Favero reel problem

[Morion]

Our club has some flat Favero reels. One of them was left sitting at an angle with the strip for a long time before anybody noticed and as a result the cord has cut a groove into the black rubber/plastic guard at the point where the cord enters the reel. Does anybody know if these can be replaced? Also can the part be replaced without totally disassembling the reel? My understanding is that with this type of flat reel if you do not disassemble them in exactly the correct manner you unleash the wrath of the fencing gods when the spring gets loose. I would hate to be backing off a screw and hear the click of a nut dropping lose inside the box. Any suggestions or pointers to web sites with information would be appreciated.
Thanks!

[SJCFU#2]

Yes, they can be replaced (part number 900-04 from AF), and it isn't that difficult. The only thing you have to open up the case for is to get at the nuts for the two screws holding the plastic piece in place (the screws heads are accessible on the outside). You will have to take apart the fencer end socket, and then resolder the wires back to the socket contacts, but even that's relatively easy. Total time for the job should be under 1 hour the first time, and significantly less once you know what you are doing.

Favero used to provide maintenance information with every reel, as well as having it available on their web site (although I don't see it there now - maybe I'm not looking hard enough). I don't recall it covering this particular repair but it does cover repairs to the fencer end socket (although the entire thing is really straight forward).

You can also probably epoxy to fill in the groove, although you may want to talk to Fencerbill about that since he's the one who developed that technique.

[king]

Just buy one of these. This is the part you sawed in half. Buy a handful; this is a wear item.

Remove the cover by unscrewing the four big Phillips-head machine screws on the bottom. Then pull out a couple of meters of wire, and then freeze the reel in place with strategically placed duct tape. That will prevent the wire from being sucked in.

Then take apart the waist socket, making sure you notice how the waist socket spring is held into that socket, desolder the wires, untie the knot, remove the spring, remove the screws holding in the old cable guide, pull that guide off, put the new cable guide over the wire (make sure it faces the right direction (##)) ) and put everything back together. You might choose to shorten the wire because the last three inches get the most wear and are probably due to become bad soon anyway.

-dk