Hi Guys,
do you think it is possible to transform the Penn International 70 VIS frame into Topless?
Anything is possible with a mill and enough perseverance.
I would say that you would severely compromise the reel's corrosion resistance where it was cut. Whether it would be structurally sound is another question; presumably Penn doesn't put the crossbar there just for looks.
Perhaps a better question is why?
EDIT: Surely you would just go for a 50VISX, or a Makaira 50 or 80 SEA LBS, or a Talica 50?
There is a solution to this problem that does not involve sawing the top out of an expensive reel.
Quote from: boon on May 21, 2025, 12:58:01 AMThere is a solution to this problem that does not involve sawing the top out of an expensive reel.
explain to me my friend
Tell your crew not to tutu with the reels! :d
EDIT: Heavy tackle gamefishing is not an activity for amateurs or people who can't follow instructions. Hacking up a reel because you're worried about a scenario that should never arise in practice seems like a solution looking for a problem :)
I have trouble believing this.
Quote from: boon on May 21, 2025, 12:58:01 AMThere is a solution to this problem that does not involve sawing the top out of an expensive reel.
Electrical tape 🥺?
Bovine excrement.
Unless a knife is razor sharp Specrta is hard to cut, the rounded edge of a reel frame is not going to cut it. If it has a burr it could shread it but not a cut.
Just to add a little fuel to the fire there was an outfit "Cofe Products" that hot rodded reels that did remove the top bars on tiagras and apparently it worked out OK. I have a 16 size tiagra that came with the top bar removed and the bare metal treated with something. I've since found a topless frame for it and replaced it since it looked kind of ghetto. Good idea? Maybe?
Spectra fiber properties are very different (including brittleness) across vs along the fiber. I suspect that they are not being cut, but failing under compressive load when pulled against a tight corner on the crossbar. The tighter the corner, the less the load is being distributed.
A reel with a sharp frame edge from a missing or inadequate chamfer or fillet is defective IMHO, and should be returned. I wonder if this is actually very common.
If the reel is not returnable, I would sand the offending edge smooth before I would resort to taping or machining off the entire crossbar. I have saltwater reels with enough boat rash that the anodized layer is completely missing in some spots. The exposed aluminum forms a fresh oxide layer, just not as deep as anodizing, but it seems to hold up fine if you don't try to paint over it. And machining off the crossbar leaves a larger wound. Taping creates an oxygen deprived environment under the tape that promotes corrosion.
-J
I wouldn't worry about sharp edges. I'd worry about the reel taking a seemingly small bump and being bent out of alignment.
This reel is topless already but has that flat metal part screwed into only the front graphite cross-member. I couldn't figure-out the purpose? Maybe abrasion prevention if the spool loses most of it's line?
Quote from: Gfish on May 22, 2025, 04:02:19 PMThis reel is topless already but has that flat metal part screwed into only the front graphite cross-member. I couldn't figure-out the purpose? Maybe abrasion prevention if the spool loses most of it's line?
Did you get that second hand or did it come that way "out of the box"?
My impression would be that it's there to add rigidity lost by the removal of the top bar.
I don't do a lot of trolling and have never fished for tuna, swordfish or any of the really big stuff you guys out west target. Every conventional I use is topless, with the exception of those with a levelwind. And a reel being topless makes me more likely to want it. But that's just me.
Hmmm, never thought a that. It's a TLD 5 I got from Cooldaddy. Need to check the schematic and then add an edit here. I don't like graphite reels, but the TLD is so well designed for a lower price point reel, that it's special to me. Popular too.
Ok, checked it; part# 179 "line guard". Interesting, maybe my theory is correct...?
Quote from: Gfish on May 22, 2025, 04:02:19 PMThis reel is topless already but has that flat metal part screwed into only the front graphite cross-member. I couldn't figure-out the purpose? Maybe abrasion prevention if the spool loses most of it's line?
You mean like this?
It is pretty hard to design a reel frame that will work with all rods with all guide layouts without some line rubbing on the frame when you get toward the bottom of the spool. A line guard really helps with graphite frames.
I could have avoided this by refilling the spool after I removed a bunch of worn out line, but I still chalk this up as a design defect.
Yeah.
The TLD 5 will have to get closer to the spool bottom than that, but if it rubbed on graphite that seems like it'ed be bad.
Quote from: Keta on May 21, 2025, 04:11:29 AMBovine excrement.
Unless a knife is razor sharp Specrta is hard to cut, the rounded edge of a reel frame is not going to cut it. If it has a burr it could shread it but not a cut.
I have witnessed this happen. I discussed it with RJ Boyle personally.
In southeast Florida, fishing with planers is common. we use 50 wides and 65 lb braid. large planers put about 20 pounds or more on the line. in my case, a young gentlemen who was a "professional" local mate did the pull on the line trick not realizing what was happening. every time lines on his side were hit, they broke with a frayed braid right at the location of the reel. the opposite side of the boat didn't have that problem. these were tiagra 50 LRSA reels. Tiagra seems to be more likely for this to happen to compared to other brands.
Quote from: Gfish on May 22, 2025, 04:02:19 PMThis reel is topless already but has that flat metal part screwed into only the front graphite cross-member. I couldn't figure-out the purpose? Maybe abrasion prevention if the spool loses most of it's line?
It's there to prevent grooving the graphite frame when the spool gets low on line. It's very common, especially on the Shimano TLD reels. The top bar wasn't removed, it was never there.