Benora two speed. Another reel rescued from a pile

[Fishgolfman]

Will have to fabricate a a slotted spanner screwdriver or buy a set.

[oldmanjoe]

Nice, Dr. Rob! Lucky you to have the mechanical capabilities and appropriate tools at your disposal to accomplish such a great save & restoration. Well done! 

I just got back from vacation and playing catch up .  You have done a wonderful job machining all those parts , i especial like the way you handled the new threads on the gear shaft .   

[oldmanjoe]

Will have to fabricate a a slotted spanner screwdriver or buy a set.

I cheated and used a small vice grip pliers to loosen the nut while using a screwdriver also .

[JasonGotaProblem]

One unaddressed question. What's the drag like on this fella? Is it set up to utilize this 2 speed?

[Robert Janssen]

I cheated and used a small vice grip pliers to loosen...

I tried that on the line roller on mine, with the result that the line roller cracked and crumbled into pieces. So, i had to make a new one of those too.

What's the drag like on this fella?

Mine was pretty lousy. In fact, the whole spool was lousy. Initially I was seriously considering making a new spool with substantially improved drag components. In the end, I just didn't bother, but instead poked a small CF drag washer under the spool.

[JasonGotaProblem]

There's a part of me wondering if there's any DAM reels with a similar diameter spool shaft. If so I'd want to steal the spool and rotor (especially if it's a skirted spool but that's 100% personal prejudice) and make one heck of a fish-ready frankenreel.

[Midway Tommy]

Will have to fabricate a a slotted spanner screwdriver or buy a set.

I cheated and used a small vice grip pliers to loosen the nut while using a screwdriver also .

I would be afraid of pinching the nut just enough to make even more difficult to loosen, which is usually my luck.    Fabricating a slotted spanner type screwdriver only takes around 15 minutes if you have some sort of anvil surface, a grinder or a couple of good files. I generally use a cheapie old screwdriver to fabricate specialty tools like this that aren't used frequently.

[Midway Tommy]

One unaddressed question. What's the drag like on this fella? Is it set up to utilize this 2 speed?

About like most spinning reel drags from that era, leaving something to be desired, especially when tightened down past their design capabilities. 

[Fishgolfman]

I ordered slotted screwdriver set.. Unfortunately the sizes are not right. Harbor freight i go to get a few cheap screwdrivers to make a special slotted screw drivers for future projects too! Dremel time!!!

[oldmanjoe]

 I was looking at your photo`s of the handle .   You have a hot mess there with all the rust .
       Keep soaking it .   Also keep in mind there are 2 nuts on that screw . I will show in pictures .
 
  You can use pliers on the screw down low close to the wood handle nut side  , the nut it self and the back side nut .  Just grab litely and rock back and forth a little at a time to break it loose .

   when you grab the split nut , grab it slit to slit ,this way you are not closing tighter on the nut

[Midway Tommy]

You have more intestinal fortitude than me, Joe! 

[Fishgolfman]

The rusted handle part is soaking in liquid wrench! Also need to fabricate the slotted screw drivers!! Want to finish this project on the bench with Joe's parts!!! I have two project reels also on bench a zangi delphino whose rotor nut won't come off and a penn mag 970 with salted on screws! I want to jump on the Big Benora to clean up! I have rule of three, only three project reels at a time!!

[Midway Tommy]

It only takes about 15 minutes to make a spanner/slotted tip out of a screwdriver. Good luck working on 3 at a time, Stephen. With my crusty old memory I need to finish one before I start on another.  Sometimes I even forget where I was at on just one. Thank God for cameras! 

[Fishgolfman]

Finally. Took a couple west coast trips,barcelona, st augustine and north carolina. Soaked for months in liquid wrench. Challenge 1: remembering how I disassembled. Challenge2: having all the old parts and joe's fabrication. Challenge 3:dry fitting. The spring loaded shaft and ball bearing stopping insertion. Challenge 4: the handle knob. Had to resort to liquid wrench for months, butane heat and vise grips. The fabricated split screwdriver didn't work not enough torque. Sixty years of crud. Finally the assembled reel sans knob!!! Works. Put together joes knob and a working reel!!!!Note that the spool has old linen? Line. Opinions in removing? I am going to put 6-10 lb monofilament to fish this restored treasure. Many thanks to old man joe and midway tommy for advice and parts

[Fishgolfman]

My reel graduated to functional status!!! While not close to perfect, it works to reel at two speeds. Sharing the final pictures. Note Joe's button and wooden knob. Quite a journey.