6500 CT conversion/build

[JasonGotaProblem]

This is a fun one. I used a 6500C3 as a base, swapped the brake plate in from a 5500C donor to have a mechanical AR in addition to the IAR in the sideplate. I also got steel main and hardened bronze pinion from Rocket. You can feel the gears a bit but it's not too bad. And already smoother after getting spooled up.

Externally, it has an aluminum CT bar custom made for me by forum member Wolfram M. The aluminum version is far lighter than the steel version from blakdog. And I cancel out that weight savings with a counterweighted handle from a daiwa 27SH. I had to slightly modify the handle cover to fit, but that's what the dremel is for. It seems most aftermarket baitcast handles are made for a reel with a curved star. And as such don't work with the larger straight star from an old abu. I have some small stars from the even older ambassadeurs that i can use if i decide to go to a lighter aftermarket handle, like the carbon fiber one with cork knobs I put on the 4500CT. But now i cant find that reel to steal the handle. It's hidden under all the other stuff. 

Note the spool was over-filled in the pic. As shown it had 350yds of 20# braid on it. I removed about 30 yds.

Frankly i put too heavy a magnet in it, so it's not casting the way it should. But with the mag removed its freespooling about 20-25 seconds.

[ExcessiveAngler]

Speaking of magnets,lol!
Nice job Jason!
Are those aluminum bars available through AT?
Gotta ask why you don't have a bling handle on there though?

[thorhammer]

Nice. There's power handles specifically for Abu; I put them on all my 6000- size builds without issue. Like the doublke down on the AR. IMO you should yank the plate stickers and polish- I saw what you did on the Spinfisher.

[JasonGotaProblem]

Speaking of magnets,lol!

I'd like to say dont worry i didnt forget you, but that would be a lie. Im gonna try to get your mag kit out soon, now that I've been reminded.

Nice job Jason!
Are those aluminum bars available through AT?
Gotta ask why you don't have a bling handle on there though?

I am merely the customer. It's up to him whether they are available.

A fancier handle is likely to appear. But frankly i don't mind this one. Unlike the abu power handle, this one's counterweight actually balances it.

[JasonGotaProblem]

Nice. There's power handles specifically for Abu; I put them on all my 6000- size builds without issue. Like the doublke down on the AR. IMO you should yank the plate stickers and polish- I saw what you did on the Spinfisher.

You gotta go to a smaller outside diameter on the under-gear drag washer for the silent dog to work. No big deal, but noteworthy.

A polish job isn't a bad idea. I hadnt thought of that. The difference though with the penn, any metal i sanded off removing the paint was considered a beneficial reduction of extra weight. Not sure that's the case here.

[steelfish]

This is a fun one. I used a 6500C3 as a base, swapped the brake plate in from a 5500C donor to have a mechanical AR in addition to the IAR in the sideplate. I also got steel main and hardened bronze pinion from Rocket.

yep, Abu ambassadeur reels are like Legos, you can mix and match between many models as you did.

that aluminium spacer loos pretty cool

[ExcessiveAngler]

Not a big deal, at all with the mag brother!
Gotta poke you once in a while, to keep you on your toes lol!
Saw you snuck out and got some fishing done too, good for you. I'm sure you needed it!
Getting on the water, seems to make it all goes away sometimes!

[jurelometer]

Nice.

With pushbutton levelwinds that have a longer arm/heavier knob, the momentum from an enthusiastic cast can sometimes start the handle spinning and kick the reel into gear at the worst possible moment.

If this is an issue, there is some sort of hack for ABUs to carve a locking notch in the sideplate to restrain the freespool lever during the cast. Haven't tried this hack  myself, so I can't recommend it, just thought it might be worth looking into if you snap off a lure or two.

Or go with the lighter handle/knob.  Balance is important, but so is mass and arm length.


-J

[Gfish]

Hmmmm, maybe that's why those old school 5000's had such small handles.
I put the same Daiwa 27H handle on an '73 Ambassadeur 5000 and it works without any handle movement—kick into gear—-problems, yet...
Nice reel Jason. An ARB + Abu dog might be a great improvement for FW. For SW I wouldn't add an ARB.

[jurelometer]

Hmmmm, maybe that's why those old school 5000's had such small handles.
I put the same Daiwa 27H handle on an '73 Ambassadeur 5000 and it works without any handle movement—kick into gear—-problems, yet...
Nice reel Jason. An ARB + Abu dog might be a great improvement for FW. For SW I wouldn't add an ARB.

I've done it a few times. Always on levelwinds with a power handle.  Sometimes bumped into the handle during the cast, sometimes a mystery engagement. Heavier handles/counterbalances make it more likely.  Apparently the one way bearing makes it worse, because any handle movement will start to kick it into gear.  Yet another downside to one way bearings.

Broke off a Roberts Ranger once when the handle engaged right after the release.  It just got smaller and smaller.  Never saw the splashdown, so maybe it burned up on re-entry . Of course, it was the only Ranger in my box, and it was killing it as a teaser that day.

This accidental engagement is also a reasonably well known problem in distance casting circles. I think it happens more frequently when you are going for distance.

I found a tutorial on the notch hack. Notch goes on the button thingy, not the sideplate:

https://planetseafishing.com/tackle/reels/top-notch/

-J

[ExcessiveAngler]

Well, seeing how handles being balanced was mentioned in this thread!
How do you guys feel about handles that have dual knobs that are the same on both ends?
I see some newer reels coming that way now, like the newish Daiwa coastal series
Trying to figure out, if it's the length of the handles or it's being slightly out of balance, causing premature engagement?

[JasonGotaProblem]

It's being out of balance that's the issue. If the heavy side is on the back side of its rotation when you cast it can swing forward with the momentum of the cast taking the reel out of free spool. Conceptually if the handle is perfectly balanced the length of bar or shape of knobs don't actually matter.

[jurelometer]

Those small double handles are easier to wind  fast.  The smaller the turn radius, the more ergonomic the winding motion until you reach a certain load level, and then a power handle  with more leverage and a bigger knob wins.  But I question if some of those smaller levelwinds are strong enough to justify needing a power handle.

As to the rest of the question: from firsthand experience, you can still kick a "balanced" power handle into gear.  It is the arm length and weight that matters.  Being balanced does not prevent motion.

Think of it  this way:   If you had a see-saw with equal weight on both sides, but  one side is is currently lower than the other.... Yep, it is going  to rotate to level out the load.

If the  handle/counterbalance weight  is light enough and the arm length/leverage is small enough, you are less likely to generate enough rotational force to trip the engagement mechanism.  Plus a small handle on a short arm is less likely to catch on clothing, bump into your arm, etc., which is probably the most frequent cause of premature engagement.

From earlier in this thread:

I've done it a few times. Always on levelwinds with a power handle.  Sometimes bumped into the handle during the cast, sometimes a mystery engagement. Heavier handles/counterbalances make it more likely.  Apparently the one way bearing makes it worse, because any handle movement will start to kick it into gear.  Yet another downside to one way bearings.

-J