# Reel repairs



## Boris Ludwig (May 11, 2019)

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.


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## Boris Ludwig (May 11, 2019)

I found a very nice JW Young Reel for a small 3wt rod. It has a red agate - I love red agates - the agate was cracked and the sharp edges will cut my fly line so I decided to take matters into my own hand and replace the agate.







A nice agate but cracked wont do.
Bought a nice replacement



I love using collets and seeing the agate go into the bezel. Rolled over the edge with the spinning tool







Made a new brass rivet




A beautiful old reel lives again with a new coat of lipstick!!




Cheers


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## 4ssss (May 11, 2019)

Nice job.


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## T Bredehoft (May 11, 2019)

More'n one way to enjoy a  hobby.


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## Norseman C.B. (May 11, 2019)

Makin a fly reel from scratch has been on my list fer quite a while now ..........................


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## Boris Ludwig (May 11, 2019)

Norseman C.B. said:


> Makin a fly reel from scratch has been on my list fer quite a while now ..........................



I'm working toward that but repairs keep coming. When you make some progress post a few pictures. I'll be interested to see your progress


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