Shakespeare Wondercast

[jgp12000]

I just acquired a Shakespeare Wondercast No.1771 model EB from a friend that was about to throw it away.When were they made?Also,another Johnson 100B.I have 3-100Bs now all have different handles,flat white, round white ,and this one is flat white with grooves.I was curious if the handle might date it?
I just took the wondercast apart it was locked up tighter than Richard's hat band.I put some Kroil in the right spots let it sit fer awhile.I  was able to easily  tap the spool shaft out with a punch.Kroil works miracles if you have never used it.The Wondercast is built like a tank,I can see it being back in use soon with Superlube and Lucas reel oil running slick as ever.

[Midway Tommy]

EB would be the '69 variant, which is not necessarily the year it was made. Shakespeare used a letter code to identify the year they made a change to a model.

[happyhooker]

The model no. for that Shaky is 1771, is it not?

Frank

[jgp12000]

It appears the 1st digit may have been a one scuffed up there, but now looking at the photo I believe you are correct sir,the model states <EB>1969
?

[Gfish]

The Johnson's have an interesting nylon friction/pressure drag system and I've never seen one with a problem. I have several parts reels(wondercast) if you need anything, lemme know, chancy, but ya never know. Yup, tank-like construction on both makes. However, the Shakes have an aluminum main gear. I like, the Johnson's  over the Shakespear's. What kinda drag is on your Shakes?

[jgp12000]

Greg,It appears the Shakes has a star drag but I will have to take a photo to better explain it.The crank shaft to the handle has a fiber washer that goes thru the main gear when and you tighten down on the star it puts resistance on the main gear if that makes sense.I do need a gear for the 100B p/n C123-60 I believe,I think its the pinion gear.I may need the main gear but it looks good,I need to make sure though.

[happyhooker]

A lot of those old Shaky spincasters had a drag built into the bell; felt around the inside which compressed as you screwed the bell down.  ID by a little wire on the bottom of the frame where it meets the bell.  Sounds like this 1771 is diff.

Frank

[Gfish]

 Yeah, got several Shakes with the "Micro-Drag". Very nice for easy access and drag fine tuning. 50's and 60's reels(F's and E's), and they still have good felt. 3 of 'em have an oscillating rotor for better line-lay. Always a problem on spincasters—-the line getting caught on the spool. 1's a pretty rough star drag I got from Wompus Cat. 3 of 'em are under -spin reels(sit underneath the rod and release line by cranking the handle backwards 1/3 of a turn). The Century 100B is the only one a those got. It's in great shape—-box, papers—-a shelfie.

Parts Shakespeare's: 2162 Spinner EB;  a beat-up 1745 Spin Wonderreel FG(1954)—an under-spin micro-drag model;  a 1796 WonderCast EK(1961) push-button, clicker, level-wind & star drag;  a 1797 Wonder Cast—-level wind, anti-reverse, push-button & micro-drag FB(1959);  a great casting Spin-Wondereel 1756 FB with micro-drag, anti-reverse and it's the under-spin type.

So many variations on these, it's fun. They are relatively inexpensive for vintage well built reels.

[jgp12000]

Gregg,
I didn't take pictures of the wondercast apart,but it is so simple,built like a tank.The AR is almost instant,I got it working like it's 1969, just not as pretty now.I need a pinion gear for the Johnson 100B to get it going.

[Gfish]

Got interested in the 1796/star drag after posting all them descriptions. Here's a couple of pictures of the drag system, clicker and oscillating parts.

The drag is different than a Penn star one and was kinda tricky to reassemble. It works though. The star wheel turns as the gear goes backward when drag is pulled. Now I'm wonderin if that's right?

You can see in the 2nd picture, there's a knob protrusion on the main gear that fits into the indentation on the main shaft, for rotor oscillation. The spool on this model is screwed down to the body and doesn't move, it's the rotor that moves up and down.

[happyhooker]

Watch out on those Johnson gears; there are diff. sets and they don't interchange.

Frank

[jgp12000]

The 1796 is fancy compared to the 1771,I forgot to add the 1771 has no AR lever,its always on.The only nonmetal parts are the push button,crank knob,and drag washers.

[Midway Tommy]

Check for schematics for a similar South Bend reel. Shakespeare made South Bend spin cast reels from that era. Generally they're the same reel with different writing.

[Gfish]

There is more variation on these than I ever thought'a; AR, clicker, under-cast, push-button, level-wind, star-drag, micro-drag. Spin Wondereel, Wonder-Cast,etc.
Must have been a successful product.

[jgp12000]

Wompus Cat had the schematic