140, 140L, 140-LH, 140L-LH Squidder

[thorhammer]

Back reeling when driftfishing flounder.

[thorhammer]

Probably, one of the most common questions asked about vintage Squidder 140's is how their Auto-reverse dogs are sprung. I would think most people willing to open and repair their own reels are familiar with the little coil spring mounted into the short dog and sitting against the molded in piece of Bakelite in the Squidder 140 head plate. That is not the case with early, especially pre-war Squidders. Exactly when the change over to the coil spring happened I do not know yet. Maybe someone here can post that piece of info. Here is how pre-war Squiderr's are made (no comments necessary on the muddy plate, it is now clean)


Notice the dog itself is longer than a modern Squidder dog.

Usually the question people have is how do they balance that little coil spring against the post provided by Penn in the head plate? The answer is, you do not.

Can anyone advise the part number of the leaf style AR spring shown above? Same as beachmaster?

[Penn Chronology]

Can anyone advise the part number of the leaf style AR spring shown above? Same as beachmaster?

Penn part numbers crudely began in the late 1940's. I believe the part numbering system first catalog year was 1949 and that little leaf spring was numbered 14-60 for a Penn Squidder 140, basically the same leaf spring used in the Long Beach 60 (that number call out for the 140 was only used in 1949), making it a very obsolete part number for a Squidder and only used for one year. In 1950 the same leaf spring part number was 14-140.

In 1951 Penn introduced the coil spring anti-reverse for the Squidder, Part Number 14C-140; but, continued to offer the leaf spring in the parts department for many years under the old 14-140 part number.

I really doubt that too many of these 14-140 leaf springs are still available in part houses. You need to find parts reels and save them.

[oc1]

It's your call Decker.  The speed of the strike is more important than the size of the fish.  It is possible to backlash a reel with the clicker on.  It is even easier to backlash a reel with the dog disengaged because the moving gears and handle provide more momentum than the moving spool alone.

I never found a use for the disengaging dog.  Some guys use it to let a fish run before setting the hook.  With a fish running, engaging the dog puts less stress on the gears than engaging the pinion.  But, if you ever let the handle get away from you have to regain control of the handle before you can reach under with your finger to engage the dog.  Too much to do and think about in a panic situation.

The leaf springs would get soft and have to be replaced.  In a pinch you can flip them over and bend it in the other direction.  A sliver cut out of a tin can will work until it rusts. A sliver of stainless shim stock would be better.  The 209 or 309 leaf spring may be about the same size but I don't have any to look at.

I think that switching to a coiled spring that small was a bad idea because they are just too easy to loose.  They used to be called roach turds.  The coiled springs were probably made of monel (non-magnetic, non-corroding and dark grey color).  Instead of a coiled spring, perhaps they could have switched to a monel leaf spring to get more tensile strength while keeping the corrosion resistance and a manageable size.

-steve

[Bill B]

Darren (Shark Hunter) has been making leaf springs out of old windshield wiper blades, if you dis-assemble the blade you can find 1-2 stainless steel blades inside.... he cutsthem to length and width.....I just replaced my ww blades and got 2   19" pieces to work with.....Bill

[Penn Chronology]

Darren (Shark Hunter) has been making leaf springs out of old windshield wiper blades, if you dis-assemble the blade you can find 1-2 stainless steel blades inside.... he cutsthem to length and width.....I just replaced my ww blades and got 2   19" pieces to work with.....Bill

That is the best idea I have heard so far. Fantastic....

I just checked and ordered a few from Scott's. They are still available under the number 14-155   ;   but   , they are brass, not stainless.

[mike1010]

...

I think that switching to a coiled spring that small was a bad idea because they are just too easy to loose.  They used to be called roach turds.  The coiled springs were probably made of monel (non-magnetic, non-corroding and dark grey color).  Instead of a coiled spring, perhaps they could have switched to a monel leaf spring to get more tensile strength while keeping the corrosion resistance and a manageable size.

-steve

And the difficulty of drilling the receiving hole for the spring in the dog was, I believe, what made Keta throw up his hands at fabricating stainless dogs for the Squidders.  Isn't that right, Lee?

--Mike

[sdlehr]

Darren (Shark Hunter) has been making leaf springs out of old windshield wiper blades, if you dis-assemble the blade you can find 1-2 stainless steel blades inside.... he cuts them to length and width.....I just replaced my ww blades and got 2   19" pieces to work with.....Bill

That is the best idea I have heard so far. Fantastic....

I believe that some work has to be done to get these SS strips thin enough to be flexible enough to be useful. I think that as they come they are too thick and too stiff. I am about to harvest some myself, I've had the replacement wiper blades in the garage for about two weeks, it just hasn't come to the top of the list yet...

Sid

[oc1]

Those wiper spines are useful for a lot of stuff.  When you grind it down do so slowly so it doesn't heat up and loose the temper.  You can have a life time supply of stainless shim stock for about the price of a pair of wipers.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#shim-stock/=14l8c9o
-steve

[Maxed Out]

Here is a decent 100% correct late 1945/early 46 squidder. The smaller size coin edge counterbalance were used on some of these blades, likely to use up old stock. The spool is the post war design version. No yardage under the foot, just blank like it should be for post war and prior to 1950

  Ted

[mo65]

   Fantastic reel Ted...ya don't see many black handle knobs from that era...tops!

[Maxed Out]

It may be a very dark green knob. I'll take a pic with a flash and find out fur certain.

[milne]

My first Squidder.
It's in pretty good condition, this is how I received it, yet to tear it down and clean it up.
From the book, it looks like it's a first year 39.
As mentioned, it's my first Squidder and They are quite an impressive reel I must say, comparing to my other pre war ones.
Looking forward to stripping it down for a clean up and looking at the differences to my other reels.


Col

[Penn Chronology]

My first Squidder.
It's in pretty good condition, this is how I received it, yet to tear it down and clean it up.
From the book, it looks like it's a first year 39.
As mentioned, it's my first Squidder and They are quite an impressive reel I must say, comparing to my other pre war ones.
Looking forward to stripping it down for a clean up and looking at the differences to my other reels.

Great collectible. I feel Squidders are still great fishing reels; but, not the one you have pictured. That is a fine, 1939 survivor. Great find. First year models are not easy to get. Many of them have had some of their original parts changed. Yours seems to be all original and very nice condition. Those original Bakelite spools and linen line stamped stands give the reel a very antique look

[milne]

Hi Mike,
         No, definitely no fishing with this one, A strip down and clean, then on the display shelf  ( well, I have to get a decent display case sorted)

   But, this reel is very interesting to me, I could easily see myself getting a later model one and adding it to my arsenal on the boat, along with
  my senators, it does look well up to the task !
And I must say, for a design this old and having no real other major cosmetic changes in all those years, just that in itself shows what a winner this reel was for Penn.........

Col