115 (9/0) Side Plates Swelling. Why?

[dogdad1]

I'm re-doing one of my GrandDad's 1950's (circa) 115 Senators, and during tear-down I noticed that all 4 chrome rings had either a crack in them or had actually split at a screw-hole.  There was a lot of corrosion on all of the shiny parts so I didn't think too much of the cracks/splits at the time, and just attributed them to weakened rings themselves.

However, after cleaning and during re-assembly I found that the new rings wouldn't fit because the side-plates had swollen.  I had to spend quite a bit of time with a Dremel tool grinding down the surfaces on the plates to get the new rings to fit.

I can't see any other problems or issues with either the plates or the rings, and am just curious if this is something that may occur from age/use/abuse, or maybe if I did something during cleaning (WD40, then SimpleGreen, then vinegar).  And if I should be aware of it possibly happening to other reels in the future.  I've been thru a bunch of his other Penn stuff, and never noticed this before.

Thanks in advance.
Ron

[Irish Jigger]

Common problem with Penn side plates swelling over time due I believe to dampness affecting the mouldings. The older brass chromed rings often cracked at the screw holes and this was particularly common on the Mariner series of reels.
Today's replacement rings are stainless steel and should be ok.   
If you have access to a lathe or someone to machine the side plates it will be neater and save you a lot of work when fitting new rings.

[redsetta]

G'day Ron,
Tom's spot on here - the swelling's a common problem.
It seems particularly so in NZ, perhaps due to the humidity.
A simple solution is to Dremel around the two stepped edges, as per the below photo.



Good luck, Justin

[Alto Mare]

Very nice Justin. You must be a calm and cool kind of guy...just like me .

[dogdad1]

WOW!  Thanks.  Super-fast response, and I'm sure all of it is exactly what happened.  These reels have spent their entire lifetime either on a boat or moldering (is that the right word?) in a garage buried under a lot of other stuff from decades of hurricanes. 

Water, go figure.  And here I was worried that I might have done something to warp them.  Whew!

Yup, that's exactly what I spent part of today doing, Justin.  In fact, the only thing different is that my photo would have been of a black plate.


Thanks again, y'all.

[alantani]

it's simply the nature of the plastic that penn used at the time.  they never knew that these side plates would swell 20 years later. 

[dogdad1]

"...they never knew that these side plates would swell 20 years later."

Yeah, I never knew my sides would swell 20 years later either.

[alantani]

you and me both, brother!   

[Dominick]

"...they never knew that these side plates would swell 20 years later."

Yeah, I never knew my sides would swell 20 years later either.

you and me both, brother!   

[dogdad1]

Heh-heh-heh.

In all seriousness, is there anything i should be especially aware of - or do - as we go forward in time?  Will any more of my reels (just about the entire Senator & LongBeach line-ups from 1950's to 1970's) begin to exhibit this behavior?   I'm thinking that the plates on a few of the Senators I've done recently did seem quite tight in the midriff (....ahhh, I mean side-plates) when I put them back together, but I just pushed a little harder and they fit.  Should I go back and re-do them with the Dremel to give them a little more growing room for the future?



On a semi-related note, I've usually seen the reel described as a 115L (with the "L") which I think signifies it has an aluminum spool.  I have the chrome spool, so does that mean it's a 115 (plain)?  Any clue to the vintage?


Thanks in advance!


(Oops, on edit I should have said chrome/brass spool)
Ron

[alantani]

not sure.  some have been a problem, others have not.  it might be a function of how much time they spent out in the sun.   

[Dominick]

not sure.  some have been a problem, others have not.  it might be a function of how much time they spent out in the sun.   

Alan:  I remember when I first joined on this site there were discussions about plates swelling, but I remember the swelling was as a result of the plates absorbing oil.  I did not know that the sun would cause it to swell.  Logic would seem to be otherwise, meaning that the sun would dry out the plastic and it would decrease in size.    Dominick

[dogdad1]

Gee, thanks.  First you tell me I'm getting too fat and then you insinuate I do nothing but lay around in the sun.   And then I read I'll lose weight if I get a tan.  Jeez, guys, make up your minds!   


Awesome forum, couldn't do without it.

[Alto Mare]

Alan:  I remember when I first joined on this site there were discussions about plates swelling, but I remember the swelling was as a result of the plates absorbing oil.    Dominick

X2! Just ask Broadway on what happened to the plate on his 16/0.

[Bruce]

Has anyone ever miked the plate diameter that was too snug,heated in oven at lowest heat  setting then again miked for comparison size?