Its four in the morning..

[Richard Parsons]

Hey Rich - I have a couple of 3500b Triton Sea Spins, if you're interested?

 

[Roger Hopkins]

Altogether now…

 

[Richard Isaacs]

Hey Rich - I have a couple of 3500b Triton Sea Spins, if you're interested?

I used to have a set n they were brilliant
Mine were a rough pair mind I bought em both off Gumtree for about 100 quid the pair. I completely rebuilt them as they’d been for a dunk or two. Cracking reels but I couldn’t balance them up on my barbel rods. Too fat n heavy for my liking.
impressive build quality mind. While mine were completely rebuilt I didn’t need to replace any bits.

 

[Ady Brayshaw]

I used to have a set n they were brilliant
Mine were a rough pair mind I bought em both off Gumtree for about 100 quid the pair. I completely rebuilt them as they’d been for a dunk or two. Cracking reels but I couldn’t balance them up on my barbel rods. Too fat n heavy for my liking.
impressive build quality mind. While mine were completely rebuilt I didn’t need to replace any bits.

I've a pair of second hand 4500's Richard. The build quality is reasonably good although the line lay is not that great. I do like the older Shimano's.

 

[Richard Parsons]

I've a pair of second hand 4500's Richard. The build quality is reasonably good although the line lay is not that great. I do like the older Shimano's.

Line lay isn't really an issue when fishing a couple of rod lengths out, though it's always been a bug-bear of these reels. Extremely durable and great quality components, however. Mine rarely see the light of day though as I've used pins exclusively for nigh on ten years.

 

[Richard Isaacs]

I've a pair of second hand 4500's

Catfish reels those.
the predator boys love the 4500 shimmys for the cats

 

[Bill Walford]

What annoys me about the tackle trade and they are all gulty of it is they bring out an excellent item of tackle and we could all name some of the classic rods, reels, bags etc etc. A good example is the original Shimano baitrunners which were well engineered, solid workhorses. Then after a couple of years they are superceded by supposedly upgraded replacement models which are frequently made in the middle east which are nothing like the quality of the original models just cheap quality. So then when you try to purchase a secondhand original the price has soared out of all proportion. Moan over.

I worked for a British engineering company and equipment manufacturer and over the past ten years have been privy to quite a few meetings which involved “product developement” ie. what can we take out, redesign, reduce in size/weight etc but the cynic in me says it was all about reducing production costs which ultimately just reduced build quality and I’m not looking thru’ the eyes of an engineer. Happens in all walks of life I’m afraid…..

 

[Ady Brayshaw]

Line lay isn't really an issue when fishing a couple of rod lengths out, though it's always been a bug-bear of these reels. Extremely durable and great quality components, however. Mine rarely see the light of day though as I've used pins exclusively for nigh on ten years.

Yes, I've no need to cast long distances Richard. The 4500's are good reels although I've never used a pin for barbel. I'm probably missing out.

 

[Ady Brayshaw]

Catfish reels those.
the predator boys love the 4500 shimmys for the cats

Yes I know a lot of of pikers that use them Richard.

 

[Ady Brayshaw]

I

I worked for a British engineering company and equipment manufacturer and over the past ten years have been privy to quite a few meetings which involved “product developement” ie. what can we take out, redesign, reduce in size/weight etc but the cynic in me says it was all about reducing production costs which ultimately just reduced build quality and I’m not looking thru’ the eyes of an engineer. Happens in all walks of life I’m afraid…..

I've seen that a lot over the years Bill. From fishing tackle up to safety critical parts in engineering projects. I think the 'rot set in' with cheap imported steel over twenty years ago.

 

[Bill Walford]

I
I've seen that a lot over the years Bill. From fishing tackle up to safety critical parts in engineering projects. I think the 'rot set in' with cheap imported steel over twenty years ago.

Bloody shame Ady, we (Britain) was once the workshop of the world and British product was wanted and desirable. You can tell I’m a miserable old git can’t you

 

[Paul Richardson]

Bloody shame Ady, we (Britain) was once the workshop of the world and British product was wanted and desirable. You can tell I’m a miserable old git can’t you

Nope you’re not Bill
You speak sense and I’m afraid chickens are coming home to roost as I deal with the Far East and let me tell you it is a nightmare getting products out of there
Container costs have at least quadrupled in 12 months and materials costs are hugely unstable
In my business we are a pivot point where we are starting to plan to manufacture back in the UK where we can
Easier said than done though as we have let a lot of our manufacturing go to rot, but we’ll have a good go

 

[Neil Smart]

Bloody shame Ady, we (Britain) was once the workshop of the world and British product was wanted and desirable. You can tell I’m a miserable old git can’t you

Nope you’re not Bill
You speak sense and I’m afraid chickens are coming home to roost as I deal with the Far East and let me tell you it is a nightmare getting products out of there
Container costs have at least quadrupled in 12 months and materials costs are hugely unstable
In my business we are a pivot point where we are starting to plan to manufacture back in the UK where we can
Easier said than done though as we have let a lot of our manufacturing go to rot, but we’ll have a good go

That's a real turnaround in fortunes for the Far East. I was involved in sourcing Far East PCB assembly early 2000's and it was a huge saving than on shore. But never felt at ease with that, there were some excellent facilities over here for manufacturing, but just too expensive. IF your business can adapt it would be a huge plus, I wish you luck.

 

[Paul Richardson]

That's a real turnaround in fortunes for the Far East. I was involved in sourcing Far East PCB assembly early 2000's and it was a huge saving than on shore. But never felt at ease with that, there were some excellent facilities over here for manufacturing, but just too expensive. IF your business can adapt it would be a huge plus, I wish you luck.

We’ll always be dependant on them Neil but for the first time in a long time the differential on some parts isn’t much and simply getting stuff supersedes these savings

 

[Ady Brayshaw]

It's all a very short term decision switching manufacturing abroad. A lot of the reasons for the political unrest in the West has to do with decisions like that. Quality manufacturing jobs are needed here that add value to the economy. A nation like ours can't survive for ever on continued debasement of currency (issuance of debt) and jobs at MacDonalds.

 

[Stephen Crowhurst]

It's all a very short term decision switching manufacturing abroad. A lot of the reasons for the political unrest in the West has to do with decisions like that. Quality manufacturing jobs are needed here that add value to the economy. A nation like ours can't survive for ever on continued debasement of currency (issuance of debt) and jobs at MacDonalds.

Don’t even get me started. My generation have literally had their futures pulled from under their feet, sold toilet roll degrees for vast sums and paying mortgages that will never be paid off. The sad thing is a lot of them/us can’t even see how it happened.

 

[Dave Quinn]

It's all a very short term decision switching manufacturing abroad. A lot of the reasons for the political unrest in the West has to do with decisions like that. Quality manufacturing jobs are needed here that add value to the economy. A nation like ours can't survive for ever on continued debasement of currency (issuance of debt) and jobs at MacDonalds.

Unfortunately for years now, in global terms, we’ve had a low-skilled workforce and low-productivity issues. It’s only getting worse with Brexit

Manufacturing will go to countries with cheap, flexible and skilled Labour and a technologically progressive culture. High wage economies like ours are, unfortunately, finished as far as manufacturing on a scale is concerned. Unless we see huge subsidies from the government.

You’re not wrong about the debt though, it’ll get more expensive and more difficult to pay off soon enough.

 

[Ady Brayshaw]

Unfortunately for years now, in global terms, we’ve had a low-skilled workforce and low-productivity issues. It’s only getting worse with Brexit

Manufacturing will go to countries with cheap, flexible and skilled Labour and a technologically progressive culture. High wage economies like ours are, unfortunately, finished as far as manufacturing on a scale is concerned. Unless we see huge subsidies from the government.

You’re not wrong about the debt though, it’ll get more expensive and more difficult to pay off soon enough.

Problem is, that many see an easier option than doing science or engineering subjects. There are skills shortages in both as university and further education establishments close their departments in favour of 'other' subjects. Even Germany is struggling, but I can't help imagining that they perhaps have a longer term plan in place.

 

[Joe Winstanley]

Interesting article published by Richard Murphy yesterday on the subject of Government debt:

The debt fetishists are back in town – demanding that we shrink the state for reasons that they cannot explain

The IFS has opined on the options available to the Chancellor in the Spending Review that was to be announced this week, but which will not be because he is isolating as a result of a Covid contact with Sajid Javid. There are two headlines. First, they think Sunak is planning...

www.taxresearch.org.uk

If this sort of thing interests you then I can recommend his book, 'The Joy of Tax'. Sounds drier than Gandhi's flip-flop's but I actually found it fascinating, completely challenged the way I understood Govt Debt and taxation. It's all part of a macroeconomic theory known as Modern Monetary Theory. See here: https://www.investopedia.com/modern-monetary-theory-mmt-4588060

 

[Stephen Crowhurst]

Unfortunately for years now, in global terms, we’ve had a low-skilled workforce and low-productivity issues. It’s only getting worse with Brexit

Manufacturing will go to countries with cheap, flexible and skilled Labour and a technologically progressive culture. High wage economies like ours are, unfortunately, finished as far as manufacturing on a scale is concerned. Unless we see huge subsidies from the government.

You’re not wrong about the debt though, it’ll get more expensive and more difficult to pay off soon enough.

Go round in circles there though. Maybe if Brits working in construction and manufacturing had been born in mind back in 2004, ahead of profit margins secured my low wage migrant workers there wouldn’t be a Brexit and more incentive to actually train and invest in the workforce available.

I’ve seen both sides of things. Sometimes it works well like when I was involved in building high end projects like Super Yachts with really talented and skilled international workforce. I’ve also seen skilled guys replaced by less skilled cheaper workers and the work not even advertised within the U.K. as they knew they wouldn’t get the workers due to the money and conditions.

I don’t blame anyone who chased their ambition and I don’t see it as “taking our jobs” etc but there was certainly a stage where business was cutting the knees off skilled guys already in the country. It cheapens labour and lowers the standards of working conditions. Lots of skilled men walked away from their trades as well as they simply became unviable.