What to do with a new Penn 115L2?

[JasonF]

Well said, and understood!  Since I have installed SS yoke, SS double dogs and a SS gear sleeve I do have more faith in the reel to push its limits.  From my limited knowledge I se the week link being the brass bridge, main and pinion.  That is what is fun about this project....making a $150 reel a great.  I have Tiagras, Talicas, Trinidads and Calcuttas but have not had this much fun tricking them out.

[Bryan Young]

Nice morning on the water.  We ran about 1.5 hrs out.  I was hoping to hook something worthy of this outfit, but my only takers (cobia & snapper) were taken on light tackle.

As for the lack of screws goes, I feel that I should maximise the strength between the side plates and the frame, so I am going to drill and tap additional holes.  I am going to put another between each of the existing screws.

Additional holes will be unnecessary to screw the side plates and the frame.  The additional holes were for the posts, reel seat, cross bar,... that is now all integrated into one piece.  Those 5 are sufficient.  If you have ever looked at Accurates, the sideplate is held on with 4 tiny screws, and they have yet to have a problem, and they are fishing with 65# and 80# spectra.  You've got plenty of holding power.  To sheer a screw under tension is difficult.  Try curring it with a pair of side cutters, you will know what I mean.  Stop the drilling, stop the drilling.

[Bruce]

Hello Jason

             I suppose you could find steel gears. I have an old post 1972 ball bearing 9/0 and it has steel gears, although they are not stainless and certainly do not have the nice feel of brass/bronze gears.
             The newer marine bronze alloy now being used is much stronger than what was being used years ago.
             I will replace mine with bronze if they ever go. the smoothness is so much better and these are not stainless anyway.

              Good fishing  Buzz

[Alto Mare]

You are right Buzz, the newer brass gears are stronger and smoother than the old brass, but, I still like steel gears. My upgraded 9/0 has steel gears, not as smooth as brass  but much stronger. About a month ago I decided to do a little test for myself. I soaked some steel gears ( not stainless steel ) individually in water for a couple of weeks and air dried for a couple of days, I also placed a cut nail in another cup, this is what I found:





There was very little rust on some of the gears, that I could berely notice,  I was surpriced.
I just want to mention that the gears were cleaned prior to the test...no oil or grease.

On that particular reel, I recommend steel gears, just grease them up nicely and you should be ok.

[George4741]

And why the hell did no one tell me that I drag options?!?!

Modification of reels is an ongoing process.  Our job is to post our experiences and your job is to read what's posted.  You can choose what you want to do and what you don't.  You can even decide to do something totally new, that none of us has thought of (and when you do, please share).  Especially with increasing the number of brake disks, that's a relatively new issue and, no one wants to recommend something that's not yet "proven".  The issues of concern include whether the thinner CF disks will hold up (I think they will), whether the drive train will suffer (it might, depending on what materials they are made of), and whether there is a practical limit to how much drag the frame and spindle/shaft can handle (it's possible that the spindle might distort enough under extreme pressure so that the spool starts to rub against the frame).  No one wants to be accused of causing another's reel to fail or be damaged.  No one wants to hear, "And why the hell did no one tell me that increasing the drag was going to break my ...".

Albert, thanks for emphasizing that.  Jason, the following disclaimer is directed at everyone who is considering a 1+7 drag mod.  Penn recommends a maximum of 22-23 lbs drag pressure on their 114H and 115 reels.  We're talking about doubling that.  Sal's super tank 114H will probably take this drag pressure, and he knows what he is getting in to.  A stock Penn won't hold up long, if at all, when abused this way.  I'm just playing around with some ideas and if I break my reel, then it is on me.  I can't be responsible for another person's broken reel.  After all, "a man's got to know his limitations" and that goes for his reels, too.

[JasonF]

Correct, but PUSHING limitations of tackle is one of my favorite aspects of angling.  I am the first to throw a topwater at a school of yellowfin tuna with a baitcaster.  If it breaks....thats the price to pay for that satisfaction!  No one will hold you responsible for broken tackle!!

[Makule]

On that particular reel, I recommend steel gears, just grease them up nicely and you should be ok.

The old gears were made of hardened steel.  Not stainless, but probably stronger than stainless from the standpoint of tensile and shear strength.  Not as smooth as bronze or brass because those have a softer surface and will "self lubricate" to some extent (not like hardened steel).

Stop the drilling, stop the drilling.

  Sounds like an "environmentalist" fighting oil drilling.

PUSHING limitations of tackle is one of my favorite aspects of angling.

Mine too.

[Alto Mare]

George, you're going to need to relax a bit . We're not selling anybody anything, we're simply giving our ideas...in which it could be good or bad.
This whole thing is experimental, if some can't take the heat, they need to stay out of the kitchen.

As I mentioned before, Bryan came to me with the idea of 1+7 over a year ago. We had phone conversations and back and forth emails about it, we didn't put it out because we were trying to figure out if it was better to go with thin metal washers or thin carbon fiber washers, well it was actually his idea. We were also trying to figure out if the gears could take it. This is what it's all about George, pushing it to the limit, and yes, we will know when we've reached that point .

I don't believe anyone can hold us responsible if their reel fails, it would be like telling someone to bang their head against a wall.
Dominick?

If I was looking to make money, I would have put a video of the double dogs out on youtube, or try to sell my idea....it would have been different then, but I would have definitely put out a disclaimer.
It's all about having fun with this stuff George, don't ever give up.

Sal

[Alto Mare]

Correct, but PUSHING limitations of tackle is one of my favorite aspects of angling.  I am the first to throw a topwater at a school of yellowfin tuna with a baitcaster.  If it breaks....thats the price to pay for that satisfaction!  No one will hold you responsible for broken tackle!!

Well said Jason!

[Alto Mare]

The old gears were made of hardened steel.  Not stainless, but probably stronger than stainless from the standpoint of tensile and shear strength.  Not as smooth as bronze or brass because those have a softer surface and will "self lubricate" to some extent (not like hardened steel).

I have an oldie with steel gears that actually feels smoother than the newer models .

[Bruce]

Wow! That is revealing on the steel gears.I wonder what the alloy is ?
Mine are ferous metal,not ss, and are magnetic. I would be hesitant to subject them to that sort of test,so they are well greased.
        Do you think that with bronze gears and gear sleeve that the sleeve or gear would go first?
        I believe I would wager sleeve would round off before gear,then again I may have been mistaken before.
         I`ll leave ot to AM to do the destructive stress testing.
          Very interesting!

                               Buzz

[Alto Mare]

I can't answer what those gears are made of, I simply don't know. I do know that they're not ss, mine are also magnetic. I've seen gear sleeves rounding off first, I don't know what would happen with the ss sleeve though. Looking forword to your report, don't be so sure that the reel will get domaged, the 9'0 has caught some monster fish in the past. A lot of times twisting of the frame fries the gears, a full frame would help. Good luck tomorrow Buzz.

[Makule]

it was actually his idea.

Translation:  Bryan made me do it.

I wonder what the alloy is?  Mine are ferous metal,not ss, and are magnetic.
Do you think that with bronze gears and gear sleeve that the sleeve or gear would go first?
I believe I would wager sleeve would round off before gear

It was probably the same hardened steel alloy used in other gears.  Don't think it was anything extra special since the pressure on those gears was not extraordinary (the drag provides slippage, whereas other machines with gears involved often do not have any slippage).

Even the hard SS are magnetic.

You'd lose the wager.  I've had at least one steel gear stripped on a "freight train" while the sleeve remained intact.

I have an oldie with steel gears that actually feels smoother than the newer models.

Count on my good buddy, Sal, to bring up the exception to the rule (but he is correct, especially as the gears become broken in).

if some can't take the heat, they need to stay out of the kitchen

Good point.  Will remind my wife.

it would be like telling someone to bang their head against a wall

I can do that.  Might be fun.

I would have definitely put out a disclaimer

"Disclaimer:  Bryan made me do it."

[Alto Mare]

it was actually his idea.

Translation:  Bryan made me do it.

I'm a big boy Albert, no need to hide behind abyone , my intention was to give credit were its due. Bryan is a smart guy .

BTW Albert, if there wasn't anything special in those gears, could you explane why they didn't rust, as the cut nail did?

[Harry]

Had a thought the other day about the Chineese 9/0 's about the number of screws they had and i imediatly thought of this thread, lucky they are in the same positions ayyy?

Nice going Jason it looks great !


Sal is that an old 10/0?     the picture on the sideplate looks different, the marlin looks bigger /fatter, boat is different  and so is the water , much more detailed or am i just hilusinating?

cheers Harry