Jvariance conversion...

[Bryan Young]

Very nice set up.  How's the tolerance between the frame, side plates, and the spool?  Can spectra bind between any of these areas?

[Taily]

Unused parts on the left... Finished product on the right. The silver one is the one I did for myself. Notice I didn't have the Newell gears in yet. I was worried about the sound and different feel.

I haven't seen one of those silver anodised handles yet. I have one of the (same design) black ones from the same company. I like the match with the silver kit, looks good! With the Newell gears they respond well to being lapped in (ie; using an agent such as dedicated lapping paste - available from many auto supply stores, or you could do what I did and use toothpaste - does the same thing and I daresay smells a bit better). Just install the gearset in the reel and place a bit of paste on the gears and wind the reel for a while (don't forget to load the spool up a lttle with gentle finger pressure). I actually used an old brass sleeve that I had finished using in my reels (I have replaced them all with stainless sleeves from Alan now) and used a battery drill attached to a bolt in the internal thread of the sleeve to wind the reel for me while I kept finger pressure on the spool to keep the gears slightly loaded. After about 10 minutes I pulled the reel back apart, thoroughly cleaned the gears, lubed with Cals and have had a much quieter gearset ever since. They are still more noisy than the standard Penn gears, however I wouldn't have it any other way now. After lapping they are a fair bit quieter (and smoother!) than the un-lapped Newell gears I have in another reel though.

Bryan. I have a full JV narrow 4/0 conversion (plates, frame and spool) with the stainless sleeve, Accurate 4:1 gears and handle, 5+1 carbontex drags on which I run around 600m (I think around just shy of 650 yards) of 50lb Suffix braid (and a short heavy leader) on and have not had any issues with the line getting caught anywhere it shouldn't to date. No more so than any of the Accuframes/plates or Tiburon kits I have either. Looking at a JV sideplate/topless Tiburon frame/standard Penn spool set-up I have only recently put together the standard spool seems to work well with the JV sideplates as well.

Hope that helps.

Dave   

[Board4life]

Bryan... It is very well machined. Everything fits perfectly and I don't see any future problems with spectra.

Taily... Yeah I liked the way it looked as well with the matching handle. I was going to go with an oversized handle but actually liked the feel as well as the style of the round knob. I am very happy with the outcome.

I assume you would clean all grease off before you would lap the gears. What about the toothpaste or lapping material getting on the bearings or other surfaces of the reel? Would that be a problem? Also would the gears just eventually "lap" themselves with time and use? "Place a bit of paste on the gears and wind the reel for a while", what do you consider "a while"? Sorry for all the questions but I want to get it right.

Thanks again.

[Taily]

Bryan... It is very well machined. Everything fits perfectly and I don't see any future problems with spectra.

Taily... Yeah I liked the way it looked as well with the matching handle. I was going to go with an oversized handle but actually liked the feel as well as the style of the round knob. I am very happy with the outcome.

I assume you would clean all grease off before you would lap the gears. What about the toothpaste or lapping material getting on the bearings or other surfaces of the reel? Would that be a problem? Also would the gears just eventually "lap" themselves with time and use? "Place a bit of paste on the gears and wind the reel for a while", what do you consider "a while"? Sorry for all the questions but I want to get it right.

Thanks again.

I would clean the grease off with something like carb cleaner or the like (old fuel with a small brush if you haven't got any carb cleaner). I only use just enough toothpaste to lightly coat the gear/pinion mating surfaces. A small dollop about 5/16in (8mm) round would be enough to spread it most of the way around the main gear and wouldn't be enough to work its way into any bearings or other workings of the reel. I only lap the gears for around 10 minutes or so using the battery drill, varying the resistance to movement (using my thumb on the spool, so as to load the gears up a bit) from fairly light resistance to begin with and then max-ing out around the half way mark and then tapering the resistance off so that the gears polish up nicely towards the end. I then dis-assemble the reel again, clean and lube everything and put it back together. From there you're good to go!

You could even do the same thing if you manually load the line on your spool using that opportunity to lap the gears by hand. I would suggest it would be better to have a full spool of line on if you are going to use a battery drill as you don't want to damage the anodising of the spool from the friction of your thumb on it.

That is just the way I do it, there are other ways to skin the proverbial cat.

Regards,

Dave   

[Board4life]

Well that sounds easy enough. I will have to give it a shot. Prob when I order my new gear sleeve. Thanks for the info.

[Alto Mare]

Stainless steel gears will still make noice no matter what, I would lightly coat the gears with grease and let them go. The connecting point on gears is soo thight that most material gets squished out anyway. I've done a couple of dozen of these custom reels, some with two tone, some standard, some yellow tail special and some wide. If you keep on customizing with that kit ( great kits by the way ) eventually you will run in to some problems, like the spool rubbing, the tolerance is very tight on those kits; everything can be adjusted though, just drop us a line if needed. One thing I do want to point out is for you to install a rubber cap on that eccentric lever so that you won't domage the plate. Take care, Sal

[Board4life]

Rubber cap... great idea. Was wondering about that. If it would damage the finish or not.

[Bryan Young]

Thanks guys.  I wonder it they would consider making a kit that is the size of a 2/0 reel, with 4/0 guts and alternating double dog system (one is active at a time) so there's not so much handle play.  That would be a great size reel with spectra.

[Board4life]

Thanks guys.  I wonder it they would consider making a kit that is the size of a 2/0 reel, with 4/0 guts and alternating double dog system (one is active at a time) so there's not so much handle play.  That would be a great size reel with spectra.

+1 to that. I would be interested. I have two more penns laying around I can play with.

[Bryan Young]

Or how about a narrow 4/0 with 6/0 drags and high speed gearing?

[Norcal Pescador]

Thanks guys.  I wonder it they would consider making a kit that is the size of a 2/0 reel, with 4/0 guts and alternating double dog system (one is active at a time) so there's not so much handle play.  That would be a great size reel with spectra.

Or how about a narrow 4/0 with 6/0 drags and high speed gearing?

Either one would be great!!

[Alto Mare]

You guys are never happy.

[Board4life]

You guys are never happy.

Haha... Always want more... that is what keeps progress moving.

[Alto Mare]

Thanks guys.  I wonder it they would consider making a kit that is the size of a 2/0 reel, with 4/0 guts and alternating double dog system (one is active at a time) so there's not so much handle play.  That would be a great size reel with spectra.

Bryan, I think Accurate came out with a kit for a Jigmaster with 4/0 guts. Every now and then I see them for sale, but they're always way out of my reach.

[Board4life]

I would love to see one within reach...