Quick Organizing

[foakes]

A few months ago, I decided to focus primarily on repairing, servicing, and restoring quality vintage spinning reels.

Primarily — DAM Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals.

So many parts and reels will be disposed of — just don't have the room, or as much interest anymore.

About the same time, it was time to try my hand at more professionally restoring parts and pieces of reels.

So, with the help and advice from Dave (jurelometer) — I finally decided to set up a portion of my outer shop into a metal finishing, cleaning, and powder-coating station.

Metal tables, bead blasting, metal tumblers, ovens, dual voltage powder-coating gun, spray booth, filters, vacuums, compressors, air lines, 240V, material & blast media storage, respirators, fire extinguishers, safety glasses, extra lighting, spare parts, plugs, hi-temp tape, and a lot more...all built as cheaply as possible — but using the quality or new equipment where deemed necessary.

It is still a work in progress — as I am waiting for a few other main pieces of equipment to arrive — but it is about 80% ready for this amateur to start practicing.

In the meantime — I had been putting off organizing the DAM Quick parts — particularly the excess overflow that would not fit into the main shop upstairs, in the house.  Separated and walled off a portion of the shop into a excess parts room with a glass door to keep dust out.  After parts are blasted, cleaned, burnished and/or powder-coated — they will be numbered and organized into storage for future reel builds — in this room.

Spent a few days numbering, labeling, and library ordering the excess parts.  This is only perhaps 25% of the DQ parts on hand — some of the parts have 400-500 pieces, some only a few.  But it is fairly complete — around 120,000 parts, plus 400-500 DQ reels.  The inside/upstairs shop has around 4 times this many parts.

Feels good to have this job done.

Now, I need to tackle the ABU/Zebco Cardinal, ABU, Mitchell, and Penn spinner parts.

Best, Fred

[foakes]

Some of the excess parts that won't fit in the main shop —

Best, Fred

[Wompus Cat]

Looking Good .
Now all you need is some Vintage Baitcasters. 

[oldmanjoe]

   Your just to dam organized !!

[thorhammer]

Fred, that looks like a lot of work- I can't wait to see what comes out of that shop. I have been going through my micros this  week, and am going to need to purchase a few sundry parts, so that will lower your parts load by 0.00002 %

[Bryan Young]

Fred, you continue to amaze me with all that you do.

[Gfish]

Whoa dude! Just thinking about how much $ in parts you have stored.

[foakes]

Whoa dude! Just thinking about how much $ in parts you have stored.

That is true, Greg — but I don't look at it that way.  Parts are worth nothing — until they are sold or used for repairs on others reels.

I enjoy having the parts for working on reels — but I could not use up 10% of these parts in a couple more lifetimes.

When you look at what some shops and eBay sellers charge for a single small part — it is not criminal — but close..

The parts I have are, First — for our Alan Tani members. Second, for the rest of the world.  And I don't need to make a living off of what I do.  It is just a fun occupation that I treat as a pleasurable hobby to help others to get their reels back in fishable condition.

However, the organization is important to me — both as a professional, and also so I don't become frustrated looking for a part for a member or client.  

Part of the fun for me — is the proper organization.

And at this point — reducing parts that are no longer needed — as well as specializing in a little niche that I have developed over 40 years — is a good thing and a good feeling, at least for me.

So it is really not about the money — it is what keeps things purposeful and focused on good activity that is also fun.

Best, Fred

[reelrepair123]

totally amazing  fred,  parts are very important, when your working on a reel and need a certain part to complete it, to be able to reach for the part and not to have the hassle to look it up , order it and wait for it to come, makes having an assortment of parts very valuable, and also to add, remarkable organization, shop and tools, your number 1  take care my friend.    harryk

[Crow]

Great set up, Fred !

[jason_purdy]

Fred, that's amazing! And to think that's only a portion...wow

-Jason

[scrinch]

Fred, you are simply amazing! I wish I I were 10% as organized as you are!

[Bill B]

Looks good Fred.....myself I wonder what treasures you have stashed in the back that you forgot you had.....maybe a Model K 😜  Bill