Top and bottom Delrin on a 114H

[Alto Mare]

I just installed a delrin washer for under the gear and one on top of the drag stack.
The hex gear is not as I got it from Alan, I made the corners sharpen and it wasn't easy.

The metal keyed are 1.60mm, the laminated hex shape carbon fiber washers are 1.25mm and the delrin .84mm

This reel is very smooth and produces lots of drag. Even though it only has 4 carbon fiber washers, 7 surfaces are working with this combination.
Give it a shot, you might like it, the delrin washers on top and under the gear will also work on standard gears.

[Shark Hunter]

Looks Good Sal! I have a wide I need to work on with those same gears. I will try the double up on it.

[Newell Nut]

That is an interesting set up.

[CapeFish]

Very interesting, what is the longevity of Delrin? I have had 3x carbon fiber washers below the main gear flatten out, most likely from me cranking the drag down too hard, but if this does not happen with Delrin it may be worth a try?

[VW]

Why do you prefer Delrin over the washer that Penn provides?

[Alto Mare]

Very interesting, what is the longevity of Delrin? I have had 3x carbon fiber washers below the main gear flatten out, most likely from me cranking the drag down too hard, but if this does not happen with Delrin it may be worth a try?

I don't know, but I would tell you that it will definitely last longer than a carbon fiber washer.
Here is some info on Delrin:
http://www.mcmaster.com/#8574kac/=tcgvpp
My main reason for using this product is smoothness, I believe the washer for under the main gear should act as a bearing instead of creating additional friction.

Why do you prefer Delrin over the washer that Penn provides?

Smoothness and toughness. Penn might be using the same, but I'm not sure, the black plastic washers that I've tested from them snap when folded. I did run into a reel or two with a plastic washer that didn't do that, but not sure if it was Delrin.
If you are comparing the Delrin to their red fiber washers, the Delrin are much tougher and smoother.

[crackerman]

I can vouh for certain that delrin on top of the stack makes the star wheel crank in sooo muh smoother, especially when you start getting some real pressure on the stack. Under the gear seems to make the operation a tad smoother, but any time there is any spike in drag, the line could snap, so while it may not increase max drag, it will add to longevity.

[VW]

Why do you prefer Delrin over the washer that Penn provides?

Smoothness and toughness. Penn might be using the same, but I'm not sure, the black plastic washers that I've tested from them snap when folded. I did run into a reel or two with a plastic washer that didn't do that, but not sure if it was Delrin.
If you are comparing the Delrin to their red fiber washers, the Delrin are much tougher and smoother.

Do you use Teflon grease also?

[jonnou]

This is hard to get in New Zealand Too!!

I am going to get some stuff shipped from  The USA soon
Be sending You"s a list
Cheers Jon

[CapeFish]

Is Delrin similar to rulon? Also what will happen if all the washers were delrin?

[Shark Hunter]

Is that rod clamp Home made?

[Alto Mare]

Is Delrin similar to rulon? Also what will happen if all the washers were delrin?

I had to look that one up, I had no idea of how many combination of plastics are available:
http://www.emcoplastics.com/materials/
To me Rulon appears to have the same characteristics as Delrin. If you check under coefficient of friction, this material has very low numbers  under stress, that would make it the perfect material to use as a bearing for under the gear, it would help the drags work smoother when under tension. I'm also liking putting one above the stack.
We are all well aware that as of now, greased carbon fiber washers are the best material you could use for drags, I'm not changing that idea, I'm simply don't believe that the washer for under the gear should be a carbon fiber washer, it should act as a bearing.

Is that rod clamp Home made?

Yep!

[CapeFish]

Thanks Alto, really appreciate all the effort you guys put into research and new tweeks.

[Newell Nut]

I can vouh for certain that delrin on top of the stack makes the star wheel crank in sooo muh smoother, especially when you start getting some real pressure on the stack. Under the gear seems to make the operation a tad smoother, but any time there is any spike in drag, the line could snap, so while it may not increase max drag, it will add to longevity.

I find this very interesting and may try it. I can't do the bottom delrin due to 4 stack Newell drags but the top is an option.

[Tiddlerbasher]

For those of you struggling to find a source for Delrin - try searching for Acetal.

"Delrin is DuPont's trade name for acetal homopolymer.  Acetal is the name generally used in the plastics industry to refer to acetal copolymer. Both are known as POMs.

Homopolymers are polymers that contain only a single type of subunit in their chain and copolymers are polymers containing a mixture of more than one type of subunit in their chain.

They each have their advantages and disadvantages." But the differences are small.

For use in a fishing reel I don't think we would find any difference between them.
In the UK thin delrin sheet is hard to find. Acetal is plentiful