Having seen pictures of the rod chucks for drying motors in the catalogs and online, and being cheap, I decided to build my own chuck.
I used a 1.5" PVC cap, 2" x 1/8" NPT pipe nipple, and 3 #10-32 x 1.5" socket head cap screws.
I located the center of the cap and drilled and tapped for the 1/8" pipe nipple. I then scribed a line about 3/8" from the open end of the cap and measured the circumference with a cloth tape. Divide by 3 and mark. Drill and tap for the #10-32 screws.
I cut the threads off one end of the nipple and drilled a hole all the way through about 1/4" from the end the same size as the hole in the shaft of the 36 RPM motor from Pacific Bay. Jann’s has these for just under $11.00. I also ran a drill bit through the nipple to clean things up for a better fit to the motor shaft.
Thread everything together. I also put protective tips on the screws so they would not mar a blank or reel seat. Slide the nipple over the motor shaft and secure with a cotter pin. Total cost of my drying rig including motor, stand and chuck was about $15.
Kevin,
Your $15 chuck beats the h3ll out of the $118 Rodsmith Deluxe chuck,
and your ingenuity is spot on! Thanks for the Jann’s tip, I already have a 2 page wish list for Jann’s for my run north in 2 weeks. I dont have a drying motor, but will have to consider one now seeing how cheap one can made.
Now, to design this to double as a furling motor??? As Alton Brown says, “The only good Uni-tasker is a fire extingisher”
Very nice!! I used the rubber end of a cane (.79 !!) and some masking tape and a couple rubber bands! So far, it’s lasted the entire 7 years that I’ve been building rods!!
I hadn’t thought furling motor. This thing has quite a bit of torque. You would definitely have to time it rather than hope the twist would stop the motor. 1/8" galvanized pipe is a fair fit for the shaft. A little large, but at this speed, it doesn’t matter. It could be drilled and tapped for a set screw rather than the cotter pin. Whatever you can attach to the 1/8" pipe could be turned.
These motors are cheap enough that you could buy two.
I have been thinking of a furling board as well as the rod wrapper. Now you have me thinking again. Always a dangerous thing. :lol:
My psychiatrist ( errr… fly fishing friends) coached me in the “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing.” And “Necessity is the Mother of invention”! And “make him ride that buffalo!!” … oh, um, that was my Dad, on being thrifty.
I have it working right now, turning the rod to keep the first coat of Flex-Coat level. I can’t wait to start on Rod #2! One of the grandsons is super excited about building a rod, too.
off EBay - I have been thoroughly impressed - Drying motor with chuck (similar to the one you built) - Epoxy mixer and it dryies my fingernail polish painted poppers!!!
I’ll go to the hardware store knowing about what I want to do, knowing what the goal is. As I go through the bins and drawers of stuff looking for the parts I first had in mind, I will find stuff like the caps or completely different stuff that will work better. It’s a fluid process. I will sometimes leave with a completely different plan from what I had when I walked in. Drives the help nuts. I left the store with the stuff for the chuck as well as a few things to try as winding checks. The conglomeration of pieces parts got me some really funny looks as I checked out.
I used to build some saddles the same way. Folks would ask me what it was going to look like and I would answer that I will know when it’s finished. Always seems to work out, though.
Did basically the same thing about ten years ago, but instead of socket head screws used machine thumbscrews with the rubber caps. My drying motor however is an old gear driven barbecue rottiesierre (spelling?) motor. I keep waiting for that motor to die. It has to be thirty years old! If you can find one at a yard sale do it! those things last for ever.
Put a 6 inch foam disk from a craft store on a dowel and put in the three bolts and you have a fly drier. As for the furling motor use a three shaft old norelco elect razor motor. BILL:tieone:
Always a dangerous thing. :lol: