Tool Needs Identification

[Dave F]

I may have misinterpreted your description. What part of the "reel" do you grab to manually rewind the string? Does the removable cover rotate with the reel?

The cover is fixed and does not rotate.  You grab and rotate the entire reel to rewind the string.

[Dave F]

. . . As a plumb line, the mechanism allows you to pull the string (with weight attached) in one direction to the desired length, while keeping the whole thing from unrolling. It then holds the weight at the desired length while checking the vertical line. As you say, the mechanism lets you manually rewind the string when done. . . .

Paul, this explanation sounds quite plausible.  That would actually be a useful tool.  If so, I just wonder why I never saw one in any hardware store!

DF

[HarrySmith]

I tried Google AI image search and it pulls up a bunch of vintage fly reels. Some of them look slightly similar but none are a match.

Maybe one day we will find out for sure.

[TelePlay]

I tried Google AI image search and . . .

Images?

[paul-f]

What part of the "reel" do you grab to manually rewind the string? Does the removable cover rotate with the reel?

There are many images of similar looking units that have handles to rewind the string. (See below.)

Perhaps yours was an alternate design to manually rewind the string.

The "clockwork" mechanism may have been an improvement that failed in the marketplace. It was probably sufficiently more expensive to make so its selling price had to be well above the competition -- limiting the demand. The survivors have handles.

If this guess is correct, there may be patent evidence for this design and (hopefully) a few other surviving units and marketing literature to be found.

- - - - -
(edit)  And they are useful. See YouTube...

Some are filled with powdered chalk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyGCVdmPokU

[TelePlay]

Manually rotating the reel in the opposite direction disconnects the escapement, and the string gets rewound.

What do you hold on to, what do you rotate to wind the string back onto the reel?

There doesn't seem to be a rewind crank.

[paul-f]

The cover is fixed and does not rotate.  You grab and rotate the entire reel to rewind the string.

This doesn't sound very user-firendly for a plumb line.

Maybe there's a different purpose TBD.

Can anything else be determined from a closer examination of the "clockworks" than can be seen in the current photos?

[TelePlay]

You grab and rotate the entire reel to rewind the string.

You grab the reel? Grab it through the opening? Grab what, the already spooled string?

Can you post a video showing how to rewind the string?

[Dave F]

You grab the reel? Grab it through the opening? Grab what, the already spooled string?

Can you post a video showing how to rewind the string?

Yes, you hold the frame in one hand.  Then, with the other hand, grab the already-spooled string through the opening and rotate it in the opposite direction to rewind it.  Obviously, not very efficient or user-friendly.  It seems that there should be some kind of additional mechanism to aid rewinding but, as already discussed, there doesn't appear to be any way to attach anything like that.

DF

[Dave F]

This doesn't sound very user-firendly for a plumb line.

Maybe there's a different purpose TBD.

Can anything else be determined from a closer examination of the "clockworks" than can be seen in the current photos?

Not much else can be determined by looking at the clock.  It normally is hidden under the fixed round cover and only serves to provide a clicking resistance to prevent the string from unspooling rapidly.

Yes, it's not user-friendly and, as you note, might have a use unrelated to plumb lines.

DF

[Dave F]

. . . Can you post a video showing how to rewind the string?

I wasn't aware that iPhone videos could be posted on the Forum.  Even if they can, isn't there a restrictive 3Mb data limit on attachments?

DF

[RDPipes]

Just my opinion here for what that's worth. I doubt it's a chalk line because the chalk
has no place to be stored for the string to pick it up and manually applied is just ridiculous.
Plumb-bob I don't believe either because it really doesn't serve anymore purpose then just having
the string wound around the bob as most do because there's no efficient way to reel it back in.
After some thought my idea that it was a tool retractor is also incorrect because as said it doesn't
seem to ever had a retraction device and they would not had used string. But I do believe the eyelet
at what we consider the top of this device has something to do with holding the device. And maybe it
was used in conjunction with something else? Another thing, if it was mine I'd unwind the string just to see if there are any markings under it. So for what ever that's worth.

[paul-f]

I wasn't aware that iPhone videos could be posted on the Forum.  Even if they can, isn't there a restrictive 3Mb data limit on attachments?

Here's a link to the topic: "How to attach non-standard file types"

https://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=25029.0

It suggests posting in a zip file.

The current attachment limit appears to be 60MB from this snip of a preview including a photo... -

[edit -- TelePlay pointed out below that there is a 3MB per attachment limit. For six attachments that would be 18MB per post. It would be user-friendly to have those limits display -- rather than 60MB.]

[Dave F]

. . . Another thing, if it was mine I'd unwind the string just to see if there are any markings under it. So for what ever that's worth.

That's a smart idea; however, it would necessitate a lot of uncomfortable manual winding to re-spool the string!  I would have to be in just the right mood to tackle that!

DF

[Dave F]

. . . It suggests posting in a zip file.

Hmmm, I don't think I know how to put an iPhone video into a zip file.  Also, my desktop computer is currently unavailable, so I can't transfer the video there to zip it.  Any suggestions?

DF

Edit:  Does anybody know of a decent FREE App Store program to try?