Wire Storage Methods?

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JKD
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Wire Storage Methods?

Post by JKD »

Things have been pretty slow on the Forums for awhile so I figured I would post this topic. There are some very "handy" characters posting on here and I keep thinking that there must be a "better way" to handle/store trolling wire when you switch from one marker spacing to another, or its time to dispose of some old nasty wire that you have thrashed, (or you are about to ship your gurdies out of town for a rebuild and you want to empty the spools and save the wire). I'm shipping my Easthopes to Sitka for an "overhaul" and of course this subject came up again. I have heard about others who have a system for spooling their wire onto storage spools, but I have never seen such a system in person. There was nothing wrong with the wire I have to remove, but I'd prefer to not have 6 loose 70+ fathom coils of wire held together with electrical wire ties stored up on top of my hayrack. It would seem both cleaner and more efficient to have a method to mount and drive a storage spool on a temporary shaft [apparatus] to keep the wire handy and intact for when it is time to put it back on the gurdy spools. (I would use the same system for spooling-on new wire when necessary.) Does anyone have a system for both removing and re-spooling troll wire on and off of either storage spools or new spools? I was going to build my own plywood storage spools and use some aluminum scraps to assemble a drive shaft. But rather than "re-invent the wheel" - I was wondering if anyone had resolved this problem with a STABLE but MOBILE unit that could be driven by either a small hydraulic motor or a variable-speed electric drill motor. If so a picture would be a big help. Thanks.
Cfood
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Re: Wire Storage Methods?

Post by Cfood »

cord holder.jpg
No doubt many options. We've had good luck with the red plastic extension cord spools available at Harbor Freight. Price is right and easy to store and label
Lulu
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Re: Wire Storage Methods?

Post by Lulu »

What a great idea. One additional thought to storage is how to keep wire from rusting. I learned that the Japanese spray cooking oil, like Pan, on their wire. It works as long as you make certain all the donuts and float tags are off the wire.
Scotthmt
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Re: Wire Storage Methods?

Post by Scotthmt »

I built what I call a Gurdy horse. Basically a stand with a threaded rod that goes in the middle of the wire spools that they come in, and I use washers and old car valve springs and nuts to apply tension to the side of the spool much like a drag works on a fishing reel. Nuts on the threaded rod hold everything right and the springs keep tension on the spool of wire so it goes on to the Gurdy under a little bit of load.

I use 3 fa stops but I wondered about going to 2fa in the 10-15fa summertime beach fishing. But I was concerned that I may need to cut my spreads back to 3fa. That and I'd like to not unspool the gurdies often and adding more wire via a crimp may have issues with voltage. On the plus side is get an extra spread per wire that may mean more fish.
JKD
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Re: Wire Storage Methods?

Post by JKD »

I like the "gurdy horse" idea and something along the lines of the plywood-sided spools I mentioned above. The extension cord spools may work also if I could fashion a mandril of sorts to get them tight to the threaded rod. I'll see what I come up with - I'm building a new cannonball holder and was thinking of setting them up with a bracket that I could connect the "gurdy horse" to so it would be stabilized. I try to repair my wires when I find a bad spot while fishing (gear in the water); this device would allow me to wind-off the wire unto an empty spool and make a splice while I'm tied to the dock or anchored for the night.
Salty
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Re: Wire Storage Methods?

Post by Salty »

Scotthmt, can you post a picture?
Scotthmt
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Re: Wire Storage Methods?

Post by Scotthmt »

Fill the 5 gallon bucket with water or some leads as ballast, and you can see the threaded rod, valve springs, washers and nuts, that squeeze the spool of wire tight so it comes off under tension, makes spooling solo easy, unspooling is relavticely easy too just have to turn the wire spool by hand versus spoiling on where you just turn the hydraulics on and make sure it spoils on to the gurdies evenly.
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Scotthmt
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Re: Wire Storage Methods?

Post by Scotthmt »

There are springs/washers/nuts on both sides of the spool, even though the photo just shows one side.
Salty
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Re: Wire Storage Methods?

Post by Salty »

Thanks!
carojae
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Re: Wire Storage Methods?

Post by carojae »

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20160109_152643.jpg (63.05 KiB) Viewed 16504 times
Cfood.
Had to try it since I needed to save some wire. Was able to reel it right off the gurdy with the gurdy engaged. What a great idea. Works great.
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