PENN 750SS MODIFICATIONS!

Started by Alto Mare, October 13, 2012, 12:01:59 AM

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Alto Mare

#15
October 14, 2012, 02:56:34 PM
These reels are fine just the way they are. On many reels, I happen to like bushings vs bearings at some areas. The 9500 has two bushings, one on top and one at the bottom of the spool, I just wish they were brass instead of plastic. I am going to do some work on the 9500, I'm thinking of removing the lower bushing and replace it with a bearing, just to see if I notice anything different from the two. Also, that bearing gets activated only when the fish is tugging and taking line. As for the flexing, I would think that if it had to, the shaft would bend at the area that comes out of the rotor, not in the spool or housing.
A little while back I contacted Alan Hawk and asked for his thoughts on the ss spinners, he seemed to like them.
Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.

Alto Mare

#16
October 14, 2012, 06:48:58 PM Last Edit: October 14, 2012, 07:17:25 PM by Alto Mare
Ok after watching the gentleman above, I had to give it a shot. This isn't anything like he did, I'm just adding a bearing in a 9500 spool. I did not take any dimentions, I just used what I had. I did this more for myself, I'm curious to see if I can feel the difference between the bearing and the bushing.
Here are some pictures:
I started by removing the bushing

I then created a pocket to accept the bearing

Next I shaved the gear shaft, I could have tried to find a bearing that would have fit, but like I said I used what I had

gradually I tested the bearing for a nice tight slip fit

I then set the bearing in place

Installed the drag and drive plate


And reassembled the reel

The reel has a tiny rub on one side, not bad for doing the job freehand, it feels good and I'm sure the rub will go away when a replace the top bushing with the correct size.
I will need to test this reel on the water to see if I notice any difference from the stock spool though.
A lathe would have been nice on this one.
Sal
Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.

redsetta

#17
October 14, 2012, 07:13:48 PM
Great work Sal - particularly in 'freehand'.
Will look forward to your post-fish appraisal.
QuoteOn many reels, I happen to like bushings vs bearings at some areas.
x2.
It could be a function of being on an island in the South Pacific (where parts can be hard to get and expensive), but the idea of having 14 ball-bearings (as several modern spinners do) does nothing for me.
Without regular, comprehensive maintenance, they just don't last.
At very least, we certainly won't see them being passed down through the generations.
But this is clearly a personal view.
It's equally valid to build a reel that works sublimly in the short term as it is to build a reel that works reliably/competently over lifetimes.
Sal - Will look into milling some brass bushings for my 9500 and we'll compare notes ;) ;D
All the best, Justin
Fortitudine vincimus - By endurance we conquer

Alto Mare

#18
October 14, 2012, 07:23:46 PM
Justin, you know how to find me if you ever come up with the brass bushings for this one ;).
Later buddy, Sal
Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.

George4741

#19
October 14, 2012, 10:48:38 PM
Very nice, Sal.  You are a bold man.  I probably wouldn't have tried that machining without a lathe.  Glad it worked out.  I'm eagerly awaiting your report on the reel's performance.

Another thing, I never noticed the large CF washer under the spool before.  I had just assumed the 9500 was just an overgrown 8500.  Not so!  I can see that the 9500's drags put this reel in another ball park.
viurem lliures o morirem

Alto Mare

#20
October 14, 2012, 11:29:24 PM Last Edit: January 22, 2015, 09:58:25 AM by Alto Mare
George, you're right! I don't recommend doing this without a lathe. It took me over 2 hours just to fine tune it, marking and shaving many times untill I got it right. Also keep in mind that a new spool costs over $70. I went into this thinking that I was going to damage that spool, This way there wouldn't be any disappointments.
Yes that is a nice size washer, this reel should put out 20lb of drag with no problems.
Sal
Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.

Cone

#21
October 15, 2012, 02:36:28 AM
Very nice Sal. Is there anything you can't do freehand?
"Quemadmoeum gladuis neminem occidit, occidentis telum est." (A sword is never a killer, it is a tool in the killer's hands.)
   -    Lucius Annaeus Seneca, circa 4 BC – 65 AD

johndtuttle

#22
October 15, 2012, 02:53:53 AM Last Edit: October 15, 2012, 03:04:57 AM by johndtuttle
WOW Sal, awesome that you went for it!  ;D

To expand slightly on the bearing versus bushing thingee...I don't know squat about reel design to be sure but I first came across bearing in the spools when I started fishing Stellas. At the max end of their range with the drag hammered down force increases quite dramatically as the spool empties (as you can imagine) and reaches their rated max which is well in excess of 40lbs (they are rated to 55lbs max drag). People routinely preset the super spinners to 30lbs and just drop the tip and palm the spool for even more drag to prevent beasts from making it back to their cave etc.

I have been spooled before (in Panama) and at the end the rod tip was pointed directly at the fish otherwise I couldn't hand onto the rod. After getting dumped I tried turning the spool by hand and nearly couldn't budge it at all...these are the sorts of forces that bushings cannot handle without deformation and binding and are what spool bearings were added to improve.

As I understand it, the Asian guys modding Penn SS reels were some of the very first to figure this out. :)
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