wintertime reel service for everyone.

[alantani]

wintertime reel service for everyone.  yes, this applies to you.  all of you.  no exceptions, no excuses! 

even if you can't field strip a big lever drag, you can work a screwdriver.  there is still something that you have to do.  i can't think of a single reel where the removal of one screw disables the reel.  so what i'd recommend is removing every visible screw, one at a time.  back out the screw, grease it or add corrosion x, put it back, tighten it down a little, and then move on the to next.  yamaha marine grease is preferred, but anything is better than nothing,  and you should never have more than one screw out at a time.  if you can't remove it by hand because it's too corroded, then add a little but of a light oil around the top of the head if the screw and consider sending it in at some point. 

you should be able to do this, one screw at a time, for any reel.  the one exception is the screws that hold on the reel seats (bases) for the small okuma reels.  they use small fine thread metric machine screws held in with loctite.  it's really easy to snap these off.  for the small okuma reels, just add corrosion x or grease around the head of the screw and call it done. 

for the rest of the reel, manually add reel x with a dropper bottle to the corners and creases where corrosion happens, then wipe it down.  alternatively, tape the line and spray the outside of the reel with aerosol corrosion and then wipe it down to remove the excess.  reel x from a dropper bottle is preferred, but any light oil is better than nothing.  i cheat.  i have both the aerosol corrosion x and the reel x in a dropper bottle.  when the reel x is gone, i spray corrosion x in the dropper bottle and i save a bunch of money!

you have plenty of time, but spring will be here before you know it.  ping me if there are any questions!  alan

[steelfish]

when the reel x is gone, i spray corrosion x in the dropper bottle and i save a bunch of money!

been there done that   

you have plenty of time, but spring will be here before you know it. 

sooo, Boss, early winter time is the start of fishing season here, no time to service your toys.

I normally do that to my reels on mid summer time, its too dang hot that you "skip" fishing for 4-6 weekends.
corrosion X on spray can saves a lot of time applying it on reel seats, external visible bearings, handle bearings, they wipe out the excess with a rag and then pass the same rag over your rods blanks, guides and reel seats, I also use Inox MX3 lubricant on spray cuz is really friendly to use it indoors

[Keta]

I have 9 reels apart and in ziplock bags waiting on parts and over 40 charter boat reels backlogged.  I also have a Penn US113 that I have not looked at since the kidney bolder decided my ureter was a good place to camp that I have to get back to.  I should make you and Bryan help when you come up rat shooting.... 

[handi2]

I have 9 reels apart and in ziplock bags waiting on parts and over 40 charter boat reels backlogged.  I also have a Penn US113 that I have not looked at since the kidney bolder decided my ureter was a good place to camp that I have to get back to.  I should make you and Bryan help when you come up rat shooting.... 

I'm in the same boat as Lee. The only parts I'm waiting for are from Shimano. I loaded up early on Penn parts for the charter boats. I just went thru 8 bridges with sleeves, main and pinion gears, just for one box of reels.

The Carbontex drags were still good.

Last year was 450 reels in 3 months. January thru March.

One screw at a time....

[Tightlines667]

I have 9 reels apart and in ziplock bags waiting on parts and over 40 charter boat reels backlogged.  I also have a Penn US113 that I have not looked at since the kidney bolder decided my ureter was a good place to camp that I have to get back to.  I should make you and Bryan help when you come up rat shooting.... 

I'm in the same boat as Lee. The only parts I'm waiting for are from Shimano. I loaded up early on Penn parts for the charter boats. I just went thru 8 bridges with sleeves, main and pinion gears, just for one box of reels.

The Carbontex drags were still good.

Last year was 450 reels in 3 months. January thru March.

One screw at a time....

Whoa!

That's alot of reels.  You are approaching Alan Tani, or our 2 top reel service guys numbers there.

John

[Keta]

It's mostly my usual charter boat load that comes every other year.  Last year was slow.

[Shark Hunter]

During the winter months, there is a reel on the table every day, even if I'm working.
I'm doctoring up two 600H's for the Wife and Grandkids come April. I think they should be able to handle these.
SS Sleeves and Bryan's drag kit, spooled with 50 lb mono.
It has been in the single digits so many days, this and a beer is the only thing keeping me sane.

[Keta]

It's in the 50's here, last year it was -22.

[David Hall]

on the list boss, right after I finish tying flies, rigging hoochies, refitting my downriggers, (which I need to pick your brain on), the dry drags on them are a total drag on me.  I gotta do something to smooth them out.

[Midway Tommy]

Boy am I glad I don't do salt water.  Fresh water prep is much easier & less critical So, if my reels haven't been abused I can skip a year! 

[alantani]

oops!  so you know i never work on spinning reels, right?  well, this business about one screw not making the reel go "boing!"  that does not apply to the screw on the bail return assembly.  so let's limit this to conventional reels, not spinners!!!!!!

[Tightlines667]

I have a bunch of personal reels that are in need of servicing, and respooling.  These include my 2-130 lever drags, 3-12/0s,  2-14/0s, penn 12h apart on bench, TLD15, 2-9/0s, 2-6/0s, 2-4/0s, penn 9500SS, Penn 965, Newell 500, and I intend to acquire another 3 130 lever drags, and finish wrapping 3 more custom Stub 80s.  The smaller reels didn't get fished much, so I may skip them, and focus on the 100&130class reels, and rods, and tld1t,&12h, and rods.  Got parts and line for 4 reels, and 3 rods already.  

Main problem is that the weather has been nice, so I have been out fishing every free chance I get.  Also, the boat work lust has grown longer over the winter, when I intended to knock it down.  I put 200hours on the boat since mid October, and this is supposed to be the off-season.  I intend to get the important reels/rods/boat stuff done by Ahi season this May.  

I have been turning down reel repair jobs, but have 2 friend's 5-130 lever drags, a Penn 109, and a couple of Newell sitting on my bench now.  

Guess it's good the winds are blowing again, maybe I can get to some of my projects this weekend.

John

[Shark Hunter]

That is a good thing John.
I wish I could fish enough that I didn't have time to service my reels.
You are living the Dream.
My reels are serviced to the T! I still can't catch that 10 footer.
Three or four weeks out of the year is all I get, and I savor every moment.

[Midway Tommy]

oops!  so you know i never work on spinning reels, right?  well, this business about one screw not making the reel go "boing!"  that does not apply to the screw on the bail return assembly.  so let's limit this to conventional reels, not spinners!!!!!!

Oh man! I've been Black Balled!!!   

[alantani]

not hardly ......