EVH fly reel back from dead

Post by **john elder** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 11:11 pm

Decided just to do damage control on this one and not polish it up...has a pretty nice patina, once the schmutz was removed.

Before

After:

stevenm · Post by **stevenm** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 12:01 am

Did you just repaint the front?
Looks great!

Post by **john elder** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 7:59 am

noooo, no paint! Cracks were filled with "rubber dust" mixed with delayed set epoxy. I turned supports on the lathe and pressed from each side of the faceplate while the glue set; then polished with wet-dry sandpaper, followed by Simichrome polish. This removes that brown oxidized layer from the outside of the rubber and makes it darker, more like original. You can still see the lines from the cracks, but it's now stable and could, in fact, be fished instead of becoming a parts reel.

Here, you can see a bit better in this shot:

Rick H · Post by **Rick H** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 8:00 am

A little tale of that head-plate, would be a generous thing there pal. Simply a fill-n-sand job or did ya fill, press & sand? Thats a really nice come-back John!

AH TIMING! LOL

Post by **john elder** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 8:05 am

see edits above, Rick. This poor thing was cracked all the way through in places, not just surface cracks. So, making supports that fit (and coating with saran wrap to prevent sticking) was a critical add to getting it back flat and so the spool and crank would run true.

ps: The more observant will note that "one screw" I recently talked about that refused to come out without heroic measures. On a reel like this, it's just not worth the risk and really never impacted on the repair.

Rick H · Post by **Rick H** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 8:11 am

I hit the send button and the screen refreshed with your answer. Great minds think alike! Now we just gotta find a couple...

Great job buddy...I was pretty sure that you had no choice but to press that one. Like you said...there's no way, otherwise. Saran wrap, good call. Did the saran release ok, or did you have to sand some of it off?

And...are ya going to try the "melted crayon trick"?

Post by **john elder** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 8:34 am

Thanks, Rick...Saran worked great...no sticking. Re crayon...no...it's like my hairline...it is what it is. I guess that's my compromise here...intent is to stabilize and save a nice piece of history, but not to create something intended to look as if it was never repaired.

Rick H · Post by **Rick H** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 8:46 am

Thanks John. No question you took the right approach with stabilizing the reel and light cleaning. She stays honest that way. I guess I'm just curious on how well that crayon trick works. I'll have to try a repair on something a little more modern or better yet, just try it on a scrap sideplate and see what the results are. I think I might have one or two lying around here?

kingfisher · Post by **kingfisher** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 8:51 am

John,

Nice work on saving the reel. Probably a good call on how far to go .While you could have gone further and fool others ,you can't fool yourself.You now aoppreciate what you see without the disguise.

Ray

reelsmith. · Post by **reelsmith.** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 2:26 pm

Nice work, John.

I'm not sure I would have had the patience for that one.

Dean.

Post by **Brian F.** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 2:45 pm

Nice job as usual. Amazing that none of the pieces broke off!

stevenm · Post by **stevenm** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 4:49 pm

I may be overlooking the obvious here,
but what is the hole in the foot for? I notice this on his other reels too.

reelsmith. · Post by **reelsmith.** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 5:00 pm

stevenm wrote:I may be overlooking the obvious here,
but what is the hole in the foot for? I notice this on his other reels too.

Weight reduction.

Dean.

Rick H · Post by **Rick H** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 5:06 pm

stevenm wrote:

I may be overlooking the obvious here,
but what is the hole in the foot for? I notice this on his other reels too.

To pass your straw through, from the hip flask.

Post by **john elder** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 6:25 pm

I havez always heard it was to allow better air flow for line drying...it,s a hallmark of VH reels.

stevenm · Post by **stevenm** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 6:42 pm

This whole time i was thinking it's where the transducer vortex modulator went.

kingfisher · Post by **kingfisher** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 7:02 pm

I may as well be as silly as everyone else. It is the Fisherman's Black Hole...where all the lost fish disappear.

Don Champion · Post by **Don Champion** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 7:08 pm

John,
The reel came out better than I thought it would considering what you started with.

Jacob : salmonfisher03 · Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:11 am

John, it looks very good what you did.
Amazing that the ebonite not cracked more by taking all the parts from each other

Beautiful reel.

Remember me if the reel is for sale

Best regards
Jacob

m3040c · Post by **m3040c** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 12:33 am

I am a big fan of restoration in truth and utility. This restoration impresses me more than most because it is restored with care and ingenuity but still keeps the integrity of the reel's history. A fine job...

Battle scars should be worn with pride, this restoration accomplishes that.