TUTORIAL PENN 180

[Superhook]

Hey All, all kidding aside.  I tried to find photos of Penn 180 and I could only find photos of obviously later models.  As far as the left side plate is concerned are there lighthouse side plates that will fit perfectly.  I don't know what I have and if it is very rare that makes me happy.  I like it whether it is rare or not.  Dominick

Check Mike's book -- and I think Michael could date it closer for a final verdict.

I hate to criticize Mike's book because it is unique.  However, it has the worst index ever.  As a matter of fact it has no index.  Try looking up the Penn 180 and if there is any information in the book you have to read the whole book to find it.  A reference book is only as good as its index.  Dominick

Hello Dominick,
I use the yearly Index in the back of the book. It can be a slow way of finding the year the reel was introduced but it can save flicking through the whole book. There is a photograph of the catalog on page #82 showing the #180 with description .

If you have Mike's green book then pages 142-147 will answer all your questions re the side plate and handles with photos as well. The Table of contents in the start of this book is more specific as it targets individual models instead of whole year availability.

Ray

[Dominick]

Thanks Superhook.  I did see that and I got to that page the same way you did.  That is all the information there is (I guess).  If there was an index that said something like "Penn 180 pp 82, 89, 96."  As you know that would mean the main description would be on page 82 (emphasized by the bold) and the reel was again mentioned on pages 89 and 96.  If there was just the bold number that would mean that is all the information in the book on that subject.  So as you can see I am left with searching the entire book to find out if there is more information on that model reel.  It would have been very easy to do it that way with the automatic indexing in most word processors.  That aside interestingly enough my reel seems to have a Penn 170 left side plate and a 180 right side plate.  The spool is plastic so it looks like someone made a reel out of parts or repaired the reel using interchangeable parts.  I'll stick it on the shelf as an oddity unless someone comes up with a better answer to what it is.  Dominick

PS Mike I enjoy picking up your book and reading about the reels I have and reels I probably will never see.  I consider it a major work on the subject of Penn reels.  The only criticism is I think the indexing could have been better.

[Penn Chronology]

PS Mike I enjoy picking up your book and reading about the reels I have and reels I probably will never see.  I consider it a major work on the subject of Penn reels.  The only criticism is I think the indexing could have been better.

Dom,

I totally agree with you. The Indexing is terrible. That is because when I wrote the book, I did not index it at all and the publisher did an index for it in a last minute effort to get the book printed. Part of my problem is I am a mechanic, not a writer. I think I am getting better; but, I have a long way to go before I consider myself a writer, possibly never.

At this time I am writing a book about Ocean City reels and I am doing the index as I am writing the book. The Ocean City index will be much better than the Penn index.

About your Penn 180, it is most definitely a pre-war Penn 180; but, it is not a first year model. The tail plate is incorrect, it should have trim ring cut. Your tail plate is from a Model 170 or 190. The handle knob on your 180 is a match to the one used on the first 109, which would be a 1942 model. I would feel that your reel is a 1942, Penn 180 / 170 / 190.

Here is a first year, Model 180. You can compare this reel to the one in the 1939 catalog or in my book, whichever one you have:



The stands of the first 180's were bent for mounting on Freshwater bait casting rods, hence the bent and short stand legs.


Here is a Penn 109 from its first intro year of 1942. These handle knobs match the knob on your reel.


Hope this helps. Sorry about the bad index. Life is a learning process and I still have a long way to go.

[Shark Hunter]

A 1942 Franken Reel is a good find Dominick.
I have a couple 180's, but none as unique as yours.

[Swami805]

Saw this and got inspired. I have a 180 covered in corrosion but could see part of an aluminum spool. Took it apart and found the inside looking like new except for some dried grease. There are ht100 washers that looked like new. I had a decent set of bars base and handle to use and I did what I could with the rings. I didn't take a before pic but the bars and base are next to the reel. Spins well drags smooth and it's ready to go!  Thanks for the tutorial another tool for the Arsenal

[Superhook]

Dominick,

Your Left side tail plate is from a #170 or #190 as they were the same size and era but without the rings . Your plate should have a step and a chrome ring.  The earliest reels had a more bulbous knob . I would say your reel is early 1940's.

Ray

PS. That was a waste of time. Mike got it done while i was posting.

[Penn Chronology]

Dom,

The easiest way to find a 180 in my book is to know how I built the work. First, I want to say, I am a mechanic, not a writer. This was my first book and when I wrote it, I did not write an index. The publisher added an index before he released the book.

Every Penn reel is represented from 1932 to 1957. Use the Summaries at the end of the book. Find the Model 180 in the summaries, then find the year the 180 was introduced. Once you have the introduction year, that is the chapter the 180 will be in. Every represented reel is represented in the year it introduced and each chapter is a chronological flow from 1932 to 1957. When you get used to the summaries, finding any Penn models will be easy for you. You will not have to search page by page. I know I screwed up with that part of the book and it will not happen again.

Any of my future works will have an index constructed by me as I progress through the work.  

[basto]

Hi Dominick
You and the purchase of my 185 have inspired me to buy a 180. Great job on the tutorial. The shoe polish brought the plates up very nicely.
My 180 will get to me in about 3 weeks from USA.
It has the lighthouse scene on the tail plate like yours , but has a mottled spool like the one Mike shows.
I think these are great little Penns. Fast becoming one of my favourites.
Thanks for the tutorial.
Basto

[Darin Crofton]

Here's one I just found that has the same handle as the op's: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Penn-180-Trolling-Reel/142967967250?hash=item21498e0e12:g:x~sAAOSwHupblXRq:rk:10:pf:0