12/0 Senator Spool Finish and Main Gear Washer

[Willy B]

Help!!!  I am rebuilding a 12/0 Senator and like all non-plastic senator spools, the chrome finish has corroded pretty extensively.  The spool is in great shape otherwise.  Is there a recommended way to refinish the spool?  The barbecue and dockside gang say I can wax the spool and some mentioned a transparent spray?  Never heard of either.  Would appreciate any help.

Also - the washer under the main gear (the one it sits on) - again the BBQ gang say just cut a washer out of a plastic gallon - they claim it will work just fine.  Any one out there ever done this successfully?

[Keta]

Powder coating the spool works and use a carbon fiber washer under the gear.  If you do have the spool powder coated let the shop know that dropping the spool can destroy it, the shop messed up the 66 spool I planned on putting in my 113N Grouper Special by dropping it on a concrete floor.

[alantani]

first, make sure you have a full set of carbon fiber drag washers in this reel.  there should be seven.  next, get a a #6-114 drag to put underneath the main gear (a #6-115 or #6-116 will also work).  last, grease all the drag washers with cal's grease.  that should do it!

[Shark Hunter]

I don't think a plastic washer would last two minutes under the sleeve.
Do as Alan suggests on the drag setup. I have four 12/0's set up like this and they are some tough cookies! Finding a replacement spool is near impossible. You can go with Aluminum, but they cost 75 bucks! Lee's suggestion of powdercoating sounds like the way to go. You could always sand it down and apply a coat of clear laquer to keep the bronze from getting eaten up by the salt.

[Dynamo]

As far as I know, no Senator has had a plastic spool. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Powder-coating works, but I've heard it can wear off. And I'd go with the others on the HT-100 under the main gear, I followed their advice and I'm amazed at the difference in smoothness.

[Dynamo]

Powder coating the spool works and use a carbon fiber washer under the gear.  If you do have the spool powder coated let the shop know that dropping the spool can destroy it, the shop messed up the 66 spool I planned on putting in my 113N Grouper Special by dropping it on a concrete floor.

Ooh, that stinks. I hope they gave you a refund........

[Keta]

He does the work for free.

[Dynamo]

Ah I see, but it still stinks.

[Keta]

Yup, $25 worth of stink.  I can't complain much though they treat me well.

[Dynamo]

That's good. I can't stand rude people. Especially rude people I'm paying, but at least it was free as you said.......

[melkapule]

When using a carbon fiber washer under the main gear, is it still necessary to add a metal washer to the stack? And, does it mater if the washer is eared or not? SBT lists only eared washers.

There is excess play on my reel I'd like to get rid of.
Thank you for any help, Mel.

[Dynamo]

I assume you are simply replacing the washer under the main gear? If so then a Ht-100 is all you need. I used a 6-116 washer on my 12/0 and it works great, except for the fact that my drag stack is too short. You should not have to change the drag stack if the fiber washer is all you are changing, however I'd just replace the drag stack as well. Its a big improvement. Good luck!!

[Shark Hunter]

It depends on the particular reel. Sometimes I have to add two metal washers to a 7 stack. Penn made such variety of main gears throughout the years. You can buy the eared and non eared from scotts.

[Willy B]

Thanks guys, good info.  Now one more for Alan and all you salty dogs!!!  Alan, the 12/0 I have has fairly thick drag washers, almost 1/8" thick and the carbon fiber ones available locally are pretty thin meaning that I will have almost 3/8" thinner drag stack total?   I saw a similar question on one of your posts, but wasn't clear on the response.

Also, do you sell the drags for the 12/0? (including the main gear fiber washer?).

[Bunnlevel Sharker]

It will take more washers, you will have a 7 stack of CF vs an asbestos 5 stack