Trotline winder size question - 10" vs 12" disks

[polarkraft]

Trying to narrow down my search for a trotline winder and wanted to know what the advantages and disadvantages of 10" vs 12" hauler disks? I thought that I heard or read somewhere that one size might be better for clam bags. Any opinions or preferences would be appreciated!

In my case it would be an electric winder (1/2HP) and I run good 3 strand soft lay with 1/4" snoods with a few 3/16" snoods mixed in, 1200' lines, and clams for at least half the season... if it matters.

[Stabilizer]

I think all things being equal, the 12" is faster, while the 10" is stronger.  Either should retrieve what you described without any issues.

[Seaweed]

10 is plenty

[polarkraft]

Thanks for the feedback. With that said I will likely go with a 10" disk to save some weight in the disks, body, knife and hub.

On another note, are there any recommendations on any of the dimensions in the attached picture? There are lots of variations between locally manufactured winders, custom made and home made winders. Some have a long entrance ramp (yellow line) with a flap, some have a flap and no ramp and some have nothing at all. Some have a wide gap (12") between the body wall and disks (blue line), some at 6 inches and others in the 2-4 inch range, also on the exit side of the disk (red line) what is the ideal dimension for that?

[rdbeard]

a 10 in disk usually leaves more room for the clam bags to go through without beating up your clams too bad.

[Mr. Ray III]

The larger the disk the faster it comes in. Might as well go with a 14” or 17” so you can pull the line in on plane.  

As far as the picture you posted, I’d make that part a few inches longer then your drops, so they are laying flat before being fed through the winder

[rj]

originally most trotline winders were 12" disks, however when people started using clams & the rays came, people started putting Pipe in bags, they found that there was not enough clearance between the disks & the side of the tray  (the red & the blue in your photo) to allow the bags with pipe to pass through.  in some instances we cut the tray apart & added to it to make it big enough to allow the bags with pipe to pass through it.  others changed to 10" disks, which also allowed enough clearance for the bag with pipe to pass.  take a clam bag  put a short piece about 1" long, of 2" pvc pipe in it & check for clearance between the disks & the side of the winder.   my winders now have 4" of clearance between the edge of the disks & the side of the winder.  this allows plenty of room for the Bag/pipe to pass through.  the distance  from the disks to the end of the winder (the yellow line) is 8". Performance wise, I see little difference between our 10" & 12" winders, they both work well!   once you get one you will not leave home without it!  If my winder is not working I'm not going!!

  

[Crab Shack]

So size DOES matter!      

[polarkraft]

The larger the disk the faster it comes in. Might as well go with a 14” or 17” so you can pull the line in on plane.  

As far as the picture you posted, I’d make that part a few inches longer then your drops, so they are laying flat before being fed through the winder

Thanks Mr. Ray! That makes good sense...

[polarkraft]

originally most trotline winders were 12" disks, however when people started using clams & the rays came, people started putting Pipe in bags, they found that there was not enough clearance between the disks & the side of the tray  (the red & the blue in your photo) to allow the bags with pipe to pass through.  in some instances we cut the tray apart & added to it to make it big enough to allow the bags with pipe to pass through it.  others changed to 10" disks, which also allowed enough clearance for the bag with pipe to pass.  take a clam bag  put a short piece about 1" long, of 2" pvc pipe in it & check for clearance between the disks & the side of the winder.   my winders now have 4" of clearance between the edge of the disks & the side of the winder.  this allows plenty of room for the Bag/pipe to pass through.  the distance  from the disks to the end of the winder (the yellow line) is 8". Performance wise, I see little difference between our 10" & 12" winders, they both work well!   once you get one you will not leave home without it!  If my winder is not working I'm not going!!

  

Thanks RJ for the detailed response, just the kind of info and experience I was looking for! I will be sure to post some pics when I get closer to the assembly process.

[polarkraft]

RJ and Mr Ray,

This template is what I came up with based on your advice and observing what others have done. I will likely extend the ramp out an extra 2 inches to fully utilize the materials I have. My question is where to place the knife and end the bottom plate? In my template, it's about 2:30 in its current orientation and the bottom plate ends around 5:30. I measured the hub RPM at a steady 99-100 RPM (225-260 FPM w/ 10" disks) if that info helps with the placement.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated!

pk

[polarkraft]

Here's the progress so far. Still more to figure out and dial in.

Thanks Mr Ray for the suggestion to start the knife edge at 3 o'clock! Now my next question. What should the optimum clearance be between the knife and disk sheaves? Would 1/32" or 1/64" work or is more tolerance ok, maybe 1/16" or more?

[Mr. Ray III]

Here is a pic of one of the pullers I have. Knife is tight as can be. I have another one that’s really tight for the first 3/4 of the sheaves but then flattens out toward the outside.  I had one that would scrape sometimes.  But I called it a “machined fit”.