Long Range Tackle Box

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mmayo

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I have looked at this section of the forum for while before posting my other passion which is making tackle boxes for long range fishermen. These boxes are on the water for many days a year under tough conditions. I have made 15 so far; here are a couple:


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The last walnut one was made from a reclaimed king-sized headboard made from vintage American black walnut! By the way, my friend is sorta cheap in that he complained that I asked him for $120 (my cost) for the stainless tubes and marine hardware for this box!

The rest of them were usually from a single solid piece of hardwood and machined to create the boxes. I got into pen turning after making the dowels with a hand drill and hating it. Now, I have a lathe and do this in a civilized manner.
 
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mmayo

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The dowel pegs hold pvc wrapped in shrink tubing called "pullers" used to tie knots and pull strongly on both mono and spectra fishing line to avoid lines cuts to fingers. Once someone who fishes uses them they are "hooked".

The stainless eyelets are used to tie hooks. They are oriented at 90 degree angles to allow for hooks with rings or plain hooks without rings. The problem on a fishing boat is to find a place to tie and hook and pull the knot tightly to seat the knot. I find lots of fishermen using my box and these eyelets to tie their hooks. Usually this is cool, but sometimes...
 
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I'm drooling here. My first love is fishing, and those are just so purdy. Can you post a pic of o e with some use? I'd love to see one with some character. Kinda like an old fishing reel with battle scars, and stories to match.
 

Miles42

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Wow impressive work. Thanks for posting. Makes me want to keep on trying something new.
 
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mmayo

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My boxes in action on The Royal Star Sportfishing boat

I'm drooling here. My first love is fishing, and those are just so purdy. Can you post a pic of o e with some use? I'd love to see one with some character. Kinda like an old fishing reel with battle scars, and stories to match.


All of these boxes are at least 4 years old some are 7 years old. They are used on several fishing trips of 3-12 days every year and still look great.

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Just looking at these photos makes me really anxious to be on that boat at sea again soon! I am making the three skippers of the boat pens made from pieces of teak railing from the boat as gifts.
 
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They look like hat after as much as 7 years, and your buddy complained about getting one for the cost of hardware? Some people just have no appreciation. There's being cheap, and then there's being....... You did say he was a friend, so I'll leave that alone. :)
 

fernhills

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Awesome, The amount of money fishermen spend on their hobby is a lot. So they would be willing to pay a good price for something so useful. I think you found a good business nitch. Carl
 

JMCU

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Those are really nice. It would be difficult for me to even consider the time it would take to do one.
 

walshjp17

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I really never had an urge to fish and must stay out of direct sunlight without a hat, long sleeves (and a portable A/C :wink:) due to a bout with basal cell, but seeing these beautifully crafted tackle boxes makes me wanna run right out and sign up for a 5 day.

Well done, sir, well done.
 

mmayo

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What finish?

Fantastic workmanship. I like them. What finish do you use? Something that holds up like that must be tough.

I have always used pricey System Three Marine Spar Varnish. At first I brushed it on slowly one horizontal surface at a time. That worked by took over one week to finish one coat. Now I dilute the same finish with mineral spirits and wipe it on. It is a thinner film so more coats are needed, but I can do almost the entire box with each coat. The final finish is the same. It is like 20 coats of thin CA vs four thin and five medium coats.
 

mmayo

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Time needed

Those are really nice. It would be difficult for me to even consider the time it would take to do one.

I am not a real woodworker, my skill is in science and teaching. As a hobbyist, it takes me about 40 hours from wood at my house to finished box.
 

stonepecker

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And your friend COMPLAINED?

He isn't a friend. $120 in hardware on a $750 custom made tacklebox? That is nothing. Personally, I would kick him to the curb and not think twice.

Those boxs are fantastic. Just wish I could afford one......that is something special and you should be proud of you work.
 
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A friend is a friend and you take them as they take me- warts and all. We have been friends since 1974.

Lol. The best of friends often want to stick a foot up each other's rear ends very now and again. If they've been good friends long enough, they may have even tried once or twice over the years.
 

mmayo

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Ten year old veteran box after a refurb.

I'm drooling here. My first love is fishing, and those are just so purdy. Can you post a pic of o e with some use? I'd love to see one with some character. Kinda like an old fishing reel with battle scars, and stories to match.

A friend asked for an upgrade to stainless steel tubes and I decided to sand the box with 400 grit and wipe on two coats of spar varnish. It still has battle scars from over 120 days at sea, but it is better protected now.

After sanding
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After finish
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They take a licken and keep on fishin ( sorry for that )
 

mmayo

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Box 17 in progress and will live in Maryland, but fish out of San Diego.

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Definitely not done, but moving along nicely. I used to make the small dowels shown in the top photo by taking a square piece of wood and jamming it into my drill press. I would then sand it round using my hand. Yes, I did that before owning a wonderful lathe. So simple now...so perfect
 
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mmayo

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After a bit of work and two thin coats of expensive spar varnish box 17 looks like this.
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The stainless steel tubes arrive in bad shape but my trusty pen lathe makes it beautiful. Before and after.

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Just add sandpaper and effort.
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Now that I am applying finish I can make more Jr. Gent II's with nice wood burls and new poly resin black and gold vein blanks.
 
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Brian Frank

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Pinole, California
fantastic Tackle Boxes. Great craftsmanship. I do have one question. What are the black round cylinders for? Some pictures have them and some pictures have them removed. They look like they have some sort of rubber coating.
 

mmayo

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fantastic Tackle Boxes. Great craftsmanship. I do have one question. What are the black round cylinders for? Some pictures have them and some pictures have them removed. They look like they have some sort of rubber coating.

The black cylinders are an humble invention of mine called line pullers. When fishing you need to seat knots firmly by pulling on the line. If you do this and do not have stainless steel skin you get line cuts. This is especially true when tying monofilament to spectra line which easily cuts flesh. Below are the pullers showing some indentations that were caused by line and a closeup of on puller. Each mark would have been a cut in a finger.

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mmayo

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If you make some use 1" PVC & heat shrink tubing and absolutely NEVER let the line go over other line when wrapping it around the pullers. I have a couple stainless steel eye bolts on the front of my tackle box to attach the hook. I can easily break 50# test mono using this technique if too much pull is applied. That said, if I pull tightly and the knot does not break or loosen it won't come free during a tough fight with a big fish.

Yellowfin tuna
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Bluefin tuna
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Yum!
 
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