Frabill Pro Thermal Tip Up - upgrade

[Ice Shark]

I always hated the cheap plastic trips on my Frabill Pro Thermal Tip-ups.  So take 3/8" dia Aluminum or SS rod, cut with hacksaw to 1.25", drill an 1/8"dia hole through center, drill another 1/8"dia hole criss-cross and tap (8-32).  Assemble.  Pull off the plastic trip off the shaft and add new trigger.  I added a rubber cap to one side to see it spinning at a distance and also give me a "Heavy" set option for the trigger.  I'm sure someone with some milling skills could make a real nice one but with the exception of the Tap, everything was done with basic house hold tools.

[bushyjr]

nice job 

[WYIfish]

I like!  If the wind gets to be an issue, a 4" piece of coat hanger wire attached to the flag wire and held in position with electrical tape mimics the other tip up mfg's.  A file and a tiny nick will also keep strike signal light yet keep the sinker wt. from tripping a flag when a fish swims by.

I just read about the duck tape on the line guide to help with light biters like our ling, I hope to try that too. 
Again, really liked your upgrade!  Might have to make a few of those myself.

[1moslab]

i have some of the pro thermals and have had problems with them not going off.has anyone else had this problem?cant figure out how to lube them up either.

[Ice Shark]

joemama - I had the same problems and felt it was more the plastic trigger on metal flag stick.  That's why I created this fix.  I tested them out last week and they worked perfect, even for the light bitting dink perch.

[1moslab]

thanks for the reply ice shark.will be trying the modification cant hurt they just sit here .gotta love this site!!!!do you feel the love   do ya

[NJ PIKER]

building a better mouse trap
nice modification

[baginwal]

Just stumbled across this topic.........nice job Ice Shark! 

I am going to make a few and check them out against all the dinks I catch!

[UpNorth -21]

I have never caught a fish on my pro thermal tip up or a flag even go up do you think this could be my problem just got them this year???

[Ice Shark]

UpNorth,
Maybe.  I typically use my HT Polars but got 5 of the Frabills for Christmas couple yrs back.  I used them the next day on a dink perch lake.  Got a lot of robbed bait and the only fish that seemed to trip the flag was the big pickerel and Bass.  After a little bit I started putting out the Polars and started get flag after flag.  Made me think and do a little testing.  With the stiff flag spring and plastic trip it just took more pull to get them to trip.  So I put them in the closet and relegated them to Pike fishing.  Well long story short Wifey says if you don't use it get rid of it and since I can't toss out fishing stuff.  I made it work.  And with 4 trips this year using them, it's made a difference.
Thanx