Penn 340GT2 - plugging frame holes

[Jason Groombridge]

G'day All,

I just thought I'd post this in case it can help someone else.

I recently bought a mini lathe and that has meant I can do a few things I previously couldn't!

I was given this Penn 340GT2 and the levelwind had failed. The reel was pretty much brand new so rather than buying parts and repairing the levelwind (with the possibility of another failure) I decided to remove the levelwind components and fish it as is. The problem there of course is that it leaves two great big holes in the frame for water to get in.

So I machined some frame plugs and washers out of aluminium on the lathe and used them to plug the frame. Came out OK I reckon.

Cheers

Jason

[akfish]

Good work. But I think I would have made a cross bar to replace the level wind. That would make the plastic frame a bit more rigid. I can't tell you how many 340s and 345s come into my shop with shredded gears  caused, I think, by frame flex when under heavy drag. People up here fish them with 80# spectra for halibut...

[Keta]

Looks clean, nice job.

[alantani]

very nice.  a friend made some out of delron a while back.  they are long gone, but they were a pretty tight fit, so he just pressed them in and they stayed.  not as fancy as these, but functional. 

[Jason Groombridge]

I didn't think about making a new crossbar. That would probably have been better. I'll only fish this reel with 10kg line, 15kg at the most so I think it will be fine at those modest drag settings.

Cheers

Jason

[Alto Mare]

Very nice, clean job! You should be ok without the cross member at those settings.
Thanks for showing us how it's done.

Sal

[Bill B]

Good job Jason......keep the ideas coming....thanks for sharing.....Bill

[Jason Groombridge]

Thanks for the comments guys,

Cheers

Jason

[Bryan Young]

I don't know what happened to my postings earlier.

That's nice looking Jason.  I've been wanting to do that except with a rod that goes clearly across the frame like another frame support.  Not sure if it needs it, and I'm not sure how I would secure it.  I had a bunch of these reels to play with but alas, they wanted them back for fishing so I could not do any more measurements/experiments.

Thank you for sharing.

[Jason Groombridge]

G'day Bryan,

I'll get you some measurements when I have the opportunity.

Cheers

Jason