Reel Repair by Alan Tani

General Maintenance Tips => Pitfalls and Black Box Warnings => Topic started by: handi2 on April 23, 2016, 06:22:36 PM

Title: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: handi2 on April 23, 2016, 06:22:36 PM
Check out this humble 113H 4/0 reel. Ready for a quick service.
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: Aiala on April 23, 2016, 06:26:22 PM
Ye gods!! Did some madman lube that poor reel from a tar boiler??  :o  >:(

~A~
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: Shark Hunter on April 23, 2016, 06:27:30 PM
I bet it was Quiet. ;D
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: Steve-O on April 23, 2016, 06:35:00 PM
Quote from: Shark Hunter on April 23, 2016, 06:27:30 PM
I bet it was Quiet. ;D

Not only that, I can't imagine what happens when a tuna, cobia, shark or some other long running hard pulling fish combined with the sun heats up that grease and the spool starts spinning! :o.  ;D
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: STRIPER LOU on April 23, 2016, 06:39:52 PM
Amazing Keith! Bet you couldn't hear the clicker on that bad boy. I guess you can't get any water intrusion if there's no room for it.
................Lou
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: sdlehr on April 23, 2016, 06:51:13 PM
Sheesh, I looked at the first picture and couldn't tell which side plate I was looking at...

Sid
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: Dominick on April 23, 2016, 07:08:47 PM
Keith you have a good supply for your services now.   :D Dominick
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: foakes on April 23, 2016, 07:36:49 PM
Careful, Keith --

You could pull a perfectly preserved dinosaur fossil out of that sideplate -- sort of like the La Brea Tar Pits in LA.

These are the ones I charge double for -- and that is not enough, because it will contaminate permanently a lot of your cleaning equipment -- if not really careful.  Lots of scrapers, Q-Tips, lacquer thinner or kerosene, rags, etc, etc. 

Looks like trailer axle grease.

That stuff is nasty.

Show us when you are done -- I bet it will turn out beautifully in your hands.

Best,

Fred
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: David Hall on April 23, 2016, 07:44:10 PM
I don't know how side plates react in gasoline but that would get a long soak and good brushing before I took it down any further.
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: handi2 on April 24, 2016, 12:33:24 AM
Q Tips, paper towels, and Gunk heavy duty cleaner diluted with Kerosene. Gloves and gloves...

The left side screws were greased while the right side screws were not. None under the rings.

I think Aiala got it right. They took the left side off and used a grease gun to fill it up..!!

I had an Oh my God moment when I took it apart.
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: Rancanfish on April 24, 2016, 04:32:31 AM
 ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: akfish on April 24, 2016, 03:08:07 PM
When I get in reels like that I charge extra -- and if it's that white lithium stuff, I tell them they need to clean it off before I'll service their reel. Not every customer is happy to hear this but most understand. Some tell me that their wife or someone else did it. Really.
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: johndtuttle on April 24, 2016, 03:14:06 PM
Yep, that one gets to be forever known as "Tar Pit".... ;D

Careful the Saber Toothed Cats and Giant Sloths.

However, probably no corrosion under there!  ;)

You are a better man than me gunga din!
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: broschro on April 24, 2016, 03:15:09 PM
 :o thats all I have to say about that.
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: steelfish on June 01, 2016, 11:04:42 PM

I got a reel like that few months ago, it was a penn international 50II, when I opened the reel up it smelled like an old truck axle, the reason? the owner used grease from his car to service the reel, no wonder why the dog never engaged, it was stuck inside of all the tacky grease.

but on a second sight yours is worst LOL.

Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: alantani on June 02, 2016, 06:37:49 AM
Quote from: Shark Hunter on April 23, 2016, 06:27:30 PM
I bet it was Quiet. ;D

and heavy!
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: Bill B on June 20, 2016, 07:35:29 PM
News Flash........authorities are reporting a previously unknown tar pit emerged in the Florida area and a fishing reel repairman is missing..........hey anyone heard from Keith lately?     ;D      Bill
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: mo65 on September 02, 2016, 03:56:26 PM
Zoinks! Surprised the dog would even engage. On second thought...it's behind the bridge...and prolly dry as toast! :D I bought a beautiful mint 712Z that was very stiff. Opened the side plate and it nearly sprang off  because grease was so packed into the reel! :o
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: Fish-aholic on September 02, 2016, 06:45:20 PM
This thread reminded me of this video I viewed on Youtube recently:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lc-grBERvdE

Must go through pounds of Penn grease per season with such application. :D 
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: Shark Hunter on September 03, 2016, 05:07:15 AM
That was ridiculous. :D
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: mo65 on September 03, 2016, 12:18:32 PM
Quote from: Reel 224 on September 03, 2016, 05:16:42 AM
Quote from: Shark Hunter on September 03, 2016, 05:07:15 AM
That was ridiculous. :D

I'm glad you said it. ;) ;D

Joe

 BAHAHAHAAAA!!! I wanted to say that yesterday...but being the "new guy" I figured it might be stepping out of my bounds. A thin film of grease on the inside of the plates is a great idea for salt water use...screws too...but that slathering was a bit much...:D

*This actually touches on the subject of YouTube tutorials...something you should be very careful about. :-\
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: johndtuttle on September 03, 2016, 04:20:02 PM
I think he goes a little over the top..... ;)

But, in his defense I do wipe off excess grease from various places (screws etc) after buttoning up and that ends up being used to wipe down the reel. I think the net result of his on the outside is fine. A very thin film of protective grease is not a bad thing.

Remember fellas, he could easily be a member here or a fan of Alan's....play nice  ;D.
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: Shark Hunter on September 03, 2016, 04:49:10 PM
If He Wants to use 1/4 pound of grease on each reel, Hey, to each his own.
He didn't take off the non handle plate to grease the rings and screws, didn't check the drags, shim the sleeve if needed.
No attention to Detail. Just a poor service. It is what it is.
We all have to start somewhere.
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: foakes on September 03, 2016, 04:54:13 PM
You guys will probably throw rocks at me -- but this charter guy is doing what he should be doing.

He is providing a service, by making money -- and staying in business...

Lets face it, the folks who come on his outings think a five stack is what you get at Denny's for the breakfast special --

All they want is to catch enough meat to fill a gunny sack -- they need to be successful.

Fishing these rigs 250 days a year with kids, women, newbies, and pilgrims who just want a smooth reel, good crank -- while they play with the controls they know nothing about -- anti-reverse, drag, clicker -- plus using 100 # mono -- means these reels will get a workout for about 3 years -- then get tossed or recycled into other reels needing parts.

With untangling lines, baiting hooks, gaffing, unhooking, rebaiting, and showing newbies how to bring in the fish (just crank it fast, Chief -- you got a big one!) -- the last thing they need is to be dealing with is a problem reel.

Anyone with more experience -- will 9 times out of 10 -- bring their own gear, anyway...

Sometimes, we need to see the motives and effectiveness of systems that we would not ever do ourselves in a hundred years...

Many things in life are counter-intuitive to experts like us -- sort of like some of the old time blacksmiths or loggers who work the woods for a living -- they store their sledge hammers with the heads immersed in a bucket of water.  They get rusty -- but the head is always tight -- and they don't need to be pretty -- they just need to work.

For me, 2 things we can learn from this guy --

1) This is a testament to the quality of Penn reels.

2) Do not buy this guys old reels on Ebay -- thinking you got a bargain because they were so cheap.

Just my opinions...

Best,

Fred
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: mo65 on September 03, 2016, 05:46:25 PM
Quote from: foakes on September 03, 2016, 04:54:13 PM
You guys will probably throw rocks at me

  Naw Fred...we'd never throw rocks at ya! :D  You've actually made some valid points here...especially the one about buying used reels on eBay...similar to my warning about YouTube. Maybe we can view this servicing as a "charter special". :-\
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: Alto Mare on September 03, 2016, 06:29:48 PM
I've opened some charter's reels, some weren't worth fixing. This man knows what's doing and I believe he's doing the right thing as well.
Those reels don't get touched for a year, sometimes two. As long as they keep bringing the fish to the boat, they're left alone.
1/4 pound of grease is better than no grease in this case.
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: Bill B on September 05, 2016, 12:17:35 AM
There is a lot of experience in his head, he learned his gear is meat getting specials, not shelf queens, all the grease keeps them working all year with little maintenance, as he has learned, as stated above, customers want to fish not watch the deckhand fix a problem reel. My hats off to him for realizing gear needs pre fish service and offering his customers a piece of reliable equipment......JMO.....Bill

Ohhh yeah, glad I don't do the rebuilds for him, I'm sure the EPA would classify my work bench a Super Fund Site...... ;D
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: Shark Hunter on September 06, 2016, 01:36:26 AM
I understand, He is a Charter Captain, but why only service your reels once a year?
It seems counter productive.
Why not service them more than once a year to keep from throwing them away?
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: sdlehr on September 06, 2016, 03:28:08 AM
Quote from: Shark Hunter on September 06, 2016, 01:36:26 AM
Why not service them more than once a year to keep from throwing them away?
He clearly has decided that his time doing reel maintenance is not worth as much as replacing the reels every 2-3 years. Not everyone is nuts about this like we are. He is a captain, a fisherman, and a businessman, probably in that order, and he just doesn't have the fun we do with our reels. I bet he's never hot-rodded a reel. It's all about what the reel can do for him, not what he can do for the reel. Just my opinion. His reels probably have poor self esteem and all kinds of other psychological issues because of how they are treated.

Sid

Sid
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: Brendan on September 07, 2016, 03:00:13 AM
If you only service them once a year that would prevent corrosion, may not win any casting contests but that could be remadied with an easier clean up than dealing with a heavily used non serviced reel. The video reel. Not the original pictures. That's just out of control.
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: Rivverrat on September 07, 2016, 03:52:24 AM
Quote from: Shark Hunter on September 06, 2016, 01:36:26 AM
I understand, He is a Charter Captain, but why only service your reels once a year?
It seems counter productive.
Why not service them more than once a year to keep from throwing them away?
Those reels are going to get a max service life of about 3 years. If slopping a load of grease into a reel can keep it going that long It's one less headache or worry on a boat that always has something that needs looking after.
We here in the US scrub the literal crap out of our guns. Spit shined bore, sidep lates & slides you can eat off of....But I know for a very certain fact in a lot of cases it does more harm to accuracy & can shorten the lifespan of a fire arm...Jeff
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: borchcl on September 07, 2016, 03:40:50 PM
I found several 113 and 114 penns packed with grease like that one while servicing reels for a head boat in TX. After I got the things cleaned up, i was surprised to find they were in pretty good shape. I did not repack them that way, but it made me wonder if they were on to something.
Regards,
Charlie
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: Rancanfish on September 07, 2016, 04:56:23 PM
I think I bought two reels off EBay that looked like truck axles inside.

First thing I thought when I opened them?  "Somebody reads AlanTani.com and takes it super serious, lol".  But the stainless gears were clean as could be. 

I enjoyed the video with a smile. 
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: Fishy247 on September 09, 2016, 05:56:35 PM
That video was awesome....lol. The principle is correct for his methods though. Tourists with 100# mono? Not gonna be much casting there. He slathered the insides without opening up the bridge, so the dog will still work properly...I was just thinking to myself that he must save AT LEAST 5 minutes a day by not having to hose them off....

As far as servicing reels midseason, in my experience, the most I ever wanted to do to a reel at the end of the day is maybe splice some more line on it! Not proud of it, but those are long, tough days....
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: Donnyboat on September 12, 2016, 11:40:16 PM
in refernce to fish-aholic posting the tutorial of maintaning a fishing reel, correct me if I am wrong, I am under the opinion that placing lithium type geases on the rod and exsterals of the reel may repell fish, I purchaced some lanolin grease to coat the exsternals including my Diawa electric reel, lanolin is a food safe product used in the butchering trade, also some marine engineers use it in prop bearings on bravo legs, I buy mine through www.boathardware.com.au, I think they are in Queensland, australia.on the East cost, I think they sell it in quanaties form 500gms to 20kg, I have know tyze to them, I live in Western Australia I only try to service my own reels, some of the reel service people here, use inox MX4 to service reels, and drag washers this is a lanolin product to, lanolin is scowered from sheeps wool, cheers donnyboat .
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: Donnyboat on October 06, 2016, 04:14:05 AM
My last comment was of maybe lithium grease, on the outside of reels & rod, geting transfered to your hand when fishing, thin onto bait as we are baiting the hooks, may repel fish from biting, nobody has commented, I welcome comments, nomatter what, you want offend me, this is what forums are about, cheers Donnyboat, also we went fishing yesterday of the West coast of Australia caught 2 Dhu fish these fish are only found on the West coast, between sharks bay & Albany, have nice white flesh, fillets are valued @ $ AU 85:00/ Kg.
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: Bill B on October 12, 2016, 04:11:17 PM
DB I have been wondering about lithium grease too.  I seem to remember it absorbs water and not a real good repellant, but not really sure.....lanolin is an animal by product and would seem to add a scent, kind of like garlic or shad.....but I'm no expert....Bill
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: handi2 on October 12, 2016, 10:48:50 PM
Some old charter guys swear by spraying WD40 on cut bait for Red Snapper.

I don't think it would matter at all.
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: Donnyboat on October 14, 2016, 12:09:21 PM
thanks for the comments men, WD40 I think is made from fish oil, lanolin is a food safe product, that is used in the butchering industery, also some thing I left out of my comments on the West Australian Dhu fish, the largest get to 23.5 Kgs, dont get the Dhu fish mixed up with Dew fish, or mullaway, possibley the Dhu fish is not far behind the coral trout as the best table fish in Australia. cheers donnyboat.
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: thorhammer on October 14, 2016, 01:57:56 PM
I believe WD40 has a constituent of menhaden oil; I haven't tried it but I have heard for years about people spraying it on baits.
Title: Re: Got Enough Grease..!!
Post by: Donnyboat on October 15, 2016, 02:29:53 AM
yes thank Thanks, some people spray Scram, fly & mosi repellent on the bait with success as well, cheers Donnyboat.