Show your Collections!

[Mjg378]

It all started when my Pop,who was a contractor, was paid for a job with fishing gear.  He came home, this would have been in the early 70s and brought me a pile of fishing reels, poles and tackle.   Here he said.  The only reason I took this was because I know how much you like fishing.  My Pop was awesome. 
These  are the only reels I have left from then.  I still have a few lures and a tackle box that I use as my electrical tool box! I used the Bronson comet ice fishing a few years ago. The south bend has a serial number 20583A under the reel foot.  Unfortunately there were a number of reels I tore apart figuring how they worked.  I just liked these that I have left.  The reels I buy and sometimes sell will come and go but these here will  always be in the collection

[Midway Tommy]

I guess I began collecting about 50 years ago because I still have my first open face spinning reel, a Garcia Mitchell 304 my dad got new for me. Not long after ABU & Zebco came out with the Cardinal line I bought my first one, a Cardinal 6, in 1969. It was over $40 way back then. Once the Cardinal 4 was available I got three of those, and a Cardinal 3 in '75. I'm still using all 5 of those reels regularly to this day. When ABU Garcia switched the fulcrum brake manufacturing to Japan in the early '80's I picked up a few C3s & C4s from Cabela's before they quit making them and those are still part of my regular fishing outfits, too.

I started collecting seriously about 12 years ago. I've got about 400 reels now, including the 22 my wife & I keep in the boat for fishing. Most are open face spinners, although I do have about 25 automatic fly reels. I don't fly fish very often, though. I retired 2 years ago so I'm now going through and breaking them down, cleaning, repair/adjusting and lubing those that I hadn't been able to get to. I haven't built any for a couple of years but I build my own rods, too. Those high modulus St Croix & G Loomis are a little pricey for my blood so I buy their blanks & build my own. I make about $2 an hour doing it but it's fun, rewarding and I get the top line guides and style handle I want.

I probably clean my reels a little differently than most guys. I don't sonicate anything. I take my reels completely apart and soak all the metal parts in either lacquer thinner or acetone, preferably lacquer thinner for a day or so. Then I wipe them off and buff them. Ball bearings and nylon parts just get a short soak. All the painted body and plastic parts get cleaned with Original White Goop Hand Cleaner. It's gentle on those materials, never blisters paint and is a great degreaser. I then wash those parts in warm water Dawn. Once everything is spotless and dry they get greased, oiled and put back together.

Here's an old '56 ABU Garcia all cleaned up and ready to put back together:



This is where I work on my reels:



Some of my boxed reels:



A variety of Ultra-Lites:




An ABU 444, Zebco 1970, 1 of 100 manufactured and never sold to the public, and an ABU Record 700:



A few Japanese ABU Garcia & Zebco Cardinals and two China, a 3 & 33, Cardinals:




Some of my ABU and Zebco 3, 4, 4X, 6, 6X, 7 & 7X Cardinals:



Sportech (1996) and American (1997-2007) Classic IVs, one on a Custom St Croix Legend Elite rod I built:




       

[wallacewt]

hi midway tommy between yourself and fred the old time spin men should have most of their questions answered
good stuff cheers

[STRIPER LOU]

Wow, that's the most Abu's I have ever seen! Nice collection.
.....................Lou

[Alto Mare]

Beautiful collection Tommy and a nice work station. Love that chair, could work there all day.

Sal

[thorhammer]

Tommy, that's great stuff!!!!

Someone go check on Harry K.....when he sees all those Cardinals he's gonna have a seizure.....


John

[mo65]

   Most impressive Tommy!

[foakes]

Really impressed with your obvious knowledge and professionalism in appreciating these vintage reels!

I think I can learn a lot from you, Tommy.

Best,

Fred

[Midway Tommy]

Thank you all for the compliments. There are a lot of great older spinning reels out there that, with a little TLC and stewardship, will still be catching boat loads of fish after many of their newerfangled Asian counterparts have long since had a visit to the "Reel Graveyard". Every reel in my collection that I have had the opportunity to breakdown and service is water ready and could be pulled off the shelf to go fishing at any time.

Fred, you you are way too kind. I doubt there's much you will learn from me, but maybe I'll be able to throw some helping tidbits out there every once in awhile that will make spinning reel life a little better and easier for a few people.     

[coastal_dan]

Beautiful collection...your photos and care taken in your reels shows it is obviously a passion rather than just a 'hobby'.  Looking forward to more from you sir!

[Tightlines667]

Way to come in with a bang.

You have alreasy earned my respect.  Thanks for joining the family.  Pull up a chair and stay awhile.

John

[Bill B]

What an incredible collection Tom.....I could imagine you and Fred in the same room would be able to talk for hours about spinning reels and never get past a few models......ohhh to be a fly on the wall during that conversation....only thing I would be able to contribute would be a couple Mitchell 300's and a 302.....and I still get nervous opening them up   ....Bill

[Midway Tommy]

No reason to get nervous opening them up, Bill. Just have a phone or digital camera and take some shots every step of the way. Put them back together just like you took them apart and refer to the pics when necessary. In my mind that's better than a schematic anytime unless, that is, you need to order a part or someone did some type of Rube Goldberg jury rigging in there. Then a schematic comes in pretty handy. 

[Penn Chronology]

Thank you all for the compliments. There are a lot of great older spinning reels out there that, with a little TLC and stewardship, will still be catching boat loads of fish after many of their newerfangled Asian counterparts have long since had a visit to the "Reel Graveyard". Every reel in my collection that I have had the opportunity to breakdown and service is water ready and could be pulled off the shelf to go fishing at any time.

Great to see your collection. I have a feeling you and Ben Wright (RIP) must have crossed paths. Very impressive collection and the fact that they are all ready to fish is the best part. I serviced a made in China Penn 650SSm last week, the difference between the Chinese copy of the American reel can be felt as soon as you pick up the reel. Nothing like the older American and European spinners.

[Donnyboat]

Hi Tommy, great collection, if you and Fred ever get together, have a tape recorder with you, and play it back to us, jee wizzz, would that be interesting, Tommy could you be more specific with the mixtures of cleening agents you us, @ what racio to water ect, thank donnyboat.