I had two more wiring week-ends and the lasher is still going strong!
The only problem was with the wire. In my original post I said "a standard 1200' reel of lashing wire was transferred to two homemade spools".
If this transfer is not done carefully, spooling nice and even rows of wire, the wire tends to jam.

The lasher is also magical: every time I take it out it starts raining cats and dogs.