Wanted: REELS, Cable No. 2 Mk II

[David Dunlop]

I am on the lookout for one of these if anyone has one for sale, or runs across one. Preferably an empty reel.

This would be a Canadian made item and has a simple, cylindrical cranking handle, as shown in the attached illustration.

David

[Chris Suslowicz]

Heh. Just make sure you don't get a modern one - I bought some and the manufacturer had read the specification regarding rim thickness (1/4in.) and made the cheeks out of boiler plate instead of stamped tinplate with rolled edges!

I suspect that was why they were surplussed as NOS.

Makes a good doorstop, though.

They were originally a lineman's cable reel, and there was a wide leather belt with spindle that would take the reel (I saw one in the Blandford museum). There were later variants with stamped clips attached to take the couplers for the WS1 and WS11 aerial feeders and similar cables, and then the double width version for the WS19 and WS52 4-section aerials.

Chris.

[Bruce Parker]

And the next logical question is what did the wire look like and is there something modern you can use to replicate it cosmetically for a restoration?

[David Dunlop]

Sounds like those modern ones might make great ‘Fred Flintstone’ railway wheels, Chris!

David

[Bruce Parker]

Originally Posted by Chris Suslowicz

I bought some and the manufacturer had read the specification regarding rim thickness (1/4in.) and made the cheeks out of boiler plate instead of stamped tinplate with rolled edges!

Heavy yes, but bulletproof...

[David Dunlop]

Hi Bruce.

From what I have read for the 19-Set and 52-Set, you could restore either way, full or empty. I think a much larger, wooden spool of cable was issued with the set and was transferred to the smaller metal REEL as required. Makes me think they expected the deployed cable to be abandoned as often as not.

David

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker

And the next logical question is what did the wire look like and is there something modern you can use to replicate it cosmetically for a restoration?

Um.... I've got most of a reel of D3 Twisted (complete with some rather poor joints made with self-soldering sleeves), and it looks like fabric-covered cord.

It might be possible to fake it with woven sleeving over modern cable.

Chris.

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker

Heavy yes, but bulletproof...

I could dismantle it and the cheek plates would make a very good (and extremely lethal) discus.

:-)>

Chris.

[James D Teel II]

David. Email sent.

[David Dunlop]

Thanks everyone for your help.

David