- Joined
- Oct 30, 2016
- Messages
- 155
I'm very partial to old English fly reels for my fishing bamboo rods. I especially like reels that have agate line guards.
Recently I got a few very desirable reels with broken agates that I thought I could repair so I did some reading on rolling a bezel over agates and spinning on a lathe.
The story went like this..
I bought a nice St. George 3" with a missing agate. The previous owner put a piece of brass wire and filled the bezel with epoxy. I removed it but I noted that the bezel rolled over edge was badly burred.
I decided I was going to repair the existing bezel. My plan was to cut into the bezel base a little deeper so I could get the agate to sit lower which meant that I could remove the burred metal on the leading rollover edge.
I have a 5C collet that accepts the bezel but I had to make a stop with a void to make room for the bezel tang. I turned a piece of aluminium to put behind the bezel in the collet, but since I don't have a mill I had to make the void with a dremel and file.
I made the forming tool and the post to put pressure against to open the bezel and later close it over the agate.
Did the necessary cutting with a boring tool and the opened the bezel with a forming tool.
Put in the agate and closed it over by rolling the edge back without the burrs.
Made a brass rivet
Fitted the bezel and closed the rivet.
Successful repair
I enjoyed the learning exercise.
Recently I got a few very desirable reels with broken agates that I thought I could repair so I did some reading on rolling a bezel over agates and spinning on a lathe.
The story went like this..
I bought a nice St. George 3" with a missing agate. The previous owner put a piece of brass wire and filled the bezel with epoxy. I removed it but I noted that the bezel rolled over edge was badly burred.
I decided I was going to repair the existing bezel. My plan was to cut into the bezel base a little deeper so I could get the agate to sit lower which meant that I could remove the burred metal on the leading rollover edge.
I have a 5C collet that accepts the bezel but I had to make a stop with a void to make room for the bezel tang. I turned a piece of aluminium to put behind the bezel in the collet, but since I don't have a mill I had to make the void with a dremel and file.
I made the forming tool and the post to put pressure against to open the bezel and later close it over the agate.
Did the necessary cutting with a boring tool and the opened the bezel with a forming tool.
Put in the agate and closed it over by rolling the edge back without the burrs.
Made a brass rivet
Fitted the bezel and closed the rivet.
Successful repair
I enjoyed the learning exercise.
