Blue grease too viscous?

[grekim]

I completely pulled apart and greased Mitchell 306 with new Penn blue grease.   It turns, but it is feels like it is working against the grease.  I have done 302's and 402's and if you give the handle a quick turn and let go, they will spin a few revs on their own.  The grease I used on those guys was the Ardent Reel Butter.  It's also a bit chilly in the workshop right now...around 50 F.  Anyway, what do you think.  Should I redo at least the planomatic and main gear with Cal's or Reel Butter?  How are the 306's supposed to feel?

[alantani]

For a fresh water application,  there's nothing wrong with just using a light oil. Try that and see!

[foakes]

Yeah, a couple of things, Grekim --

These Mitchells were designed to use a little grease at least on the gears -- but unless salt-protecting, just a very light and even coating of grease.

On most of my spinner jobs, I use a mixture of Yamaha Marine Blue (same as Penn) and TSI321 oil mixed 50/50.  I keep this in a small glass tub, and apply it evenly and lightly with a flux brush with the bristles cut down to 1/4".

I am also now experimenting with Cal's purple for a lighter viscosity grease.  Cal's uses this on the gears as well as the drag discs.  It is designed for colder climates where setting up of the grease is an issue.  And I mix this with oil also.

If using straight oil on the gears and slides and planamatics, check every couple of trips -- and make sure the oil is synthetic -- a really good oil to stay in place is TSI321.  It is slightly thicker than straight oil, and will stay where you apply it.

Plus, whatever you do, it is easier and better for the reel to apply lube a little more frequently -- then to fill the case with grease -- on spinners.

If a fresh water reel is not going to be used -- just restored and put on a shelf -- straight synthetic oil is what I use, TSI321, or WRL191S.

Best,

Fred

[Gfish]

I completely pulled apart and greased Mitchell 306 with new Penn blue grease.   It turns, but it is feels like it is working against the grease.  I have done 302's and 402's and if you give the handle a quick turn and let go, they will spin a few revs on their own.  The grease I used on those guys was the Ardent Reel Butter.  It's also a bit chilly in the workshop right now...around 50 F.  Anyway, what do you think.  Should I redo at least the planomatic and main gear with Cal's or Reel Butter?  How are the 306's supposed to feel?

Got one in '69, think it was. Just wore real gradually. Best reel without ballbearings I've ever had. Smooth now, but loose in the knob, main gear shaft, and pinion bushing. Those areas can be greased on mine(best is lighter stuff like Cals) but oil for most everything else.
Gfish

[grekim]

Okay, thanks guys.   Well, the intended use is for saltwater on a medium rod (the 302/402 on the heavier rod, and a 300 for freshwater).    As far as application of grease, yes I use a little paint brush to put on a thin layer, although pretty liberally on the gear teeth.   Interesting on mixing in the oil...I will have to try that.   I have the ReelX oil for those places you can't get grease into. 
So, I guess I will pull it apart and and try some Cal's.   Would this mix well with the ReelX oil?  And in removing the Penn grease, I assume some residue would be fine.  I rather not go too crazy with that.

[mo65]

  I have done 302's and 402's and if you give the handle a quick turn and let go, they will spin a few revs on their own.  The grease I used on those guys was the Ardent Reel Butter. 

   It's just the Penn Blue...I've experienced the exact same thing on spinning reels. You hit the nail on the head with the Ardent Reel Butter...it works excellent in spinning reels.

[Bryan Young]

I thin mine out with corrosionX

[grekim]

So, I will try all these good suggestions when time allows.  In the meantime, I redid the gears and shaft with the Reel Butter and added a couple drops here and there of the ReelX oil and it is much improved....definitely fishable!  I was wondering, although I can't see how it is making contact, the main gear might do better with a washer/shim between it and the body of the reel (handle side).  There's a good amount of friction there it seems and for no apparent purpose, so just lifting it off the body a smidge might be good? (Edit:  Tried it with a thin fiber spacer and it seemed to throw everything off as I should have guessed.)

[grekim]

Got one in '69, think it was. Just wore real gradually. Best reel without ballbearings I've ever had. Smooth now, but loose in the knob, main gear shaft, and pinion bushing. Those areas can be greased on mine(best is lighter stuff like Cals) but oil for most everything else.
Gfish

The 306 seems like a nice size to me.   This is my first one and its only fault was a slightly bent shaft which I fixed in a vice.  The only thing I question is the plastic piece that ties the shaft to the planomatic gear.   I'm more confident in the metal equivalent in the 302/402.  I'm also working on a 306A, but I don't see much difference, really just the fastening ends of the bail wire is a little different.     

[foakes]

Those connecting blocks do not break very often if a reel is properly lubed and maintained, Grekim...

But if it ever does, I have plenty of those as NOS stashed away -- even though they have been out of production for thirty years, or so.

So fish it, and if it breaks at some point in the future, as a member, you are covered.

Shim might help.  It would need to be a very thin copper or brass with a half drop of oil.

Best,

Fred

[Reel 224]

TSI 321 was mentioned by Fred and I have to say Ive used it for spinning reels and it works well, there something else I tried it on three years ago that was a problem keeping running. A small fan that we use during winter months that would freeze up every season, I finally tried TSI 321 and it is working three years now without re-lubing. That says a lot for TSI 321.


Joe     

[grekim]

I will be picking up the TSI 321 for sure.

And thanks Fred!  I plan to keep it very well maintained.  I pulled apart the ball trigger mechanism, bail arm/spring...the particularly annoying parts   Anything with springs requires a deep breath. 

[Bryan Young]

We switched over sometime before June 2010. Doesn't seem that long ago.

Thanks to our friend Jim Nomura for bringing this stuff over to try.  We haven't found anything better since. Thanks Jim!!!  You have changed the world of reel lubricants.