Breaking Thread

[perchjerker 0]

Two comments:

 

1) As flytyinfreak points out thread quality can be the culprit. I had this problem some years a go with two brand new spools of thread. I casually mentioned this some weeks later to the proprietor of a fly ship. He stepped into his 'backroom' and emerged with a 1200 yard brand new spool of 20# backing that broke about as easily as 6/0 tying thread.

 

2) You should Never Ever try to adjust the tension on a bobbin by "spreading the legs", as this can lead to breakage of the silver soldered junction of the two legs and the tube. Your handy-dandy soldering iron will not get hot enough to re-solder the joint. You may have to ask your friendly jewelry repairman to fix them for you. The correct way to adjust them is to take two pair of pliers and change the angle of the bend in each leg! Open the angle for less tension, and close it for more tension. Make the adjustment in both legs. This method does not place any stress or strain on the solder joint.

 

Two pair of small 'lineman's" pliers are regular tying tools at my desk, just for this purpose.

 

perchjerker

[flytyinfreak 0]

I have a ritebobbin, Love it, set the tension and go!

[Bryan Wright 0]

I have a ritebobbin, Love it, set the tension and go!

 

I was looking at those they seem like a good idea.

[bowfin47 0]

Two comments:

 

1) As flytyinfreak points out thread quality can be the culprit. I had this problem some years a go with two brand new spools of thread. I casually mentioned this some weeks later to the proprietor of a fly ship. He stepped into his 'backroom' and emerged with a 1200 yard brand new spool of 20# backing that broke about as easily as 6/0 tying thread.

 

2) You should Never Ever try to adjust the tension on a bobbin by "spreading the legs", as this can lead to breakage of the silver soldered junction of the two legs and the tube. Your handy-dandy soldering iron will not get hot enough to re-solder the joint. You may have to ask your friendly jewelry repairman to fix them for you. The correct way to adjust them is to take two pair of pliers and change the angle of the bend in each leg! Open the angle for less tension, and close it for more tension. Make the adjustment in both legs. This method does not place any stress or strain on the solder joint.

 

Two pair of small 'lineman's" pliers are regular tying tools at my desk, just for this purpose.

 

perchjerker

 

While I know that what ya' say is true...

 

My collection of bobbins includes a number of brands, some of which have ceramic tubes, but most of my "go to" bobbins are the old, original, metal tubed Matarellis. I still like the original Matarellis (but then I'm a curmudgeon!). One of the reasons is that they won't break if dropped!

 

With repeated loading of spools on any bobbin, the leg tension changes over time.

 

However, I have several Matarelli bobbins that are almost 30 years old on which I've repeated adjusted the legs without any problems for the life of the bobbins, and they still are holding up just fine... My advise would be to just be "gentle: with your adjustments.

 

Kevlar thread (which I no longer use) is notorious for cutting tiny grooves into the metal tubes... I've successfully polished-out these thread cutting knicks on a couple of these bobbins.

 

Bowfin47

[perchjerker 0]

bowfin47:

 

I am glad to hear about your experience. 90% if my bobbin collection is made up of Mattarelli bobbins, most of which have been in service for close to 30 years, if not longer, and I have more than one where the silver solder at the junction of the legs and the thread tube is broken, and has been for many years, very simply because of spreading the legs to adjust tension. Once I was corrected on how to do this properly and stopped spreading the legs to adjust tension, I have not had another crack from in the solder area of any additional bobbins.

 

My question is why take the chance when two pair of inexpensive pliers at the tying desk take care of tension adjustment and prevent breakage of the soldered joint?

 

perchjerker