Don't Toss That Old Reel Aside! -- Basic Penn Tutorial -- Clean & Service

Started by foakes, December 21, 2014, 12:57:17 AM

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foakes

Wayne emailed me a week ago, asking if I would like an old Penn 180 he found in a box of reels.  Of course, told him yes, and it arrived yesterday.  THANKS, WAYNE!

This will be a basic tutorial on tearing down, cleaning, and reassembling an old Penn Reel.  Nothing fancy, just a basic old 180 probably around 60 years old.  And my tutorial skills will be basic as well -- probably amateurish, but here goes:

Old 180 -- not operating well at all -- frame tweaked -- posts and screws stuck badly -- handle nut will not come off -- typical old reel that has not been touched except maybe once in 60 years.  Old linen or dacron green line.


Another shot



Another shot


Last shot before starting on restoration


Removing old line


Ready to begin


Most post screws stuck


Punching out gear sleeve keeper pin


Disassembled



Parts split up -- left side goes in Simple Green (handle would also go in the green -- but it is shot and needs replacement) -- right side goes in purple HD Degreaser -- all ready for 6 minutes in the Ultrasonic Cleaner



Cleaning area


Ultrasonic Cleaner -- Purple in the front vat -- Simple Green in the rear -- 6 minutes total time -- pour into a strainer -- ready for fresh water rinsing


Fresh warm water rinse


Air drying after rinse


Ready and staged for reassembly


HT-100 CF drags, SS drag washers, new hard under gear washer, new spring washer


Drags coated liberally with drag grease (either Cal's or Shimano)



Grease all inside moving parts with Yamaha Marine Grease -- if it is done now -- the final assembly is smoother and quicker -- also do all screws, inside of rings, inside of plates, jack, yoke, pinion gear, main gear, clicker assembly.  All of this prep will help prevent future issues, corrosion, salt damage, and make the next service a snap.


More grease



More grease


More grease


Installing bridge assembly, rotating back into place after lining up dog & dog spring.  Use two fingers of your left hand to hold the 4 clutch and bridge retainer screws in place during this operation.  Make sure that the smooth shaft screws are the ones going in the clutch springs.  Try not to get any grease on the dog or clutch screws -- synthetic oil under the dog.


Attach rings and posts


Tighten all screws by hand -- oil any external parts such as handles, knobs, etc. with synthetic oil -- and you are done.  Check the operation, clicker, drag settings, anti-reverse, and free-spool.

This reel has 46 seconds of free spool -- with no line on the spool.

54 minutes from start to finish -- includes a coffee break while the ultrasonic was operating.

Hoping this basic outline helps some of you tackle your own reels -- or just send the old ones you might not want to me!  😀😀😀😀😀

Thanks again, Wayne...











The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

--------

The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
                                                     Fred O.

Bryan Young

:D I talk with every part I send out and each reel I repair so that they perform at the top of their game. :D

Alto Mare

very nice job Fred. ;) Back as new, actually even better.
I just did one of those little treasures for the clerk at the Post Office, I had to take it back home though, he was off today. I'll surprise him on Monday.
He's always asking which reel is in the box and what was done to it. Yes, we also get  Post Office clerks interested here ;D.
Here is what he's getting as a gift:



This one has the works, i even installed 12 magnets on the left plate to help him cast.
Sal
Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.

Maxed Out

Very nice job on that Oldie Fred. The mottled style endplates and no part numbers tells me it is a pre-1950 reel.


Hey Sal, isn't that blackmailing your mailman ??  Pun intended
We Must Never Forget Our Veterans....God Bless Them All !!

Shark Hunter

Good Job Fred! You are getting just like me with the grease! Something about bringing them from the ashes gives a certain degree of accomplishment!
Sal, I'm sure your postman will be thrilled.
I really like the little 180! ;D

Life is Good!

ReelClean

Geez it must be nice to work with old brass and stainless, all I get is Zaion, plastic and pot metal!  :-\
Specialist Daiwa reel service, including Magseal.

Reel 224

Beautiful job Fred. Think Ill reserve any pictures of my resurrection of the Penn 200 I'm starting...there is no way I could get it back to that condition,to much pitting.
"I don't know the key to success,but the key to failure is trying to please everyone."

El Pescador

Holy Moley Fred!!!!

You did all that in less than one hour WITH a coffee break!!!!

I don't know what you do for a day job, but reel repair is definitely in your future!!!!

I might have to ask my wife to use her jewelry ultrasonic cleaner!  Man, your parts come out spotless and shiny!

This reel was provided to me by a family member who purchased it at a garage sale, for ...  catch this!!!   50 Cents!!!

It was in a box of old reels, mostly silver spinning reels, and I have asked all friends & relatives, IF you see any reel with the word  "PENN" on it, and it is for less than $5 for sale, PURCHASE it I will pay you back!!!!!

Now, I would invite you to come off your mountain and travel to the SF Bay Area, and spend a day fishing for Rockfish & Lingcod with Dominick and me, we've been on the "Queen of Hearts" a safe and stable fishing boat out of Half Moon Bay!!!!  This Penn 180 would be PERFECT for the fishing day!!!!

Glad it all worked out for the best for all.

Wayne
Never let the skinny guys make the sandwiches!!  NEVER!!!!

Aiala

Holy catz, Fred, that ultrasonic thingie does an absolutely astounding job... the main gear looks shiny brand-new!  :o

How much does a machine like that cost?   :)

~A~
I don't suffer from insanity... I enjoy every minute of it!  :D

El Pescador

And BTW Fred,

I was just online reading the local police blotter, and they have posted an All Points Bulletin for... catch this!!!

47 Missing Plastic Serving trays from the local Taco Bell!!!

Do you have any info. that might help in the investigation!!!! ;D ;D :P

Wayne
Never let the skinny guys make the sandwiches!!  NEVER!!!!

foakes

Hi reelcleen --

Yes, the metals are great to work with -- very forgiving, even after 60+ years.

Hey 224 -- pitting is not a bad thing of you are going to use the reel as opposed to it becoming a shelf queen.  As long as the spool and posts are relatively clear of pits -- your good, and the pitting just adds character to your equipment -- just so long as the guts are good, clean, lubed, and with solid greased drags.

Hey Wayne -- trip sounds good sometime with you guys.  On the ultrasonic cleaner, I use it because I do a lot of reels, want them as clean as possible, am lazy, hate scrubbing grease, and it works quickly and efficiently.  I have parts washers, and lots of other cleaning stuff -- but it is all too much work.  And since one of my shops is inside the house, upstairs next to the guest room -- I can't have fumes or odors for both safety and cleanliness. Kerosense and mineral spirits are tough to contain.  Unfortunately, your wife's US cleaner will not do the job on these reel parts.  I can tell you through experience -- what you need is a larger professional model with good solid state components, stainless steel reservoir, no heater.  These can be purchased used on ebay, CL, or through a local dentist or dental equipment supply business -- usually pretty cheap.  $50 to $200.  Don't get all exotic on the cleaning method or juices -- just HD ZEP Purple degreaser, and Simple Green.  I paid about $100 for mine -- and have used it for over 12 years.  The brand is L&R.  Dead simple, and good enough for me.

Hi Aiala -- see above.

And yes, Wayne -- order the Chulapa Breakfast Burrito -- it is very tasty...

Best,

Fred

The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

--------

The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
                                                     Fred O.

Rancanfish

Wow, no way that's the same reel!  Amazing work as usual.

Darn, now I'm hungry too.
I woke today and suddenly nothing happened.

Reel 224

This is what the Penn Surfmaster 200 looks like after I cleaned it up. Not perfect YET!

"I don't know the key to success,but the key to failure is trying to please everyone."

foakes

The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

--------

The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
                                                     Fred O.

Shark Hunter

Life is Good!