Fin Nor LT 100

Started by Shark Hunter, February 25, 2016, 02:04:11 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Porthos

Quote from: Jeri on March 13, 2016, 09:13:34 AM...As we in the 'Tani Family' have often seen there is no such thing as a perfect fishing reel.

Cheers from sunny Africa,

Jeri

The myth of "perfection" with objects of human creation is so often ignored. Whenever someone on any fishing website asks for the "best" this or that for whatever type of fishing activity, it always ends up being umpteen different responses... ::)

handi2

#61
The "yellow' grease shown I have found in most all the Fin Nor reels and it matches excactly the yellow "reel butter" grease. I had a small tube of it but I forget who makes it. It's a synthetic reel grease.

Anytime I work on a Shimano spinner with main gear screws I check those screws. They are known to come loose. On that reel shown they were probably already loose. I've seen them loose many times.

I did a pre service on a Penn SSV Surf spinning reel the other day. That thing was built like a tank. It uses a super thick worm gear to slow the rotor oscillation to a crawl. The rotor goes around the spool 50 times up and 50 times down. The line lay looked like a machine was putting it on. That would be my number 1 surf fishing reel if using a spinner.      
OCD Reel Service & Repair
Gulf Breeze, FL

johndtuttle

#62
Some more images that show how much more beef the Quantum puts in their stem as compared to the Lethal 100 in an otherwise similar body plan.

Lethal 100:




Cabo:


johndtuttle

#63
Quote from: handi2 on March 14, 2016, 12:22:56 AM
The "yellow' grease shown I have found in most all the Fin Nor reels and it matches excactly the yellow "reel butter" grease. I had a small tube of it but I forget who makes it. It's a synthetic reel grease.

Anytime I work on a Shimano spinner with main gear screws I check those screws. They are known to come loose. On that reel shown they were probably already loose. I've seen them loose many times.

I did a pre service on a Penn SSV Surf spinning reel the other day. That thing was built like a tank. It uses a super thick worm gear to slow the rotor oscillation to a crawl. The rotor goes around the spool 50 times up and 50 times down. The line lay looked like a machine was putting it on. That would be my number 1 surf fishing reel if using a spinner.     

Yep, there is no question the Penn's frame and rotor are built to withstand the force their brilliant drag produces. But then people complain they are too heavy! :(

Probably best for a bait and weight reel though I bet they cast a mile. :)

Wolli

#64
an other nice example of broken reel.
Its an ATC from Singapore. Argue its also made in China.
www.atcrods.com/index.php/products/reels/spinning/atc-astromac-spinning-reels/

And what seen during service in Quantum reels makes not happy. The CSP80PTS after one week jigging and popping in Oman..
love jigging    www.jupiter-sunrise-lodge.com/de/
Authorized Jigging Master Service Partner (in Germany)

Wolli

and compare the Quantum 80 with a two year old Cabo 50 (new model)

there are reels in the market i would take as a gift, but sell them same day at Ebay....
love jigging    www.jupiter-sunrise-lodge.com/de/
Authorized Jigging Master Service Partner (in Germany)

johndtuttle

#66
Well, we can see some failure in everyone's reels, no company is immune.

Unfortunately the increase in the sealing of spinning reels has been a boon for some users and a trap for others.

A boon in the sense that normal use and care does produce a more reliable reel, but others assume too much after a soaking in saltwater and delay service of the reels etc and get into trouble.

If they increase the tolerances of the seals, the reels then become stiff and sluggish and less fun to fish.

A large part of me will always feel that sealing reels is a fools errand and that simply regular maintenance and grease will keep your reel alive for decades (and they have a proven track record of doing that). Maybe some can try and keep them above water :).

All seals wear out, and will not be available as replacement parts some day. Marine Grease will be available for the foreseeable future.

Even the mighty submarine sealing of a Van Staal requires replacement of the seals regularly...hardly worth it for most guys, imo.

Jeri

Hi All,

I'd have to agree with John on both scores, that no manufacturer is immune from isolated problems in production line works - that the odd reel is going to slip through with faults.

And secondly that the whole quest for 'waterproof' or 'water resistant' reel is a pointless exercise. With our fishing here in Namibia, we end up with a lot of reels actually being used submerged, and perhaps this is the ultimate test of the manufacturer's hype. I have seen very expensive and middle level priced reels all with amazingly complex multiple layer gaskets and seals fail with remarkable ease and then catastrophic failure of the cheaper metal internals when realistic maintenance cycles haven't been followed.

My wife uses a Cabo 70 - older model PTSD, wading, and apart froma  few drops of water getting trapped by the grease, virtually no failure points on the internals after 3 years of use in our surf conditions. I am currently using a Cabo 100 PTSE model, and the fact that it has an actual drain plug to let water out is an absolute boon - end of the trip just unscrew and let all the sea water out, screw it back in and it is ready to go for another 7 hours of submersion. These are both reels with virtually no seals, as perhaps they have recognised that it is a pointless exercise, but the fact that just four screws and the gearbox cover is off, and the reel can be re-greased is another boon.

Fixed spool reels are going down a road of ever increasing complexity to satisfy a very wide market footprint, and generally on this aspect of preventing water getting into the gearbox, they are going to fail. Better assume water is going to get in, so make facility to let the water out, and make maintenance easy to achieve.

Cheers from sunny Africa,

Jeri

0119

Quote from: Jeri on March 16, 2016, 02:59:26 AM
make maintenance easy to achieve.
/quote]

No manufacturer does that anymore. Complexity, quick outdatedness and a guaranty of no long term parts availability is the business model now. Profit above reputation and repeat business.

coastal_dan

This is becoming one of my favorite threads, hearing comparisons from all over the world about big spinners used for various applications. 

Jeri - I had an old Boca 40 that I absolutely loved, and I kick myself for selling it.  Insanely smooth and excellent cast-ability; quality products for sure.
Dan from Philadelphia...

Where Land Ends Life Begins...

johndtuttle

#70
Quote from: Jeri on March 16, 2016, 02:59:26 AM
Hi All,

I'd have to agree with John on both scores, that no manufacturer is immune from isolated problems in production line works - that the odd reel is going to slip through with faults.

And secondly that the whole quest for 'waterproof' or 'water resistant' reel is a pointless exercise. With our fishing here in Namibia, we end up with a lot of reels actually being used submerged, and perhaps this is the ultimate test of the manufacturer's hype. I have seen very expensive and middle level priced reels all with amazingly complex multiple layer gaskets and seals fail with remarkable ease and then catastrophic failure of the cheaper metal internals when realistic maintenance cycles haven't been followed.

My wife uses a Cabo 70 - older model PTSD, wading, and apart froma  few drops of water getting trapped by the grease, virtually no failure points on the internals after 3 years of use in our surf conditions. I am currently using a Cabo 100 PTSE model, and the fact that it has an actual drain plug to let water out is an absolute boon - end of the trip just unscrew and let all the sea water out, screw it back in and it is ready to go for another 7 hours of submersion. These are both reels with virtually no seals, as perhaps they have recognised that it is a pointless exercise, but the fact that just four screws and the gearbox cover is off, and the reel can be re-greased is another boon.

Fixed spool reels are going down a road of ever increasing complexity to satisfy a very wide market footprint, and generally on this aspect of preventing water getting into the gearbox, they are going to fail. Better assume water is going to get in, so make facility to let the water out, and make maintenance easy to achieve.

Cheers from sunny Africa,

Jeri


To fill out this story a little bit (I know we are getting a bit off topic...) the reels that truly have "submarine level of sealing" the Van Staal and Zeebass both require regular replacement of their seals but do truly keep all water out of a reel used by a wading or swimming above water fisherman. Technically VS said that if you didn't have your reel factory serviced every year for $100 then your warranty became void...a testament to how often the seals need to be replaced to still have enough tightness to keep water out (they wear with rotation of parts inside them and slowly lose resilience etc). Needless to say this is a dilemma getting more parts in many places.

But having spun a VS I can tell you they are no fun to fish (for me) and also have very slow retrieves for cranking power to overcome the seals...which limits their application as well. The Penn Torque is not as stiff, and I remove some of the seals to make them more free spinning and compensate with a little extra grease. Granted I don't have the need to submerge the Torque.

Anyways. Point being is that an "open" design that allows evaporation of what water that gets inside or ports for simple drainage plus regular grease maintenance of a simple design is far more reliable, imo.

Unfortunately most spending upwards of $200 on a reel consider extra seals "value added" even though they arguably are more trouble than they are worth as the reel ages. Eventually they will let water in. The question is how many of them will get caught in time at the lower price points where people don't take care of their reels? I think the manufacturers are betting that if they get more people through the first 2-3 years they will think they got their money's worth. After that...:(


best

handi2

The newer Cabo's I use have been great with no problems at all. I think they are superb and super strong.
OCD Reel Service & Repair
Gulf Breeze, FL

Jeri

Hi All,

To add a little more to this perhaps cynical debate.

Companies that believe that their 'waterproofing' system works, then save a considerable amount of money in build costs, by switching out noble metal gears and mechanisms for alumium and the like. Then when the 'waterproofing system' fails, the salt water creates havoc - unseen inside the gearbox.

Here Finnor and Quantum have stayed away from this cost saving shortcut with their brass and stainless gears. We have even had one of the non-waterproof Van Staals that got abused, and yes all the grease turned to mush, and a couple of the bearings did corrode - mainly in the race carriers, but the rest of the reel was still unblemished. A good clean, some new bearinsg and a proper coating of marine grade grease, and it was back to new, as all the stainless components were sound.

The point here is that no matter what you do to aluminium, once submerged ina bath of salt water, trapped their by various seals and gaskets - the inevitable is going to happen.

At this point do the reel manufacturers follow the multiplier trend of using marine grade components, and drill drain holes in all their reels? The alternative is perhaps to have a spring pressure controlled grease nipple on the casing., and pump the gearbox full of marine grease???

Interesting times ahead, as to how various manufacturers will address this issue.

Cheers from sunny Africa,


Jeri

basto

Sounds like a good case for a non metal body. The most durable conventional reels I own are my TLD Star drags.
DAM Quick 3001      SHIMANO Spedmaster 3   Jigging Master PE5n

anglingarchitect

My Vann Staal is bulletproof  but no doubt stiff to crank, drag is pretty good caught a 35# Permit 20# flouro leader.

I had it about five years and used it a lot (Sal can tell you how bad my Penns are abused), and finally had it factory serviced last month and it was good to go.

Doesn't spin like a Stella but never owned one of those.

I do have some Cabos that i like as well, and Some 750ss, 850ss,950ss and the FN LT100