SWIVEL WARS: Ball Bearing Swivel vs. Barrel Swivel vs. Crane Swivel

[EastTexas]

NOW READ THIS:
SWIVEL WARS: Ball Bearing Swivel vs. Barrel Swivel vs. Crane Swivel

Some where in the Republic Of Texas a kayak fisherman has sparked the Swivel Wars between the Three Swivel Races with a 16,000 RPM Rotary Tool.

Who will survive?
Only time will tell…

The Twist Test - Till the 15# line pops oof of Rotary Tool.

* Barrel Swivel - 6 Seconds
Ball Bearing Swivel - 5 Seconds (I did this one two times...)
Crane Swivel - 4 Seconds

[nofearengineer]

Sounds like fun...but I have a question.

What is the purpose of your testing? If it's just for fun, that's great. However, assuming you took your rotary tool (Dremel maybe?) up to 10k rpms or higher, this wouldn't provide any indication whatsoever of "real conditions" endurance.

It's kind of like the old NASCAR fallacy. Chevy/Ford/Chrysler won more races this year, so they must make the better station wagon. What racing at 200 mph for 2-1/2 hours has to do with going to the grocery story and picking up the kids from school, I have no idea.

Likewise, if the bass in your neck of the woods are capable of doing a 10k rpm death-roll when hooked, I need to come fishing with you, friend.

[EastTexas]

What is the purpose of your testing?
I wanted to know which one was better.

I thought the Ball Bearing Swivel would’ve won, but it did not.
For some odd reason I always got more line twist with them than a Barrel Swivel when using an in-line spinners.

I used a Dremel knockoff.


Why don’t you run a test and post it here too?
Inquiring minds want to know.

[nofearengineer]

East Texas, if you really need to know which one is better, you need to test it under conditions it will actually see. like maybe 500 rpms max. It doesn't surprise me that the ball bearing performed worse under those conditions.

If you took the ball bearing to 10,000 rpms, it would not surprise me to find out that each ball in the bearing was seeing 80,000 rpms relative to the side of the bearing housing. Failure is a big duh at that point.

Strictly speaking, ball bearings are made for carrying load at reasonable speed, not uber-high speeds.

[BigBassin144]

East T, when you say "better", what exactly do you mean. Personally, when it comes to swivels, I tend to think better means smoother, or turns more easily. But as nofear said, it seems as your test deals with durability more so than performance.

performance wise, I don't notice much difference between crane and barrel swivels; however, I do think ball bearing swivel are much smoother and allow movement much better than the two previously mentioned swivels.

It is interesting to see which was more durable though, but as nofear said, does this really resemble real world conditions?

Which brings me to another question: Is a swivel only good for so many turns before it wears out, or does the extreme heat, friction, etc. from accelerating the spinning process effect the durability and make it wear out sooner (sooner referring to less revolutions, not time)

BB

[robertmee]

That's a most ridiculous test. It's like dropping golfballs from a 747 and declaring the one that doesn't disintegrate the most the better performing golf ball.

[CMorg]

Originally Posted by nofearengineer

Sounds like fun...but I have a question.

What is the purpose of your testing? If it's just for fun, that's great. However, assuming you took your rotary tool (Dremel maybe?) up to 10k rpms or higher, this wouldn't provide any indication whatsoever of "real conditions" endurance.

It's kind of like the old NASCAR fallacy. Chevy/Ford/Chrysler won more races this year, so they must make the better station wagon. What racing at 200 mph for 2-1/2 hours has to do with going to the grocery story and picking up the kids from school, I have no idea.

Likewise, if the bass in your neck of the woods are capable of doing a 10k rpm death-roll when hooked, I need to come fishing with you, friend.

Ten four , Id like to go as well...

[MallenManson]

Originally Posted by CMorg

Ten four , Id like to go as well...

Me too....I better get more anchors....

[cassidyta]

Originally Posted by robertmee

That's a most ridiculous test. It's like dropping golfballs from a 747 and declaring the one that doesn't disintegrate the most the better performing golf ball.

Cut him some slack. While the test may not apply to real world scenarios, it was still his attempt at a test. Additionally, he stated it was round 1. Let's see what round 2 brings.

[nofearengineer]

Yeah...take 'er easy on ol' East Texas. I wasn't trying to make fun of the test, just trying to give some advice for a better test, and an explanations as to why. I think it showed some good initiative to try to make a definitive determination of which was best. Besides, destroying stuff in new ways is fun.

I too would like to see Round Two.

[EastTexas]

I did a test with the tools I had on hand.
If you have better tools by all means use them!

Why don’t you run a test and post it here too?
Inquiring minds want to know.

[nofearengineer]

I just meant run the Dremel at a lower speed, ET. Does yours have a speed setting?

[EastTexas]

It has only ON/OFF 8(
That's why it's a Dremel knockoff!

[nofearengineer]

Originally Posted by EastTexas

It has only ON/OFF 8(

Ouch...when you said a knock off, you meant it LOL. Hmmm...I've decided to forgo another week of getting skunked in favor of taking care of the ranch this weekend. I might dig out my Dremel, re-learn how to work it, and see if I can do a test or two. Of course, this will require me to take a trip into the bait monkey's lair to get some swivels .....I might not return......

[EastTexas]

I seen somewhere online where Spro makes Crane Swivels that are close to the performance of Ball Bearing Swivels.

[nofearengineer]

Yeah, I'd hope to get comparable swivels (same weight rating, same manufacturer, etc.) to test. Otherwise, one might fail just because Company X makes a really crappy barrel swivel, and CompanyY makes an exceptionally good crane swivel.

By the way, my "Dremel" is a knock off too...it's a Craftsman, but it does have most of the bells and whistles. What did you hold the line in the tool with? Some sort of chuck?

[robertmee]

Originally Posted by cassidyta

Cut him some slack. While the test may not apply to real world scenarios, it was still his attempt at a test. Additionally, he stated it was round 1. Let's see what round 2 brings.

Wasn't criticizing him, just the test. As an engineer, I'm anal that way, so my apologies

[nofearengineer]

Originally Posted by robertmee

Wasn't criticizing him, just the test. As an engineer, I'm anal that way, so my apologies

Yeah, you guys have to understand, they keep us locked up in cages, solving puzzles, so we don't get to develop our social skills.

[Patrick Krueger, Jr.]

I've never had a swivel fail to work on spinnerbaits or in-lines, so the preference there would be the cheapest.

Twice, however, I've had fish break the swivel on C-rigs. Bass don't roll like cats or carp, that's the field where swivels get their real testing done.

Try to think of a way to apply weight and a comparable rotation speed. I'd like to see if a 20 lb. test swivel would still turn with that much weight or just not break.

[CMorg]

Originally Posted by nofearengineer

Yeah, I'd hope to get comparable swivels (same weight rating, same manufacturer, etc.) to test. Otherwise, one might fail just because Company X makes a really crappy barrel swivel, and CompanyY makes an exceptionally good crane swivel.

By the way, my "Dremel" is a knock off too...it's a Craftsman, but it does have most of the bells and whistles. What did you hold the line in the tool with? Some sort of chuck?

<---------- Proud genuine Dremel owner !!!

[EastTexas]

Originally Posted by nofearengineer

Yeah, I'd hope to get comparable swivels (same weight rating, same manufacturer, etc.) to test. Otherwise, one might fail just because Company X makes a really crappy barrel swivel, and CompanyY makes an exceptionally good crane swivel.

By the way, my "Dremel" is a knock off too...it's a Craftsman, but it does have most of the bells and whistles. What did you hold the line in the tool with? Some sort of chuck?

My Rotary Tool Set but with 60 Accessories & a case! I used the 2nd. Blue Stone on the Front Row.

I used 15# Cajun Red Lightnin' Line (The old USA Made stuff - don't get the china junk! - Just get BBG). The knots used were Trilene & Uni. The Swivels came from W&K Marts (They were on sale - OK!)

I like to use lures that twist my line like in-line spinners & spoons. I also like spinning reels that don't help much either... Now you know why Swivel WARS was created.

As always my the Swivel be with you...

[66KingFisher]

Originally Posted by nofearengineer

It's kind of like the old NASCAR fallacy. Chevy/Ford/Chrysler won more races this year, so they must make the better station wagon. What racing at 200 mph for 2-1/2 hours has to do with going to the grocery story and picking up the kids from school, I have no idea.

This comes from the old saying of "win on sunday, sell on monday" is what your referring too here.....it started at Nascars beginning, when the term "Stockcar" actually ment they were racing "Stock cars"....every part had to be on a stock vehicle or be able to be ordered from the dealers catalog......back then they couldn't go 200 mph, but it still caused folks to run out and purchase whatever brand car their favorite driver won with during sundays race....this doesn't apply anymore since nothing on a modern stockcar is the least bit stock...lol

One of the funniest things I ever overheard, was one nite while attending a dragrace at Tulsa international raceway, there was a middle aged couple sitting in front of us, and after watching a seriously modified 10sec Ford Pinto blow the doors clean off what was probably a mildly modified Camaro during the quarter mile race, the lady looked over at the guy and in a serious voice said "Wow....I never knew Pinto's were that fast.....I might have to buy one".......Once I stopped coughing, I had to oppologize for spraying beer outta my nose

Oh....yeah...I almost forgot.....I don't need no stinkin swivels....hehehe

PS...anyone know why my Dremel won't work?.....lol.....I've pretty much dissassembled it completely and the brushes and armiture and everything looks to be in good shape, but it no workie.....I checked the variable switch with a meter, and it seems to be allowing power past the switch so I dunno.....anyone a Dremel guru?

[jigfishinkid]

i never ever use swivels i should probably change that