Hi so something that I've been curious about for some time is how long it takes most to breakdown, clean and lube a reel. I know the type and condition are a factor but just wanted to get some of your thoughts. Thanks in advance.
The basic penn takes about 30minuts for me to service, without repairing or replacing parts. Spinning reels of witch I'm no expert take about the same time to service....more complected reels 45-60min. depends. I know I had a repair on a Pfuger that took two days.
Other more experienced guys here would be better at that question then I am.......................Joe
Pretty much what Joe said, cept with me I always find somethin I want to improve or change, makin it take a couple of hours.
Thanks for replies guys. It's talking me around 60 to 90 minutes if the reel has been maintained otherwise it depends how bad it is and the parts that need replaced.
Quote from: Reel 224 on July 25, 2018, 02:24:45 AM
The basic penn takes about 30minuts for me to service, without repairing or replacing parts. Spinning reels of witch I'm no expert take about the same time to service....more complected reels 45-60min. depends. I know I had a repair on a Pfuger that took two days.
Other more experienced guys here would be better at that question then I am.......................Joe
For me, for the classic small Penns, 30+N, because it takes me an arbitrary number of tries to get the dog and spring in place.
About an hour for 4/0 sized reels average. Although they may go into the Ultrasonic, I don't charge for that time but may add a dollar or two for cleaning supplies.
Fred O was the gentleman who schooled me on the ultrasonic and it seems to be one of the better ways to clean a reel.
I'll bet Alan knocks them out of the park in no time flat!! ;D
......................Lou
for me, it's supposed to be 20 to 40 minutes for a star drag reel and 40 to 60 minutes for a lever drag reel. i can knock out a plain brand new single speed avet in 25 minutes, then spend 2-3 hours trying to hobble together a 4/0 senator from parts laying around on the floor. way too many variables. ;D
Quote from: alantani on July 25, 2018, 03:26:43 PM
for me, it's supposed to be 20 to 40 minutes for a star drag reel and 40 to 60 minutes for a lever drag reel. i can knock out a plain brand new single speed avet in 25 minutes, then spend 2-3 hours trying to hobble together a 4/0 senator from parts laying around on the floor. way too many variables. ;D
I would agree, but waited for you to say that.....................Joe
The average Tech here does about 10 a day, but we strip all reels down completely even if they don't need it, clean all the parts, re-assemble and re grease/oil. They also need to complete paperwork and travel a good amount to pull parts. Some reels require a bit more time such as Internationals as we try and get the drag in an acceptable range or need to drill out and re-tap 8 side plate screws :'(
tony
Ahhhhhhhh.....the parts bins at Penn...Tony about had to get a cattle prod to keep our gang moving on through there, lol...
John
Quote from: thorhammer on July 25, 2018, 05:29:28 PM
Ahhhhhhhh.....the parts bins at Penn...Tony about had to get a cattle prod to keep our gang moving on through there, lol...
John
You guys were the last group tour we had here, and will be the last.... unfortunately. It was a pleasure showing such a great group of PENN Fanatics around the building.
tony
We certainly enjoyed it! You were a very gracious guide!
An example would be the all time great reel. The Penn 113H.
It takes me about one hour to completely disassemble, clean, oil and grease, and reassemble. This is greasing under the rings and all hardware. Delrin washers and Carbontex drag washers. Bearings shimmed if needed. Gear sleeve shimmed if needed.
For spinning reels Shimano's are the fastest and easiest. Its the way they are built.
Penn spinning reels take twice as long as a Shimano of similar size. Except for the Stella reels.
A reel is not finished until I am satisfied. Spinning reels may come back apart a few times to get it right.
I would be really quick if I only had to take them apart and put them back together once each time they're cleaned. Like that might happen.
-steve
I think that's what slows me down too. I'm always taking them apart several times before I'm happy.
How about times for a Penn peerless no 9?
Once
Lol ok how about bench time?
1/2 hr. on the main reel, bout 2 hrs. adjustin the levelwinder.
Quote from: Gfish on July 31, 2018, 11:27:20 PM
1/2 hr. on the main reel, bout 2 hrs. adjustin the levelwinder.
Have you got carbontex drags in it? Just curious how they act with it
Naw, I just cleaned it up for the owner, who may never use it again. It's fun to play around with stuff like that, especially if there's no financial stake in making it work right or it's not the go-to reel for the owner.
I did 2 TLD 25's in 2 hours. I know that only because I focused on documenting the time. These were straight forward, had no issues, except for a lack of grease. I feel like I take more time because I address everything in the reel. I take reels apart literally into each and every single piece possible. This has to be why I probably take so long. I figure this probably isn't needed and I feel though as it should. Then in a lot of cases, I have internal parts with green corrosion, and then that requires me to grab my Dremel to clean the surfaces of these parts. Then, another factor for me is old old hard/or dark gunky grease. I have to do a good clean to remove it and that takes time. CRC 6-56 Marine lubricant does an amazing job at cleaning so I've stuck to it. I also clean out bearings that have removable shields, if not I fill them with the grease gun. All in all I feel I take long.
One big thing for me which I think affects my time, is my work space. I work in a small desk and its inside my home. I do not have a garage. Soon I will have a large 10x20 shed and it will be set up as storage but I will also be setting up a comfortable workbench.
10x20 is a nice size, good luck with it.
Sal
Quote from: Alto Mare on August 11, 2018, 03:13:37 PM
10x20 is a nice size, good luck with it.
Sal
Thanks!!!
Adrian
Every reel is different for me, Bait caster is what I work on the most as guys from my parts tend to be more of the Bass and Striper guys, Conventional reels are almost as simple just bigger parts so easier to manage. For some reason Spinning reels tend to give me more work as the drag is separated from the main reels and some of the gears tend to be offset. Like the Shimano Thunnus 4000, which took a few tries before it was perfectly align to work. Avg about 40 to 50 mins as I tend to double check to ensure I cleaned everything properly the first time.
This is why screw and screwdriver types are of importance. We all end up many times reopening those.
I really worry when I read the replies to this post.
But then again, I would not class myself as a professional in the strict sense of the word.
More like an insane hobbyist whose addiction is way out of control as I sometimes receive twenty reels in just a week or two - something I am working to correct!
A simple ABU classic baitcaster usually takes 120 minutes to service.
Calcuttas and more sophisticated spinners, baitrunners etc take three hours.
Stellas and Saltigas take longer.
It's not often that I have to pull down a reel a second time but I do get the odd obscure fault where it may be necessary.
Reels are stripped down to component level and most parts washed in a ultrasonic cleaner.
Gears and crankshafts are brushed clean with a Dremel. Other components such as floating pinion sliding skirts are polished.
Bearings are cleaned of old grease, tested for smooth operation and then refreshed with quality lubricants.
Procedures are executed with attention to detail.
e.g. orientation of serviceable lever drag outside spool/pinion bearings are marked and then flipped upon reassembly to provide a fresh bearing surface for the axial load.
My clients appreciate the efforts I go to but sometimes I just have to declare time out as I can become too overwhelmed.
I really wish I could find a practical happy medium but unfortunately it just doesn't seem to be in my nature .
https://www.facebook.com/groups/KimberleyRodandReel/ (https://www.facebook.com/groups/KimberleyRodandReel/)
~
Quote from: RamseyReelRepair on July 28, 2018, 02:15:03 AM
How about times for a Penn peerless no 9?
The LW is a PIA, I'd add 10-20 min to the average time to put a 9, 109, 209, 309, 10 and 210 back together.
I can do a non Raptor Avet in about 30 min unless the pinion bearing is fused in place. The Avet EX30 a bit longer due to the way the bellville washers are and my arthritis.
If badly mistreated and corroded add 100% or more to the time.
Quote from: exp2000 on November 11, 2018, 04:15:42 PM
I really worry when I read the replies to this post.
But then again, I would not class myself as a professional in the strict sense of the word.
More like an insane hobbyist whose addiction is way out of control as I sometimes receive twenty reels in just a week or two - something I am working to correct!
A simple ABU classic baitcaster usually takes 120 minutes to service.
Calcuttas and more sophisticated spinners, baitrunners etc take three hours.
Stellas and Saltigas take longer.
It's not often that I have to pull down a reel a second time but I do get the odd obscure fault where it may be necessary.
Reels are stripped down to component level and most parts washed in a ultrasonic cleaner.
Gears and crankshafts are brushed clean with a Dremel. Other components such as floating pinion sliding skirts are polished.
Bearings are cleaned of old grease, tested for smooth operation and then refreshed with quality lubricants.
Procedures are executed with attention to detail.
e.g. orientation of serviceable lever drag outside spool/pinion bearings are marked and then flipped upon reassembly to provide a fresh bearing surface for the axial load.
My clients appreciate the efforts I go to but sometimes I just have to declare time out as I can become too overwhelmed.
I really wish I could find a practical happy medium but unfortunately it just doesn't seem to be in my nature .
https://www.facebook.com/groups/KimberleyRodandReel/ (https://www.facebook.com/groups/KimberleyRodandReel/)
~
we're very similar to this at my shop. Professional Reel Service. proreelservice.com Anyway. 99% of my customers are tournament bass anglers or at least hard core weekenders. My service always was billed as a complete clean and tune. That means to the frame or almost to the frame and clean every parts as clean as possible. we also do a basic tuning of polishing some friction points that can be improved by being smoother, ends of worm gears that spin in a bushing, ends of spool shafts, most any sliding metal parts etc. We start by removing almost every part. We can usually leave brake systems together if they are clean. We have recirculating solvent tanks that we scrub all parts in. Most of those parts then go in an UC tank of simple green for additional cleaning or just a quick rinse to get solvents off. Bearings go in jar of camp stove gas and that jar goes in smaller UC tank. We run it 45 seconds or until it turns black, then drain and repeat with fresh until it stays gin clear. We then test spin, if still rough then they need replaced. If smooth or almost, then next step is high speed spin of bearings while submersed in solvent that flushs out the finest grit. Most bearings spin supoer smooth and quite after that. Everything is then dried and lubed during reasembly. for the average 200 size casting reels thats 1 hour. spin reels can be faster or slower, depends on how familiar i am with the model. Some reels like a shimano calais will have lots of extra screws and complicated hard to reach E clips. These can take 1.5 hours. If I'm really getting after it and the reel is pretty clean when it gets here, I can knock most out in 45 minutes. I charge $29 per reel for this service. Definatly not getting rich and could'nt do it as a full time job. Sometimes I will take a bunch of reels apart and have on trays, then the wife will clean all the parts while im at day job. That makes it a lot quicker. I also have a part time helper that does reels on commision. He gets $15 to do the reel and i handle everything else. I thouroughly check them over after he does them.
whit most reels, I know what parts need replaced, but quite often, you just can't tell until it's back together. At that point, if it's not perfect, it has to come back apart and replace the offending parts. Thats another 10 to 15 minutes.
I can't understand this idea of folks paying for and being happy with just having thier reels taken apart and regreased. My customers all expect the reel to come back looking like new money and working better than new.
I'm very curious what others charge and what they actually do to the reels.
All I know is that having two ultrasonic cleaners has really improved productivity. Corrosion and general condition are the two variables that impact my efficiency. Too often a good looking Tekota on the outside is a nightmare just to open up. Only working on fresh water reels would be nice. When bearings and pinions get corroded onto spool shafts...grrr I am interested in how we all speed up the drying process after cleaning. That seems to be an area that could be improved with the right tech or process/tool etc... short of hand drying each part there has to be a better way. I still inspect all the parts after they are dried but getting them dried fast would be a big help.
ACS
Quote from: steelhead_killer on November 14, 2018, 02:15:13 AM
I am interested in how we all speed up the drying process after cleaning.
Andy, how about a hair dryer or hot air gun. Or, rinse everything in naphtha and it will evaporate without residue in a few minutes.
-steve
US cleaners seem to make a big improvement in productivity. My ? is what US cleaners do you use? Size and model/brand. I have been wanting to get one and do not want to buy something that will not do the job and sit on a shelf in 2 months. I do not do a lot of reels and all fresh water so I do not need an industrial size or make. Thanks for any input.
A 4.5L is a bit over a gallon and a 6L is a shade over 1.5 gal. For me, I prefer the slightly larger size as I use it with a basket. The tank is suppose to be 2/3 full for best operation.
Cleaning agents will depend on what you are cleaning. I'm using the Sonic Wave 1.7 gal with Manual controls. At work, the first thing to go out, was all the digital readouts and push button controls so I chose to go with manual knobs.
I even think there were a few recommendations here as Manual Control models got the nod. A formed tank is much, much better than a welded design. If you end up using it a lot, you'll eventually get leakage in the welded areas due to erosion from the Ultrasonics.
No doubt the have the ability to get into all the crevasses. I don't find it necessary to use the heat function. Don't recall what the wattage is on mine but it does do and excellent job. Usually, the higher wattage model may have more transducers.
As Fred O had suggested, you can store the used cleaning solvents in a jar and reuse several times. I quickly strain my used stuff thru and old shop cloth and junk the liquid when it starts to discolor.
Mine does not have a drain. When I purchased it, I believe it was around $125. shipped. I think they have come down a bit in price. It has a 10 yr warrantee but that would surprise me!
Been using mine for almost 3 years now and am quite happy with it.
Hope this helps and at least gets you started in the right direction, .. Lou
My process with the UC is two-fold. First I have a glass mason jar (1 qt) filled with Simple Green. Into it goes all the small parts. I too use the cage as it is recommended. I fill the UC with Simple Green and place anything that is too big for the glass jar into the cage. I have little stainless steel cups from the cooking store that I place bearings into with just enough lighter fluid to cover the bearing. Larger parts like frames and spools go into the cage. The whole reel goes into the UC at once. I normally take the bearings out after a couple of minutes to either refresh the fluid or if they are in good shape take them out for good. Bearings should not be left in the UC for extended periods. I don't cut the simple green at all. Seems to cut down on the cleaning time if you don't cut it. But as others have mentioned don't forget a reel over night in the solution as some finishes don't like that at all. Take everything out and rinse with fresh water. I recycle the simple green until it no longer performs as expected. Note: each reel is in different condition. Some clean up perfect in 10 minutes. Others require 2-3 sessions at 10 min each. My goals is to minimize the amount of hand cleaning with a brush on all parts. This process works for 90% of the reels. The other 10% require more hand work to get cleaned.
I will try the naphtha to expedite the drying. Never really thought about that before your mentioned it. I typically will clean a box full of reels first and have them laying out in small plastic parts bins in my storage rack air drying until assembly. I bought my UC's on ebay. I think next time I will step up the watts to see if they do work faster and go to the manual dials over the electronic. Hope that answers a couple of questions.
ACS
Thanks for the input on Sonic Cleaners.
I've been filling the sonic cleaner with water and put the stuff to be cleaned in small screw cap jars. The jars have just enough naphtha to keep the parts wet and cut the grease. Trouble is, the seals on the jars are soon ruined by the naphtha and they start leaking after a few uses. I need to invest in some good Nalgene jars unless you guys have a less expensive idea.
-steve
Got my US cleaner and just used it this AM. Great results, very happy. I had a gallon of Simple Green that is concentrated. It says Heavy Duty 1:1 dilution, General purpose 1:10 and light clean 1:30. What strength do you recommend. Fresh water reels only here. I did cut it one to one. May be more then I need, I plan to use it this way unless I hear it is too strong. Next batch I will look at cutting it a little more.