Another Reason to Love Quality Vintage Reels -- Like Quick, Mitchell, Penn, etc.

[foakes]

Today, I am finishing up 6 reels for a couple of members --

Doing restorations so they can be fished capably.

Pulled a couple of old high speed 221's out of the bins.

Generally, I acquire these from yard sales -- or various places.

After 40 or 45 years, the factory grease turns to beeswax, and no amount of oil will free it up properly.  So they do not operate very well. 

And usually, the seller sez they just need a little oil or servicing -- and I agree, bargain a bit, and buy every one I can get.

After a complete cleaning, burnishing, modern lubes, tuning & adjusting, and generally around 12 or 13 new parts -- these reels are good for another 40 years.

Better than new...

And inexpensive...

Do any of you think that bail spring could be saved?

If I get a chance -- I will show after restoration pics of these two old soldiers.

Best,

Fred

[Tightlines667]

I will be following this thread.

It's great to watch you work your magic.

Somehow I believe you have a few tricks up your sleeve that could include a restoration of that spring.  Soak it, run it through the sonic cleaner, rubvwith 0000 steel wool, and lube it up.  Never hurts to try.

John

[Aiala]

Do any of you think that bail spring could be saved?

Put it this way: Would anyone be foolhardy enough to bet against Fred's being able to make that spring better than new?? 

Not this girl, nuh-uh. 

~A~

[Calusa]

Do any of you think that bail spring could be saved?

I believe when you're done with it that reel will work better than it ever has in its long life, spring and all. 

[Midway Tommy]

I already know the answer, Fred.  I seldom, if ever, have had to replace a bail spring unless it was broken. They generally can be tightened, rewound or slightly adjusted/bent with a little thought and patience. I'd bet I have acquired over 100 spinners with a so called "weak bail spring" that in fact weren't that weak. They were just gummed up with grease and needed a good cleaning and a little adjustment, bend or tweak.

Some might find this shocking, but I absolutely will not grease the bail springs in any of my own spinners. They'll quickly get gummed up with grease & dirt. I put a couple of squirts of Armor All in the spring sockets, spin it, flip the bail a couple of times & call it good. I've never had one get slow after that but if one did I'd just loosen the bail screw a little & add a squirt or two again and off I'd go. 

[foakes]

Didn't get a chance to finish these today -- ended up in town -- just got back home.

This is what the first reel looks like after just a 6 minute ultrasonic cleaning with Lacquer Thinner on everything except for painted parts and plastic parts -- those got Simple Green within a different container in the US cleaner.

Bail spring cleaned and straightened out just fine -- and will be just tossed in the parts bin for that number -- since this is an Ohana member -- and a new spring with an extra coil will give the reel that crisp, sharp, positive snap back.

All parts are in good order -- except the ones off to the side will be replaced with new.

I too, never grease a bail spring -- just a drop of Syn oil in the spring nesting socket -- and one more drop where the trip lever rides on the bail lever screw.  Nice thing about synthetic oil -- it doesn't attract dirt and grime -- at least in theory it suspends the particles until serviced and flushed -- and keeps working just fine.

Look at how large and beefy that worm pinion, main gear and crank shaft, and the oversize bearing is.

The steel worm pinion is supported in front by the bearing -- and in the rear inside casing by a frame mounted brass bushing -- that is why the drive train has no slop after 45 years -- dead solid with no tolerance wear.

Positive 8 position, 45 degree A/R at backside of main gear -- which is cut from bronze.

The 221 is a high speed 5:1 with a longer crank for more torque.

Will button it up tomorrow morning -- along with a few more.

Best Always,

Fred

[Alto Mare]

Excellent job as always Maestro. Those will sure be better than they were when made.
This type of work needs knowledge, but you will also need to put some heart into it and you certainly do.

Sal

[mo65]

   These Quicks really are built to the hilt. Thanks for sharing Fred!

[Swami805]

If there's reincarnation,I want to come back as one of Fred's reels.

[CH]

Love seeing detailed photos of these reels completely disassembled.  And coupled with the great detailed explanations, what more could one ask for.

All your photos and writings need compiled and put into a nice big coffee table book... or 2...or 3 ....or....

[Tightlines667]

Love seeing detailed photos of these reels completely disassembled.  And coupled with the great detailed explanations, what more could one ask for.

All your photos and writings need compiled and put into a nice big coffee table book... or 2...or 3 ....or....

A DAM book is a great idea.  ORCA would be all over that.  I am sure there are folks that would be happy to assist with editing, and the publication process.

What do you think Fred?

[foakes]

Love seeing detailed photos of these reels completely disassembled.  And coupled with the great detailed explanations, what more could one ask for.

All your photos and writings need compiled and put into a nice big coffee table book... or 2...or 3 ....or....

A DAM book is a great idea.  

What do you think Fred?

Timing is not good for me right now -- and plus, I am just a reel mechanic who loves the vintage quality spinners as well as reels like Penns.

And just because we vintage spinner-nerds think it is a great idea -- doesn't mean all of the work, expense, time away from other things more important, and such -- would insure any type of success of a specialized book like this --for the general angling public.  (Plus, it may make some of these reels more expensive).  Ask Michael, Ray, or check out Clyde Harbin or Bill Wright.  Those are my heroes... I am not in these guys league -- I realize that -- and am more than happy to admire their knowledge and work.

There are many more qualified folks in the world -- many on this site, and some on others.

Michael, Ray, Ted, Sal, Dom, Alan, Bryan, Sid, Randy, Tommy, Tom, Adam, Lou, Tony and Tom at Penn, and many, many others.

Roland back in the Netherlands is a good source.

For now, I will just try to pass on a little of what I may have learned over the years -- to our A/T members who may be interested.

And I am no author, anyway -- Aiala is the author...Look to her for the next Great American Novel!

I will just try to keep up with my little niche.

Best Always,

Fred

[Bruce]

 
  DAMn  with humility built in   That`s one folksy guy !

  Don`t encounter  that sort a lot these days .

  Buzz

[Swami805]

Maybe something like "The best of foakes" You have 3000+ posts on here full of useful information. Your writing style is perfect for this kind of book, easy to read, concise, with enough information while maintaining an economy of words. Volume 1 is already written here, just some organizing and editing. Food for thought anyway. Sheridan

[Calusa]

With 3,000 posts by Fred, and many thousands of posts from other repair pros on here I would venture to say the book has already been written, a good part of it anyway. All that's needed is for us to compile everything into our own individual repair manual.

I'll settle for using the the search feature as needed.