jigmaster gear swap?

[twopatch]

Does anyone know if it will work if I swap out the main gear and pinion out of a 500, and replace it with the main and pinion from a 99? making it into a slower jigmaster?

[alantani]

nope, you have to switch out the entire side plate.  it's a very cool conversion.

[twopatch]

but the side plates match up?

[Keta]

Yes, they do.

[Alto Mare]

Yes, they do.

No Lee, they don't, you must be thinking of another reel.
The 99 has gears same as a squidder, you need to switch the entire plate, as Alan mentioned.

[George4741]

In my experience, sometimes the 99 sideplates fit on a Jigmaster, sometimes they don't.  For example, I have five Jigmasters and my 99 sideplate will fit only two of them.  On the other three reels the 99 plate just wouldn't rotate far enough to allow the locking screw to line up with the hole.  I suppose it is due to manufacturing tolerances over a period of decades.  Maybe some careful filing would make things fit better. 

George

[alantani]

in southern california during the 60's and 70's, the jigmaster 99 conversion was a favorite among the old japanese guys that fished the day boats out of southern california.  they would pull a side plate off a jigmaster and slap it on a 99 frame and spool.  it made a great 25 to 30 pound reel.  at least that's what hank told me.  he was one of those old japanese guys.  taught me alot about reel repair! 

[George4741]

Alan,
You made me get get my reels out and play with them, again.  I've checked this out before, but interestingly, all five of my Jigmaster sideplates fit the 99 frame.  I can see how this was a favorite conversion before Accurate, Newell, and Tiburon made their "99" width frames.  Apparently many others also think it is the ideal width "jigmaster".

In fact, I bought my 99 because I wanted to use the spool in my first narrowed jigmaster frankenreel.  It was cheaper than buying the aforementioned manufacturers narrow kits.  

[Alto Mare]

in southern california during the 60's and 70's, the jigmaster 99 conversion was a favorite among the old japanese guys that fished the day boats out of southern california.  they would pull a side plate off a jigmaster and slap it on a 99 frame and spool.  it made a great 25 to 30 pound reel.  at least that's what hank told me.  he was one of those old japanese guys.  taught me alot about reel repair! 

Those guys were clever Alan, I was amazed the first time you mentioned it. I just can't figure out why the Jigmaster stand has four screws and the 99 being a smaller reel, with Squidder gears  has six

[alantani]

i would love to see penn bring these reels back. 

[Alto Mare]

Washers are too small. There might be a way for us to customize it with a set of jigmaster gears, using the same 99 plate, but i don't have one to play with ....George?

[George4741]

i would love to see penn bring these reels back. 

Alan, are you referring to the Silver Beach 99 or another reel?  I wish Penn made the jigmaster in the "99" width.  As the old school guys said about their modified 99's, it is a great 25-30# reel.  It is so easy to assemble with a 99 spool, 30-66 reel foot, and longbeach 66 spacer bars.  Of course, finding a 99 spool is difficult these days.    

Washers are too small. There might be a way for us to customize it with a set of jigmaster gears, using the same 99 plate, but i don't have one to play with ....George?

Sal, I'm giving your suggestion some thought and I'll get back soon.   

BTW a 99 is 2-1/8" wide between the sideplates and a 500 jigmaster is 2-3/8".

[alantani]

yup, it's the old silver beach 99!

[George4741]

OK, here's what we've got.


A 99 on the left, and a jigmaster narrowed the "old school" way with a 99 spool, 30-66 stand and four 37-65 frame posts.  Now the reels are the same size, just different retrieve ratios.


A view of the left side of the 99, showing the extra screws for the reel stand and the chrome beauty ring.


Notice the pen pointing to the cutout for the much larger gear on the 500.  Modifying a 99 plate for 500 gears is unfeasable.  Sal, is this what you were curious about?

Luckily I"m able to swap both sideplates between these reels to make each a slow or fast retrieve reel.  The only advantage the 99 gears offer is a slower 1:3 retrieve (advantage??) and this is at the expense of having smaller drag washers.  Accurate, Newell, and Tiburon have pretty much made this old school mod obsolete with their 99 width jigmaster kits.  Their spools also fit in the 99 Silverbeach.

So, Twopatch, I hope we answered your question, and I'll bet you didn't think it would get this technical.  But it was fun and I obviously have too much free time on my hands.
George

[George4741]

And to give CooldadE and others their due credit, see the following link.  We've discussed some of this before.
http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=2984.0