Posts by Wishihadgills

That gun was designed to make people look stupid. For a bullet like that to be fired the person shooting is just being set up for failure. All the things mrmike mentioned would help but the biggest thing wrong is the shooting stances of all the guys in the vid. If you have ever watched a professional shooter they lean forward and have their weight on their front foot all of the guys except the last guy were leaning back hence they all fall over. The last guy has fairly square stance witch is better and the results are obvious.

Still makes for a funny vid:thumbsup2:

Steve how did you cut the angles on the stock (chamfer)? Did you just adjust the angle on the table saw and run it through?

You might want to look into some of the other brands. I have a Riffe euro 100X and I absolutely love it. There are some brands out there like Koah and Seasniper that make some really nice guns and can also fill the roles your looking for. The reason I mentioned the Koah brand is because they make an enclosed track gun that can be overpowered to give you some blue water hunting and also perform on the reefs. I dont have any personal experience with the brand but Ive heard goof things. The other option is the one Dan alluded to, building your own gun(s). Its not necessarily cheaper than a Riffe but you will get exactly what you want. Im in the process of building a 55" enclosed track rear handle plus gun that is similar to a riffe (becasue thats what I learned with). With some help from people on the forum you can make a great gun.

Interesting question Dan. It really depends on the weather and lighting. In really sunny conditions I would say from experience white objects are very visible ( white reflects the most light of any other color) but are rather ordinary on the sea. Something similar to the highlighter yellow would also be pretty good but these colors tend to get dirty really quick. What about some kind of striped paint job thats gives the best of all the worlds? With yellow, white and orange/red stripes. They are all bright, the contrast makes it catch the eye and because the color isnt uniform it would be easy to spot and lock onto at a distance. Just my 2 cents.

I used West systems 105 with 207 hardener. The 207 is relatively expensive and also clear. A lot of people prefer the 206 or 209 for pouring tracks because they are cheaper. I used the 207 because I only could afford one type of epoxy and wanted a clear for the coating. Also I was originally going to wrap the gun in carbon fiber but made a last minute change. I also used molybdenum graphite and west systems 403 microfibers. The graphite gives it the color and is supposed to reduce friction. ( Some people argue this I think it works but dont have any experience with it till now) The Microfibers add strength and thicken the epoxy. I didnt use a precise recipe for the mix I added fibers until the epoxy reached the consistency of catsup and then added the graphite to color.

Just received these pics of the track from Bill (WoodGuy)

Ive always liked the look of wood myself. It just has a natural warmth and the blank that Bill made for me is almost a work of art.

Just an update, I sent the stock to Bill (WoodGuy) to have the track routed and the mech pocket cut aswell as the mech pinned.

I have to give a big thanks to both Bill and Jeff for all the help they have given me on this gun. I cant wait till I get a chance to use this gun.

They are very similar designs and I was lucky enough to get my reel "blank" meaning no brand engraving so I will be free to engrave it and style it to my taste for my custom gun im building.

Also, thanks Dan for posting the pictures and just for reference the drag knob on the reel posted by greekdiver is very similar to the one on the ulusub.

The drag nob isnt as small as it looks in the pictures ( maybe 3/4" wide and slightly more than .5" tall) and turns easily enough. Jon explained that the reel is not designed to be used with the drag locked down and that the spearo should use his/her hand to apply most of the force. That being said the drag is still very smooth. The reel seems heavy in your hand but there is an included weight that is to be used when the reel isnt attached to the gun so that your ballasting doesnt change. This weight isnt very heavy maybe only 10-20 grams or so. Ill try to get an exact weight for you tomorrow though.

Just received the reef 60 reel from Ulusub, the first word that comes to mind is SOLID. This reel seems indestructible. It may not be the prettiest or flashiest reel on the market but it is simple and well made and should last a lifetime.

Thanks Jon (Behslayer) for a great product.

Initially I was going to wrap the gun in carbon fiber so I had to do all of the shaping before I did that. Then yesterday afternoon I changed my mind and decided that I loved the look of the teak. At this point in my gun building it would add too many complications. In hindsight I wouldn't have rounded the corners so soon but too late now Its also only a quarter round and doesnt make the measurements too difficult especially since I already have the major measurements already marked on the gun from when it was square.

So I got a chance to work on my gun build a bit before christmas. I started by pouring the track.

IMG]http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/8238/img0462z.jpg[/IMG]

I made sure I over poured but under estimated how much I needed and had to mix a second batch.

I used a propane torch to remove as many bubbles as I could. (Tip: make the blank a little tall and pour the track extra deep. or build up a damn along the track.) I still have a few pock marks from bubbles that were in the top layer.

Today I started with the shaping. I decided to go with a lower profile and ended up cutting almost a quarter of an inch off the bottom. Then using a table router I rounded off the edges with a quarter round bit.

Tonight I started working on cutting out the space for the handle. Since Im back home and dont have access to a mill anymore I had to do this the hard way with a drill press and chisels. Ill post some pics when I finished.

Is there anyone in the Miami Fl area that has a ball cutting bit that I could borrow or that would be willing to help a first time builder cut an enclosed track? Its a poured epoxy track and Im cutting a track for a 5/16 in shaft.

Thanks Guys,

Xan

Quote from metelin

i though olive oil was a greek thing:D.

My last name is Pergakis I am greek.

Dan, does persuit make a 5/16 or 7.5 mm?

Would you mind sharing the magic secret to stoning fish?

I like olive oil if I plan on shooting a fish any time soon. Im partial to the taste but for long term storage 3in1 or WD-40 works well.

You have to be impresed with that Japanese steel. Those guys are machines

Ive had spots on my knife before but Ive had my riffe shaft without rust so its probably a little overkill. I hunt and out of practice I always oil the gun before putting it away for the season. I just make it part of my routine before I put my gun up to go to school.

Tinman: I like your test on the yield stress but I would have to ask about heat treating (tempered) steel. Im sure we agree that heating and cooling steel will cause it to harden ( become more brittle as well) or other affects depending how its done. How much would variation in this process from company to company? What about the heat treating of different alloys?

I was assuming that the difference in the yield stress for the spring steel vs the ss was either negligible or small enough to the point were the odds of a fish putting the right force that would bend one shaft and not the other are pretty small.

I would probably agree with Dan in that case. All things the same having a shaft that wont rust in a few years. I personally wipe down all my metals (knives, spears etc) with either olive oil or WD-40 depending on the season to prevent rust or other oxidation. But spending 20-30 more on a shaft that wont rust and may last a life time seems like a good idea to me.