Penn 700 greenie bail release system

[oc1]

Penn 700 series Spinfishers may be an acquired taste.  The are heavy, rough and clunky.  They are heavy because the frame and drive train are very robust and everything is metal.  They are rough because there is a lot of handle back-play and a lot of metal-to-metal contact points with no plastic wear surfaces.  They are clunky because when you trip the bail it makes a loud "clunk".  They can take a lot of abuse though and are at their best in the most adverse conditions.  Perfect for being dunked in the surf and drug through the sand.

In the 700 series, the bigger the reel, the louder and more extreme the clunk.  That clunk is the head stock of the spring loaded bail wire assembly hitting the bumper (or stop screw) and the spring loaded bail release arm hitting the rotor cup.  The springs are strong so they can do their job even if there is some gunk or grit trying to jam contact surfaces.

I have this Penn Spinfisher 700.  A green one from mid-60's to mid-70's.  It looks terrible (has a lot of character) because so much of the paint is chipped.  The bail release system does not work and it scrapes the bearing cover screws on the retrieve.  But, the gears and oscillation are in excellent shape.

The bail release system has a worn bail wire at the tail stock (24-700), a worn bail release arm (28-700), a worn bail trip screw (22-700), and, URGH!, a worn spot where the bail release arm slams against the rotor cup (27-700).  None of the wear spots are really severe but they magnify each other so that there was no way the system as a whole could work without having the bail release arm scraping on the rotor cup screws during the retrieve.  Also, the rubber bail bumper (33-704) is either missing or this model was supposed to have an adjustable screw instead of a rubber bumper.

Replacing the whole bail wire assembly and the rotor cup would cost more than the reel itself.  Replacing only the smaller parts will not resolve the problem.  But, here is a cheap fix......

The heart of the bail release system is the bail release arm.  This one was worn where it contacts the bail trip screw, where it slams against the rotor cup and where it contacts the tail stock on the bail wire assembly.  To remove the bail arm assembly tap or press out the pivot pin (29-700).
http://www.raingarden.us/snap/700a.jpg
http://www.raingarden.us/snap/700b.jpg
http://www.raingarden.us/snap/700c.jpg

A piece of bronze was hard silver brazed to the bail release arm at about 1500 F.  The arm was than reshaped with dremel bits and files.
http://www.raingarden.us/snap/700d.jpg
http://www.raingarden.us/snap/700e.jpg
http://www.raingarden.us/snap/700f.jpg

Notice that the modified arm is not exactly like the old arm, or a NOS replacement.  The tip (upper leg in the photo) is bulked up a bit so it will fit better in the worn cut-out on the bail wire assembly tail stock.  There is now a hump or protrusion that was not there before.  This protrusion compensates for the wear on the other end of the bail release arm (lower leg) and the wear where the bail release arm has been slamming into the rotor cup.  This one modification corrects or compensates for all the wear points except the bail trip screw.  The wear on the large rounded head of the bail trip screw was compensated for by smoothing out the worn spot and putting a brass shim washer under the screw.

The reels works great now.  As good as it ever did.  I'm so proud because things hardly ever work out this well for me.

Maureen, I will still take a new bail trip screw if you went to any trouble to find one and still want to try the 704 bumpers to muffle the clunk.  Thank you very much.
-steve

[mhc]

Impressive work Steve, an innovative solution to restoring a worn part without replacing the whole assembly (and wasting the functional components). Thanks for sharing.

Mike 

[Alto Mare]

Very nice job Steve, I also like those homemade clamps. About that peen hammer, do you also use it as an anchor?
It's easy to replace parts, anyone could do it, but to actually repair them it's another story.

Thanks for sharing.

Sal

[oc1]

Sal, the Plumb hammer is about the same age as the reel.  Someone lost it a few years ago and it finally resurfaced while raking leaves.  Most of my stuff has looked like that ever since the kids started using tools.
-steve

[Reel 224]

Very impressive Steve. It's good to see someone using good old Yankee engineering, that Ball-peen is a classic.

Joe

 

[foakes]

Great innovating, Steve! --

If you need a tune up kit -- let me know and I can send it out -- N/C.

Best,

Fred

[Midway Tommy]

Great ingenuity getting a great old war horse back out there functioning correctly again, Steve. Since I'm into (reelly  ) old spinning reels I'm continually improvising and crafting repair and worn replacement parts where NOS or aftermarket parts are no longer available. Sometimes a guy just has to get innovative to save the old relics.     

[Penn Chronology]

I will still take a new bail trip screw if you went to any trouble to find one and still want to try the 704 bumpers to muffle the clunk.  Thank you very much.
-steve

Amazing job on the arm. If I were you, I would take up Fred on his Tune Up Kit. Those parts are getting dear. As for the Bail Bumper, it can be set up three ways. This is the incorrect way, using just the bumper without any support. It will fail quickly in the real world of surf fishing.


The second version of bumper support was put into use very early. It is a cup that the bumper sits in. This will prevent the bumper from collapsing with use.


This is the first bumper support version found on early Model 700's. I do not believe this little support spring is available from any source except it might be in Fred's Tune Up kit.


I do not believe that any version of the Model 700 or 704 was ever set up with an adjustable screw for the bail bumper system.

[foakes]

Mike is, as always, correct --

Here are the 10 parts in a 700 series greenie tune-up kit -- that I have found to cure and improve most reel issues and basic maintenance.

Most of these can be a little tough to locate, without a lot of effort, time, and expense -- in many cases...

They are not expensive parts -- just not manufactured anymore -- and these are the typical ones that wear out.

That is why these kits were put together.

Best,

Fred