Loose Counterweight

Started by basszilla, February 04, 2017, 01:37:43 AM

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basszilla

One of the Mitchell 300s I purchased recently has a loose counterweight. After reading Reid's excellent tutorial on this site, I see this isn't an uncommon problem. The counterweight can be taken completely out of the head, so it will be easy to abrade the back of the weight and the inner surface of the head for good adhesion. Reid used Loctite 620 for this repair, but I don't have that particular adhesive. Is there any reason not to use JB Weld? I would expect it to make a permanent bond in this application.

Jack



foakes

#1
Anything that adheres will likely be OK --

Some of the Mitchell 300s came with screw on counterweights -- some were tacked on.

If a new rotating head would be better -- let me know, and I will send you one with screws and a counterweight -- or the other without screws, if it fits -- N/C.

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.

FatTuna

I've had to reattach a few counter weights. I just used a two part epoxy. I believe it was Loctite. Been going for years without any issues.

Midway Tommy

Just about any two part epoxy would be sufficient for that task as long as you sand both surfaces and get them completely clean. Add a little clamp pressure for 24 hours & it should last 2 lifetimes.
Love those open face spinning reels! (Especially ABU & ABU/Zebco Cardinals)

Tommy D (ORCA), NE



Favorite Activity? ............... In our boat fishing
RELAXING w/ MY BEST FRIEND (My wife Bonnie)

basszilla

#4
Fred, I'm darn jealous of all those parts. I need to tell my wife to start snatching up old Mitchells when she goes estate sale shopping on the weekends.  ;D

I mixed up a batch of JB Weld last night and reattached the counterweight. Rather than sanding the parts, I used Q-tips and acetone to remove all the dirt and grease, and that also removed all the old glue and much of the paint under the counterweight. Used a little too much, the epoxy squeezed out around the weight, but I trimmed the upper edge so it won't interfere with the baffle plate. This stuff is paintable, but I probably won't bother. I'm reworking this reel to fish with, and all of this will be hidden after reassembly.

Guess I've been working on these long enough now to post a few images. Here's a shot of the disassembled reel and the tools I'm using. The stubby screwdriver fits the lube port screw, the chrome bail screws and the trip lever screw. It works on all of those with no damage to the slots. The standard small screwdriver fits the trip lever spring screw and oscillation guide screws. The red-handled nutdriver is a 1/2" Xcelite that fits the baffle plate nut perfectly.

I use an electronic tuning tool for the cover plate screws. This has a flat blade that fits fully into the slots, and as long as the tool is held perpindicular during removal, it won't leave any signs of the work.

About this reel's condition, it's not quite as smooth as the first reel I bought, but much better than the second which needs shims. It was packed with at least three types of grease, and after cleaning, I discovered a slight wear pattern in the cover from the drive gear. There are no shims under the gear, so I'll have to add one there and another under the pinion.


basszilla

#5
Just wanted to add that I bought this last reel because the seller said it was circa 1959, and it was cheap, about $10. One of the other two reels I bought was made around 1965, and the other in 1971, according to their respective sellers. Just for grins, I wanted one reel that I could be sure was the version I had as a kid. After handling this one a while, I started to remember some of the smaller details and quirks mine had. The other two reels are not quite the same. It's difficult for me to be sure of what's what due to the interchangeability of parts and lack of history on these reels, but maybe someone here can confirm the differences. Here's what I see:

1.  I remember the four-pointed drag adjust on my reel, and the '59 has this. Both of the other reels came to me with three-pointed adjusters.

2. The 'spool on the '59 has a thin outer lip that feels like it might be metal. I think I remember this. The other spools have a thicker lip that's definitely plastic.

3. The '59 and '65 have boomerang AR levers. The '71 is a single lever. I remember the boomerang on mine.

4. The handle of the '59 has a smooth, spring-loaded mechanism for folding the handle that I remember. The other two are threaded and knurled.  

5. The '59 doesn't have a slot in the bail cam like the later models. Instead, it has a step, and this allows the mechanism to go "over center" when the bail is pulled open. After handling this for a while, I seem to remember that this is how mine worked. It doesn't feel as sure-footed as the later versions when the bail locks into the open position.

Funny, I can remember handling this reel when I was a kid, but not the actual purchase. I would have thought that would be an exciting occasion that I'd remember, but it just doesn't happen. Of course, that was more than 55 years ago. I'm just glad I've been able to find one of these again. Can't wait for the weather to warm up and activate all those fish!







Midway Tommy

Your reel appears period close. The spring handle is right, as is the A/R lever, insignia, and "Made in France" location. Etched "Garcia" was added in 58/59 and "Made in France" was moved from in front of O cast mark on the side to near the rear about the same time. The spools were interchangeable, though, so it may or may not be original to the reel. The tell tale identifier is the number on the bottom of the foot. You should be able to use this for your other, and future  :), reels, also:

1959 – SN 2282964 to 2959786
1960 – SN 3067452 to 3579119
1961 – SN 3616448 to 4218719
1962 – SN 4267369 to 4870499
1963 – SN 4918411 to 5494100
1964 – SN 5546867 to 5953668
1965 – SN 5996632 to 6579351
1966 – SN 6656941 to 7276825
1967 – SN 7282575 to 7895887
1968 – SN 7959216 to 8570524
1969 – SN 8603501 to 9244733
1970 – SN 9295633 to 9963012
In 1971 Mitchell reverted back to their original alphanumeric serial numbers with multiple digit combinations. It's easy to date these reels by just the serial number letter prefix.
1971 = A
1972 = B
1973 = C
1974 = D
1975 = E
1976 = F
1977 = G
1978 = H
It's believed the letter I was not used due to the similarity of # 1.
1979 = J
1980 = K
1981 = L
1982 = M
1983 = N
1984 = O....O was used on a few reels but stopped due to the similarity with #0.
1984 = P
1985 = Q
1986 = R
1987 = S
1988 = T (The last of the serial numbers. Mitchell closed the factory in 1988/89)
1989 = T 
Love those open face spinning reels! (Especially ABU & ABU/Zebco Cardinals)

Tommy D (ORCA), NE



Favorite Activity? ............... In our boat fishing
RELAXING w/ MY BEST FRIEND (My wife Bonnie)

basszilla

Thanks Tommy, that was very helpful. Looks like I have a '59, a '66 and a '71. The '71 was the first one I bought, and it's almost new, appearance-wise. I've had it fishing twice so far. The '66 will probably go to my wife after I finish tuning it. She's never actually fished - I mean not ever - so I'm looking forward to seeing her catch her first bass or crappie. That should be a real hoot.   ;D


basszilla

Well, the Mitchell that I used all those years ago must have been older than I thought. Came across this pic on eBay, and the serrated trip lever struck a nerve. Mine might also have been pre-Garcia, but I've seen too many later ones now to be sure. I was born in '52, so it doesn't seem possible that I would have acquired the reel before 1960. Maybe it was old stock.