Baja Coffee

[Bill B]

I had an opportunity to pick up a second generation (has the gear sleeve support bearing) Baja Special 113HN from a member here at AT.com.  He warned me that this was a "project" reel and needed parts.  So I traded a few gift cards from a big box outdoor store and ended up with a coffee can Baja Special.  I won't bore you with details already covered in other posts, especially the self destructing dogs, but it will come into play with mine.

So I unpacked the box and here is what I started with.


Needed a few parts, the shopping list included: dogs, ratchet, assorted screws, spool bearing, handle cap, complete clamp kit, a few other smaller parts and a spool (But hey I was warned it was a project reel  )  


After reading and re-reading the thread regarding the self destructing dogs, I was ready to pull the trigger on a Cortez Creations bridge and sleeve, but needed the funding for the spool, both cost about the same, I'm sorry Tom, gonna have to buy the spool first.  An email to MizMo at Pennparts confirmed they carry the improved brass ratchets instead of the older stainless steel ratchets, so I figure why not give them a try, the CC bridge can come later if the problem with eating the dogs persists.

Here we see the old ratchet compared to the new brass....still suffers from rounding, but thicker at the ratchet teeth than the ss ratchet.


I did have an issue with corroded screws in the frame, one broke off with enough to grab with locking pliers, the other was flush with the frame    Out came the dremel to cut a slot in the screw and into the frame, soaking in 50/50 ATF/acetone, lots of heat and cooling and no love.  Reached out to the Ohana regarding drilling and re-tapping and got great information.  So as a last ditch effort before the final straw, I froze it again over night, and then into a 350 degree oven (Please don't tell the wife....I'm having visions of a certain someone who got caught with HIS reels in the dishwasher  )  VICTORY the screw backed out!!    


Finished cleaning the salt deposits and began reassembly.  I tried to save the old dogs by filing to a better profile but they ended up too short...well at least I tried.



The original dog posts have a tendency to work loose, so I firmly seated them into the bridge and gave it a few whacks with a pointed punch and then for good measure peened he bridge to add a little more bite.  Will have to see if this helps, if not gonna save the aluminum can fund for a CC bridge.


Building the main gear stack, needed a shim under the gear sleeve, so figured I would try using a shim cut from a plastic milk bottle, which miked at 0.015"....Cool Beans....perfect thickness with zero slop and no additional resistance.  Will have to see how it holds up.


Here is the complete bridge, sure looks like a better match for the dogs and ratchet.


Lots of Penn and Cal's grease and it went back together as expected.....as soon as the new spool arrives it will be ready to fish....Bill

[coastal_dan]

Nice save!

[Rancanfish]

Boy I wish I had known.  I have two sets of sleeves, ratchets, dog sets w/ springs I pulled off in good shape.  The bridges went to Tom.

I have to post things up a bit faster when I have stuff available.

I have a million reels and parts I'll never use.  I just hate dealing with Ebay and Craigslist.