As welders our equipment must be bulletproof. It must be able to stand up to harsh use and conditions living on a mobile rig, bouncing on the deck over thousands of miles.
These reels are very well designed. The locking pins are heavy duty and positive locking, the design is well thought out and executed, the welding and powedercoat is excellent.
The one drawback I see and I don't know if it will be an issue over time is the upright tube that everything sits on...I don't believe its heavy enough wall...should be .250 to stand up to a lifetime of use especially when the locking bolt is torqued down on it all the time preventing rotation. The unit appears to have some flex in it when loaded with 100 feet each of 1/0. I would also like to see a better locking mechanism than a bolt. a locking 5/8 " hitch pin through a piece of heavy wall tube would be a better choice. Only time will tell if these reels can stand up to the road. The cost of heavier tube would be minimal and should be used on a piece of equipment that costs several hundred dollars
All in all...a good product