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New gun build - 105cm

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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portinfer

Aquatic shopper...
Jul 3, 2003
1,327
409
173
I found an old blank earlier this year that has a bit of history and thought I better finish it.

Charlie started a business here over ten years ago and the counter top he ripped out of the shop happened to be a nice plank of some unidentifiable African hardwood. Dave helped me plane it down, cut it into laminates and glue it together. It sat like this for the next eight years or so, just a squared up laminated blank.

I've done a bit of work on it since and have glued a handle on and shaped it.

Originally I 'think' the idea was to have a medfish type gun - double rubbers / double wrap / reel / high mass. Largely like the Abellan guns of that time. The trigger is an old Abellan one with the black delrin trigger and friction line release. I don't like these types of line releases now (I use one with a shorter high mass Abellan type gun and it pushes the spear to one side - probably just need less tension on the line).
 
Reactions: Brandon89
The handle has a central spine of maple with x2 reversed laminates of walnut either side.

This is just wood that I had lying around. Both types of wood aren't great in the water but I've noticed from other guns that I have, that if you are careful not to bang them around then the finish/varnish stays intact and the water doesn't get in.

I spent a bit of time looking at the Abellan handles and some other european custom builders' handles. I've tried to go for an elegant and comfortable asymmetric handle.



 
Reactions: Brandon89
Balls. Just brushed on a thin coat of epoxy to seal it for testing.

I knew you used 2pac but I'm unfamiliar with it so thought I'd do this gun like the rest I've done.

I'd like to try it on the new 80cm planned guns. Is there a product name you'd recommend ?
 
Yes, International is the best, but I have a different one at home that you can try, it goes over epoxy anyway.
 
Reactions: portinfer
I've fitted alot of the hardware but am thinking about the linerelease.

The trigger is an old Abellan one which comes with a friction spinner line release:



I've used this on another gun and it tends to push the shaft over to the other side.

I suppose that I could mitigate this by using less pressure. The other gun has a double wrap and no reel so it relies on some elastic to provide the give/tightness.

Any thoughts on a line release that would work with this trigger or should I just fit a reel and slack off the line pressure?
 
I can have a look at the line release if you want, I have fitted one before just like that.
Perhaps you can file down the part to give a flat bearing surface.
You might be able to sink a ss pin opposing the release to keep the spear from moving, or fill the track with a epoxy & powder mix then bed the spear into the epoxy. I use this method all time to form a lovely straight, deep track.
If you have a spare spear .5mm larger than the one you use, you can wax it up & bed it down. Once removed you will have a perfect fit for you chosen spear.
 
Cool thanks Mart - also just noticed that the trigger has a slot for a side release (I'm guessing...)



Will try and mock one up in wood to see if it works. No reason why it shouldn't?
 
Well, I have more or less finished this gun too. It just needs balancing.

Added a reel I had - a big 50m reel to go with a big 105cm gun! All looks a little too large but I'm going to balance it with some lead and then try to see if I can catch a fish with it....

(105cm 'Big Bertha' next to the other gun I recently made a 95cm Iroko stripe).
 

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