U-Reely type handle

Need some help here. A PAMPA member from Virginia snail mailed me with a question about a handle similar to the famous Jim Walker U-Reely but this one is (I'll quote) "...clear plastic with a crank handle on each side. Each crank turns it's own plastic reel inside. Each reel had it's own square teeth around the outer edge about 1/4 inch deep. The reel could be locked in position by a finger operated locking pall, located on each side of the handle." This reel was purchased in about 1953 and a friend of his (Willis Swindell) thinks it may be a Cox product.

I own my original Black Plastic U-Reely but never saw or heard of a clear one. Would appreciate any help you guys can give me here. Thanks in advance,

>Need some help here. A PAMPA member from Virginia snail
>mailed me with a question about a handle similar to the
>famous Jim Walker U-Reely but this one is (I'll quote)
>"...clear plastic with a crank handle on each side. Each
>crank turns it's own plastic reel inside. Each reel had it's
>own square teeth around the outer edge about 1/4 inch deep.
>The reel could be locked in position by a finger operated
>locking pall, located on each side of the handle." This
>reel was purchased in about 1953 and a friend of his (Willis
>Swindell) thinks it may be a Cox product.
>
>I own my original Black Plastic U-Reely but never saw or
>heard of a clear one. Would appreciate any help you guys
>can give me here. Thanks in advance,
>
>John (the only member of PAMPA in Pampa) Ashford

I had a Cox handle like that one--in around the same era. It worked OK for small planes, but suffered the same problems the U-Reely does--too much weight, too much overhang, not adjustable. However, we were young and didn't know better then. I flew the U-Reelys for a long time. The Cox probably got traded off somewhere in my adventures.

I had the same handles as Leonard (and the same experiences--could we be about the same age, or what!). The plastic handle is a Cox, I'm sure. It always managed to get the lines tangled inside the spool case, if memory serves. Finally, we just wrapped the lines around the handle to store them. The next step was to replace the handle altogether.

LAST EDITED ON Oct-05-03 AT 09:47 AM (CDT)
 
It's a Cox "Skylon" (made from clear nylon, like some early Grish props). I liked it better than the U-Reely as it had individual adjustment for the line length. It's mostly for small planes (which is what Cox made) and is a nifty collectable today. I have seen an NIB one go for $250 on Ebay.

John

BTW: First U-Reelys were wood, second issue was black Bakelite, third injection moulded polystyrene (black), and the fourth same as the third but a hideous orange color. I have had all but the first and last ones. All of the 6 or so I had I sold to John Brodak @ $10 ea. and was glad to see the last of them.

Here is my Thimble Drone vintage 1953-55. It works fine for Ringmasters and Fox 35 planes. It has two handles that can be adjusted and locked separate from each other.Is this what you have?

Thanks to all of you guys. EddyR: I don't have the reel. It was a question posed by one of the people who read my column in SN and I was trying to get an answer for him. I think I can tell him a little about it now. Thanks again to all!

See that crank handle. DON'T do square manuvers with that handle. The lines catch on the crank handle. Yes its a COX product, but is kind of frail. The pin that stops the reel is plastic and breaks off often. Actually, it doesn't break often, just once, then people throw it away.
Anybody ever hear of a "Meister" u-reely type handle. Made of wood, presumably German. I'll bring it to Golden State OCT 18&19 for folks to see.