element that is light duty, so it could not weigh very much.

Next I'll be making the side plates and then making the "mud".

(Part 4)

Not good starting a project around the Holiday Season, so I've found.  However, am making progress as time allows.  Roughed out the side plates and handles out of 6061-T6 aluminum this weekend.  Also made the pretty complicated nickel silver counter balances.  Took much longer than I thought it would, but had some success.  The side plates will be perforated so that the mud will have extra support, rather than depend upon the mud alone for supporting the spool.  Some pics below:

ImageImageImageImage

After perforating the side plates, the fun finish work begins.  Side plates and handles will be sanded, ran in a vibratory bowl, and then hand polished.  Going to have the plates and handles nickel plated.  I'll be making the spool next while parts at being plated.

(First Prototype Assembled)

Well it took a bit of time/effort to figure out how to mold the mud, but I think I have it pretty well determined now.  One thing I did learn is that the side plates need to be finished prior to molding the mud.  This is the first assembled prototype that I have made and I polished the side plates prior to molding the mud.  There is still a lot of handling required for molding and assembly, so going forward I will have the aluminum side plates nickel plated.  I posted the side plate photo's in the "mud" section and have assembled the other piece of the reel here and have added some photos.

ImageImageImageImage


I'll stop this post and show some completed reels once I have them done.  Thanks for looking.......(Holireels).

Last edited by Holireels on 02/06/11 15:07, edited 1 time in total.

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Titelines
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Starting a rendition of the marbled Philbrook (First Prototype Assembled)

#2

Post by Titelines »

Holireels,

  Neat idea for a reel foot fixture.  I visited Ted Godfrey's shop a few years back, and I seem to recall he had somewhat the same kind of idea, but he did manage to do multiple reel feet on his fixture.  Though, on thinking a bit further about his setup, he did have through holes for bolting the reel foot on, and that may have made the fixture better able to hold multiple reel feet.

Mark

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dave49
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Starting a rendition of the marbled Philbrook (First Prototy

#3

Post by dave49 »

John,
Thanks for showing the fixture. I have been using the central tooling hole, but this persuades me that there is another way.
Please show the details of the soldering process when you get it done.
Dave
Last edited by dave49 on 12/22/19 11:25, edited 2 times in total.

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walter e lafong
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Starting a rendition of the marbled Philbrook (First Prototype Assembled)

#4

Post by walter e lafong »

if you do not mind where did  you find the marbled side plates for the  Philbrook fly reel. 
thank you
richard westerfield

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Holireels
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Starting a rendition of the marbled Philbrook (First Prototype Assembled)

#5

Post by Holireels »

Richard / Dave,

I hope to photo-document making the reel, in some form and detail, as I progess on making all of the parts.  I'm going to make the hardware first, then the side plates, and then the tooling for molding the "mud" into the side plates.  Will then show how to make the "mud" material and then how to mold the material into the side plates using the tooling.  I posted my early experiment in the reels section of the forum, but the picture is below: 


Image

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BlackHillsBill
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Starting a rendition of the marbled Philbrook (First Prototype Assembled)

#6

Post by BlackHillsBill »

John, this is a very generous and remarkable post: a step-by-step
thread on the marbelized Philbrook. Several years ago Marcelo
Calviello did something similar: a step-by-step on his unique method
for bamboo-on-bamboo ferruled rods. For me, these are two of the
most memorable posts we've had at the forum, with experts sharing
very interesting stuff.  After all, the search for marbelized sideplates
which capture the Philbrook look has been a reelmaker's grail quest
and a reel collector's dream.  You're letting us in on that and on your
whole process of making the reel. Thanks!

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Flyman615
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Starting a rendition of the marbled Philbrook (First Prototype Assembled)

#7

Post by Flyman615 »

Please forgive a slight deviation from this fascinating thread, but my good friend BHB...what's with the new avatar?
It's you!! But the fish is a bit small, don't you think?

Is your likeness a "bobblehead"? If so, where can I order one?

Your pal,

Scott

P.S.- Great stuff John! 
Flyman615

"An undisturbed river is as perfect as we will ever know, every refractive slide of cold water a glimpse of eternity" - Thomas McGuane

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BlackHillsBill
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Starting a rendition of the marbled Philbrook (First Prototype Assembled)

#8

Post by BlackHillsBill »

Scott, the avatar isn't a bobblehead, but is about the same size. It's a figurine
5-1/2 inches tall.  Got it during our teaching stay in Trondheim in 1974.  It
stands on a half-inch high, 2-inch square pedestal, which is inscribed:  Du
skulle se den som forsvant. 
The translation, appropriately, is You should
see the one that got away
. Unfortunately that had to be cropped out to get
the photo to fit.  He's been in my fly-tying room in the basement lo these many
years. Just the other day when I looked closely at him he exclaimed in the
perfect English he's acquired, Grief! We have become ringers for one another! 

And, ya sure you betcha, Scott, those Holireels are truly great stuff.
Last edited by BlackHillsBill on 11/10/10 10:08, edited 1 time in total.

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Holireels
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Starting a rendition of the marbled Philbrook (First Prototype Assembled)

#9

Post by Holireels »

Bill / Scott,

Tks...........Like the "bobble head" too!  Image

reelhimin
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Starting a rendition of the marbled Philbrook (First Prototype Assembled)

#10

Post by reelhimin »

John, posting the progress on your P & P reel is fascinating especially to someone who has never done anything like this.  Thanks so much for sharing.  Heads up guys.  Mine is on order with John and you should jump on this.  Can't wait to line that baby and give it a test drive.
Gary.

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Rockthief
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Starting a rendition of the marbled Philbrook (First Prototype Assembled)

#11

Post by Rockthief »

thanks a million for this great post. How exciting to see the progression of your work. Excellent!

Paul

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Starting a rendition of the marbled Philbrook (First Prototype Assembled)

#12

Post by Carpenter Bros Rods »

Mine is on order as well! I have notified many of the fish in my area that I will be seeing them very soon with this reel and that they had better start respecting me a little more with a reel of this caliber!Image

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Kenov
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Starting a rendition of the marbled Philbrook (First Prototype Assembled)

#13

Post by Kenov »

It's a real pleasure to watch this beautiful reel come to life.

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Holireels
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Starting a rendition of the marbled Philbrook (First Prototype Assembled)

#14

Post by Holireels »

Thanks Kenov........

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Kenov
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Starting a rendition of the marbled Philbrook (First Prototype Assembled)

#15

Post by Kenov »

The prototype is stunning! Congratulations.

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Holireels
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Starting a rendition of the marbled Philbrook (First Prototype Assembled)

#16

Post by Holireels »

Kenov,

Thank You!

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ttrotter
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Starting a rendition of the marbled Philbrook (First Prototype Assembled)

#17

Post by ttrotter »

John, this is just a marvelous thread and you, sir, are first class for sharing it with all of us. Along with the "mud" thread, this has been/is a wonderful education for us "wannabes" and admirers of first class, bench-made reels.
There is a PM in your box from me :-)
Congratulations!
Tom

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Holireels
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Starting a rendition of the marbled Philbrook (First Prototype Assembled)

#18

Post by Holireels »

Tom,

Thanks........its been a fun learning experience.  Hope some others try it out as well.

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aparramoure
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Starting a rendition of the marbled Philbrook (First Prototype Assembled)

#19

Post by aparramoure »

Thank you for sharing.. it has been a real eye opener for me.


Art

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afgantrout
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Re: Starting a rendition of the marbled Philbrook (First Pro

#20

Post by afgantrout »

Holireels,

Yes, thank you for this wonderful step by step demonstration. I marvel at the work you do.

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