Yaaaay! Fixed My Bail Arm By Myself!

[arpie]

Hi guys

Ever opened up your reel (just to 'have a look') & a part of it (usually a tiny spring or clip) propels itself across the room, never to be seen again?? This usually elicits a scream of "Jesus" from me, hence the term "Jesus Spring" or "Jesus Clip" (apologies in advance to those offended by blasphemy!) It has happened to me a few times, so much so, that I rarely look into a reel these days, happy just to spray Inox or Lanox into every hole & nook & crannie that I can find, hoping to prevent a malfunction!

Last weekend, fishing Narrabeen Lake for blackies with Sails & Luderick59 (involving a thousand casts for less than 10 fish!), the spring in my bail arm went. I fished with it like that for the next 3 days, putting up with it flopping open whilst fishing & flying open when striking a fish! Very annoying!

Found the 'exploded' view of it when I got home & had a look - didn't look too difficult - the diagram only showed 3 parts in the area of concern ..... one of them a dreaded spring!

I gingerly opened the panel, making sure I kept pressure on everything so nothing could escape. The spring was bent at a 45 degrees, when it should be straight & there were 4 bits, not 3! Hmmmmm. I played with it for a while & thought, "I can straighten the spring out & reverse it back onto the shaft" .... which I did, then played with it again & it still didn't work, so I put it all together again!

Being a naturally curious person & not wanting to be beaten by a bit of metal ..... the next day, I had another look, still thinking it was stuffed, only having to worry about the 'extra' bit! The shaft should have been connected to the top bit, that did have a hole in it, but looked too small to fit the shaft. So I whacked the shaft into it & tapped it down with my ever faithful Swiss Army Knife ...... and blow me down, if it didn't 'snug up' & stay there!!! Holding it all in place with my hand, I worked the bail arm & it bounced back!! Yahoo!! Screwed it all back up & Voila! It works!!

This is a first for me - brother Sails has at least 2 of my previous reels that have missing parts (usually springs), due to my efforts at repair .... they are now his problem - he probably thought he was about to get another one to add to his collection!!! He immediately pointed me to the direction of the Daiwa Service Centre at Brookvale - didn't even offer to take a look himself!

I was really chuffed at it working again! Time will tell how long it lasts .... but now I know how to fix it again next time!

Cheerio

Roberta

Edited August 4, 2007 by Roberta

[mrmoshe]

Roberta

Way to go!!! You REALLY are the Mother of Invention.

So far, you have invented just about every fix,jury rig,hint and mullet float.

You are one clever lady.

I tell you what..You would clean up at Survivor the TV series and you'ld have them all living in luxury

with knitted scarves and hoods knitted from coconut fibre.

Built your own kayak out of driftwood and banana leaves.

Made everyone a rod from bamboo and reels made out of 2 shells bolted back to back, held together with a Jesus spring made from a washed up hairclip from a passing cruise ship.

6 lb Line woven from coconut braid.

You have every contestant fishing by episode 3 and catching heaps.

Fixed every bit of kit in camp with your smuggled in Swiss Army Knife..

Fish caught smoked or cooked in every way known to man & woman.

Fish for brekky, lunch and dinner with Biltong entree made from a dead lizard you found near camp 2 days earlier.

All contestants have to quit by episode 7 as they are all starting to grow scales.

Roberta Wins Survivor and a Million bucx.

Go for it Roberta!!

Cheers,

Pete.

Edited August 4, 2007 by MallacootaPete

[bobfish]

I agree with Pete,

Your a very enterprising woman Roberta, you kayak, make biltong, can fix broken things and not only do you collect your own bait and rig your own tackle (this supasses any girl ive ever met ) but you also catch serious ammounts of fish. Unbelieveable

You dont have a daughter do you?

Bobfish

[luderick59]

Hi guys

Ever opened up your reel (just to 'have a look') & a part of it (usually a tiny spring or clip) propels itself across the room, never to be seen again?? This usually elicits a scream of "Jesus" from me, hence the term "Jesus Spring" or "Jesus Clip" (apologies in advance to those offended by blasphemy!) It has happened to me a few times, so much so, that I rarely look into a reel these days, happy just to spray Inox or Lanox into every hole & nook & crannie that I can find, hoping to prevent a malfunction!

Last weekend, fishing Narrabeen Lake for blackies with Sails & Luderick59 (involving a thousand casts for less than 10 fish!), the spring in my bail arm went. I fished with it like that for the next 3 days, putting up with it flopping open whilst fishing & flying open when striking a fish! Very annoying!

Found the 'exploded' view of it when I got home & had a look - didn't look too difficult - the diagram only showed 3 parts in the area of concern ..... one of them a dreaded spring!

I gingerly opened the panel, making sure I kept pressure on everything so nothing could escape. The spring was bent at a 45 degrees, when it should be straight & there were 4 bits, not 3! Hmmmmm. I played with it for a while & thought, "I can straighten the spring out & reverse it back onto the shaft" .... which I did, then played with it again & it still didn't work, so I put it all together again!

Being a naturally curious person & not wanting to be beaten by a bit of metal ..... the next day, I had another look, still thinking it was stuffed, only having to worry about the 'extra' bit! The shaft should have been connected to the top bit, that did have a hole in it, but looked too small to fit the shaft. So I whacked the shaft into it & tapped it down with my ever faithful Swiss Army Knife ...... and blow me down, if it didn't 'snug up' & stay there!!! Holding it all in place with my hand, I worked the bail arm & it bounced back!! Yahoo!! Screwed it all back up & Voila! It works!!

This is a first for me - brother Sails has at least 2 of my previous reels that have missing parts (usually springs), due to my efforts at repair .... they are now his problem - he probably thought he was about to get another one to add to his collection!!! He immediately pointed me to the direction of the Daiwa Service Centre at Brookvale - didn't even offer to take a look himself!

I was really chuffed at it working again! Time will tell how long it lasts .... but now I know how to fix it again next time!

Cheerio

Roberta

hi roberta

have you worked out what caursd the spring to pop out of its hole

JUST A THOUGHT when stricking those blackies with braid there is no stretch or give in the line

puting a lot of preasure on the bail arm

also may help answer those bust offs you have been getting up there

give mono a go and see if it helps just my thoughts anyway

peter

[arpie]

....You REALLY are the Mother of Invention..... & Survivor! Where is McGiver for Survivor?

Hi Pete, That report was really funny!! I had a good giggle! I am probably one of the few who actually still enjoy watching the show!!! Seems the numbers have been falling lately! Much as I'd love to think I could hack it, I Don't think I could do the 'eat the pig's nose or live something else' in the challenges!!!

I really do just love tinkering, HOWEVER..... methinks me bragged a bit too soon about the reel!!! Went & tried the rod this pm & the same thing bloody well happened again!!!! I will have to pull it apart & have another, careful look!!

Hi Bob - No - no little clones out there!! One is enough - just ask my husband!! According to him, if I am not on the forum, I am out fishing!! Hey! No-one said you weren't allowed to enjoy your stay on this planet!

Hi Pete - I think it was just overworked & possibly under squirted!! All my other reels are ok & this one has done less work than most (being my yak rod ..... until I get myself one of those Black Queens!! Saw one in a junk shop not that long ago & didn't allow myself to succumb!) I do use mono on my 'rock blackie rod.' Just cut a few bits of flashing to try your little square bit trick. Hope to do Bluey's beach tomorrow with a buddy who knows the ledges well.

Cheerio for now - work to do, checking the biltong & that bloody reel again!

[arpie]

Hi guys

Got it working again a couple of days ago & it has not missed a beat since! Only had a couple of little 'fishes' since, but seems ok now. I think I shouldn't have reversed the shaft! So far, so good!!

Cheers

Roberta

[gretsch]

I have had several Jesus Spring incidents. The most notable was when I undid my ABU 6500 inside cover plate whilst on the water. The Jesus Spring sprung over the gunwale and into the fast running tide at Flint and Steel.

Needless to say, I was handlining for the remainder of the day. Luckily, it was in the days of mono so I avoided the braid cuts.

[arpie]

Oh Daaaarn!!! Doesn't matter how carefully you remove the plate - something will jump out every time!!

Roberta