I am building a custom fishing rod for a young boy with disabilities. I have a majority of the customization that has to be done to the rod figured out He is missing the ulna which caused his radius to grow in almost a horseshoe shape. He does have the use of his thumb and two fingers, rest of fingers are missing. i am at the point where I want to extend the finger tabs off the spincast reel handle and change the shape of those grips (will be using EVA block and shaping). My only problem is the current tabs are held in place by pins that rotate. I can remove the current tabs with a dremel. the pins on the reel are too short for what I need to do. Is the rotation of the tabs while reeling in the line on the reel crucial? And if so how do i fabricate that ?

Photo of what needs to be removed and modfied is attached.
thanks
Buzz

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Buzz,
You use the word "tabs".
Are you referring to the nylon handle that is held in the fingers when the reel is turned?

If so, just use a dremel to grind off the old handle pin. Then, use a piece of brass solid stock to fabricate a new on on the lathe.

yeah its the " fabricate a new one on the lathe" that I an having trouble with. Might be I need to take a trip to our local high school and get one of the Shop Rats to make one for me

Sounds like a good plan.

Buzz,

From your photo that looks to be a newer style zebco 33. If that is the case there aren't three pins. The holes on the left and right are just dead space nothing in them. The center hole is where the pin is. If I was to add new handles to this reel this is how I would do it. This is very hard to explain via post and if you have more questions shoot me an email and we can talk on the phone. So you have the reel handle thats the part that says zebco. Then you the two thumb knobs that come off of it, This is what I think you are wanting to replace. First take the handle out of the reel by removing the screw from the other side of the reel. Then cut both knobs in half. Side off all the plasitc pieces then hammer out the remaining metal shaft. Go down to the hardware store with the handle to size up the best drill/tap size that will work with the existing holes left. Find two screws that with thread into the newley created threads that will make your new knobs the size you want. Make sure to drill your knobs out to be a bit larger then the screws or else they won't spin, or find a metal tube that can be glued inside your new knobs that will easly rotate around the screws. Make sure to locktight in the screws so they don't back out. I really hope this makes sence.

That makes a LOT of sense and is just what i was looking for. You might be getting an email from me as I get closer to that point.
thanks much, Buzz

Another option may be to create the new handle and add it to the existing by epoxying pins from the existing handle to the new extension using the existing holes.

Chris Richer
Iroquois ON

Buzz,
Depending on the handicap, it might sense to have a single paddle on the rod handle rather than the current double paddle rod handle.

Often, the 2nd paddle can get in the way of the hand or fingers that is or or gripping the other paddle.

If you are making a new handle, it would be simple to cut off 1/2 of the handle.

I am assuming that this is the double paddle reel handle.

Take care

Yes I had planned to go with the single paddle.

Buzz,

Here is some photos of my daughters Zebco I just did a month back.

Jimmy,
Really nice job on the reel.
I see that you sprayed the reel with paint.
May I ask what type and brand paint you used for the reel. Great job.

Be safe

I'v been using krylon fusion with great results. I even have a 3wt fiberglass fly rod that has about a 1 1/2 years use on it without anysigns of scratches or chips. The trick is to follow the instructions on the can to a T.