Penn 27 Franken-reel completed! The 13-200 substitutes for the 13-155!

[Porthos]

I had previously responded to an earlier Penn 27 post (http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=4194.0) where I smacked into the weakness of the 13-155 pinion:

Here's my modified red 27 that resulted from a "Can I do this?" project:




Upgraded parts list:
1. new HT100 washers
2. Tiburon 146 frame
3. 29L-100 spool
4. 24-56 power handle
5. Cal's drag grease & Yamaha marine grease
6. 12 38-8 Screws (Tib's holes for the stand are same depth as the post holes)
7. Stainless steel gear sleeve.

Max drag was between 10-11 lbs, but fishing at this setting split the pinion gear after about six months.   Dropping down max to 9lbs to see if it'll fare better.

Am I crazy to try to fish this as a 30lb setup (9lbs reel drag+ 1lb pressure from the rod)--probably so...

Since I only have a Penn 26, 25, 180, and 970, this was completely insufficient for any type of useful comparative parts swapping (especially since the 970 has 113 parts). By resizing and comparing mysticparts.com photos, I was able to determine the 13-500 pinion of the Jigmaster would mesh with the 5-155 main gear, and IT DOES except that the 13-500's spool shaft hole is thousandths of an inch too big--there was too much play to be reliably used and no easy way to compensate for the difference. Thought I had reached the end of the road for the 27.

Enter Alto Mare's posting "UPGRADING A PENN SURFMASTER" (http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=5685.0); in his third photo, he stacked the Surfmaster's 5-60 on top of a 5-500 main gear to show that the gear teeth was the same. EUREKA!!!   By applying the classic "if A=B, and B=C, then A=C," I was 99.99999% sure that the Surfmaster's 13-200 pinion would mesh with the 5-155 main, and 100% sure it was a fit on the 29L-100 spool shaft. The 13-200 has the reinforcement ring that the 13-155 lacks (photos from mysticparts.com).

13-200:


13-155:


A $4.20 13-200 off of eBay went into my Penn 27 this morning, Halloween 2013, a fitting day for the Franken-reel that it now is. The 13-200 meshed with the 5-155 just as if it was a 13-155--BRAH HA HA HA!!! BRAH HA HA HA!!! IT'S ALIVE!!! IT'S ALIVE!!!  

Alan Tani has stated that "...the 3-stack of jigmaster drag washers actually can deliver 15 pounds of drag...," which implies that the 13-200 can do the same since it fundamentally appears to be the same part as the 13-500 except for the difference in shaft hole diameters. I will go back to fishing the 10-11 lbs I originally did and see if it holds up; using the 25% rule, this means a 40lb setup. Am I still nuts to fish it this way? The spool has about 325yd of 50lb braid, and with careful thumbing during retrieve, I've fished it without running into the "line-in-gap" issue. Will have to wait until next season to test the reel against school-sized tuna like the 20lb-er and 50lb-er ones that I caught this 2013 season.

This probably, though, is the end of the line for future Penn 27 upgrades using "production" available parts. Going after custom parts (aside from the 98-155AT Sleeve) WILL NOT be considerable since I now believe the reel's ability is close to or at it's plateau given what the sum of the parts can offer. Will there be other weaknesses that will come to light? Possibly the drag stack itself (it's small, but thumb pressure on the spool could compensate), the brass 5-155 main, the brass 15-155 dog, and/or possibly the 29L-100's spool shaft (which might be mitigated by the fact it's shorter than the wider 25, 26, and 155 spool widths).

The 13-200 should work in any reel that uses the 13-155 or 5C-209 parts. Hope this helps someone else in their "Franken-reel" project.

"Edited as per Moderators to correct Scott's Bait & Tackle over to their new store name Mystic Reel Parts / www.mysticparts.com"

[Alto Mare]

You did good Porthos, thanks for sharing it with us.....very nice reel, enjoy it!
Sal

[Porthos]

You did good Porthos, thanks for sharing it with us.....very nice reel, enjoy it!
Sal

Credit should also go to you as well since it was your photo that "broke the case."

Thanks again.

Wai

[Keta]

Alan Tani  since it fundamentally appears to be the same part as the 13-500 except for the difference in shaft hole diameters.

The Jigmaster (500, 501) drag washers are larger in both ID and OD than the Surfmaster (200, 150 and 100) drag washers.

[Porthos]

Alan Tani  since it fundamentally appears to be the same part as the 13-500 except for the difference in shaft hole diameters.

The Jigmaster (500, 501) drag washers are larger in both ID and OD than the Surfmaster (200, 150 and 100) drag washers.

Was thinking more of the force and stress that would be on the 13-500 pinion if cranking when there was 15lbs on the 500's drag washers. If the 13-500 could handle it then the 13-200 probably could too.

[Keta]

I'm getting over 30lbs on my 113 grouper Special with steel gears and the same drag washers using a 7+1 stack without gear damage.

[Ron Jones]

LEE!!!
You have to tell us about your 7+1 stack!

Porthos,
That is one cool reel. I think my Bay Master is about to get a new pinion.

Ron

[Keta]

LEE!!!
You have to tell us about your 7+1 stack!

Porthos,
That is one cool reel. I think my Bay Master is about to get a new pinion.

Ron

.020" metal washers and stock Carbontex CF washers.

[Ron Jones]

Are you making the washers? If so, does this mean your not making a hex insert?

Thanks
Ron

[Alto Mare]

Lee, you know more about steel than I will ever learn, but don't you think .020" is too thin? That's more like a shim than washer, I just purchased some .015" shimming material that I will be making some shims to use as spacers.
I just don't believe that the ears on those will last long, but if you already fished with it, I believe you.

[Keta]

If so, does this mean your not making a hex insert?

Thanks
Ron

No, I can cut them as needed.

Lee, you know more about steel than I will ever learn, but don't you think .020" is too thin? That's more like a shim than washer, I just purchased some .015" shimming material that I will be making some shims to use as spacers.
I just don't believe that the ears on those will last long, but if you already fished with it, I believe you.

So far I've only "caught" fence posts and my drag scale but the ears have been holding up.