Mo's PC 501 Jiggy

[mo65]

  I had been eye-balling Alan's Jigmaster kits since the beginning, and had plans to build one, but missed the boat on the orange spools. Thanks to Dennis(Farmer56) I got that spool, then to keep within budget I commandeered all the other parts needed from various prior builds and my parts vault. It looked like this project would materialize after all!
  Since my hodgepodge of parts had never personally met before, I figured I'd better do a little test fitting. The photo below shows the head plate completely assembled. I used one of those "eBay" gears from a few years ago, Alan's double dog bridge, and assorted bits and pieces. It all fit and functioned just fine. The only problem I had was the stock bridge screws. They were short...they only held by one thread. I shortened some 113H bridge screws a bit and they worked perfectly.



  Probably down the road I'll get a JM500X package for this reel, but for now I'm going to use this set up. The "Newell style" 4-stack delivers around 15lbs. of smooth power, and that eBay special gear has spent the past three years in a 501 jiggy, so it's rough edges have all been smoothed nicely. Believe me...three years ago that thing was rough...but it's silky now. I wasted a good portion of my life making that gear work, so I'm sure as hell going to use it!



  I've noted on these reel tutorials they recommend greasing all screws and under stands to prevent early death by corrosion...so I popped off the stand.



  A good smear of Penn blue grease should work.



  I did the same thing for the bearing caps.



  These reels are lookers! They are very comfortable in hand too. Thanks Alan for making another awesome product available to fishermen.

[handi2]

Very nice and such great pictures.

How is the feel of the handle arm. Is it just right or a bit too long. I wanted to know before buying any.

Keith

[mo65]

Very nice and such great pictures. How is the feel of the handle arm?

   Thanks Keith. I had this handle arm on Tom's Squidder and used the inside mounting hole, but on this Jigmaster the outside hole fits my hands well.

[nelz]

Wow, that orange spool really pops! Looks too nice to add line to it.

[54bullseye]

Great pictures Mo !!!  Camera or phone ?  Great job on the reel also I am sure the drag will be like butter. Only complaint I have is how clean your bench is ??????? My bench wasn't that clean when it was new !! Lol !!!   Super post !  Thanks  John Taylor  

PS below is my bench on a good day !!!

[Black Pearl]

Very nice and such great pictures. How is the feel of the handle arm?

   Thanks Keith. I had this handle arm on Tom's Squidder and used the inside mounting hole, but on this Jigmaster the outside hole fits my hands well.

Even it is scratch & dent item, it does not really show that bad, right? It is a very nice looking reel with orange spool. For $135 (frame and sideplate), it is the best deal. The reel will not flex at all.

It really makes me want to make more orange color spools.

Thank you, Mo!

[Swami805]

Great looking reel Mo! You'll like it better once you've fished it. Really like the clicker, audible but not annoying like the penn clicker,really nice touch.

[nelz]

It really makes me want to make more orange color spools.

No!    Leave it as a one-time special-edition soon to become legendary!   

[Black Pearl]

It really makes me want to make more orange color spools.

No!    Leave it as a one-time special-edition soon to become legendary!   

Ok. Because you have one, right.

[mo65]

Only complaint I have is how clean your bench is ? My bench wasn't that clean when it was new !!

   What you can't see is all the grease soaked rags and tools and peanut shells all piled up just out of the camera's eye...HA!!!

Even it is scratch & dent item, it does not really show that bad, right? It really makes me want to make more orange color spools.

   I did move the angles around to hide the scratches. They aren't really scratches...just little dings. On the silver finish they don't really show unless you get just the right angle. I was floored by that orange spool from the beginning. It's not really orange...it's a darker orange color. I had a '75 Impala that was real close to the spool's color, they called that color "Saddle Bronze".

Really like the clicker, audible but not annoying like the penn clicker,really nice touch.

   Yes, the clicker has it's own sound.

   Thanks everyone for the compliments.

   

[Gfish]

Alright Mo! Orange-spool-cool! Best Jigmaster after-market-product produced yet by Pro Challenger, or anyone else. Just needs a couple of additions to make pert near perfect: nylon or delrin washer for the E. Lever and ss screws slightly longer than the stock Penn bridge screws.

[steelfish]

beautiful reel Mo

now go and catch a bigcat with it

[nelz]

Ok. Because you have one, right.

Yes well, you know, I actually was looking for a blue one at the time, but you were down to just the orange. So, I decided to take a chance on that ugly-duckling sitting all alone in the corner, like that girl with the mousey hair that nobody talked to all night long... but it was getting late, and I too was lonely...

[thorhammer]

Nice Mike! Mine had one tiny nick on it that I'm sure I will find a way to worsen. I'm gonna fish it.

[Reel 224]

Another great looking reel Mike, your starting a great collection!..................Joe