A worse thing to misplace than a dog spring

Started by grekim, June 03, 2018, 11:44:56 PM

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grekim

I was fishing in some choppy surf with a Mitchell 302 and while it didn't get dipped there was a lot of spray.  So when I got home, I pulled off the rotating head just to see if anything got under there.  In order to spray off the bottom half of the reel, I carried it from my workbench to a sink a couple of rooms away.  At the sink I realized that the rotor key was missing!  For those who don't know, this is a little brass part about the size of a grain of rice that is crucial for the the bottom part of the reel to lock into the top half of the reel (spool and rotating head).  Without it the reel is better used as a bookend.

I have pulled the head off of Mitchells many times and usually I take extra care with this part.  My wife would say that whenever I go fishing I trade human intelligence for some sort of fish intelligence (I have lost my keys in the ocean, drowned my phone, etc, etc).  And usually that little part is stuck in place fairly well due to grease, etc.  Anyway, not this time.  I searched the most likely place...the workbench, floor near workbench, the area above the ball bearings, and little notch where it fits in the rotor.  I almost convinced myself that maybe I lost it on another occasion or that this 302 never had it and that the reel worked today because the hex nut holding the head on was tight enough.   Long story short, I checked the workshop floor on hands and knees without luck.  Checked worbench a 3rd time without luck.  Finally, somehow walking sadly back across the workshop floor there it was!  It was a rediculus bit of luck to find this on a rug that desparately needs vacuuming.  So, the moral is give this part the attention it requires and don't fish so long that you have seaweed for brains.   

And if there is a smaller and more important part in some other reel, well I'd like to know about it.
Educating fish on every trip

festus

I hear ya, never owned a 302 but my little 308 has one of those also.

Bill B

Good to hear you found the little bugger.  I've learned the hard way to keep track of the little parts, I keep a small metal lid with a magnet inside to keep track of the notorious parts, keeps the ferrous parts well and at least a place to drop the nonferrous parts....Bill
It may not be very productive,
but it's sure going to be interesting!

Aiala

Oh, yeah... a micro-crucial part for sure. Been there, done that! Aren't the old 302s and 306s wonderful? As long as you know about --and DON'T lose-- that fiendish rotor key.  :D

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

handi2

#4
magnetic parts trays work great. So do tea infusers.

Ive been using these tea infusers for a few years now. As I take reels apart all the small parts go inside. Even with big reels all the screws go inside to be cleaned.

You can fit everything except the bridge on most small reels. You dont lose the parts and it holds the parts for you if you use a parts washer and ultrasonic cleaners.

You can fit all the hardware and gears from a Mitchell 300 in one of these. The ones I use are 2.5" or 3" in size.

Today i was doing a box full of International reels. All the screws, quadrant spacers, harness lugs, and rod bolts fit inside one of these. The parts get shaken around in the parts washer, rinsed with hot water, and thrown in the UL cleaner. Nothing gets lost.

Keith

OCD Reel Service & Repair
Gulf Breeze, FL

nelz

Here's an old jeweler's trick for finding tiny diamonds that flew, great for reel parts too...

Put a new bag in your vacuum cleaner and vacuum all around the area. Then, inspect the contents of the bag. With luck it will be in there. Repeat: NEW BAG!  ;D

alantani

send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

1badf350

I put my head or one eyball as close to the floor as possible and look straight across it. Found many a small part that way.
-Chris

"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I require the same from them."
John Wayne as J.B. Books in "The Shootist"

grekim

Quote from: 1badf350 on June 04, 2018, 10:27:42 PM
I put my head or one eyball as close to the floor as possible and look straight across it. Found many a small part that way.

Yep, I do/did something similar.  This time I found it as I was standing and looking down, go figure.

Love the tea infuser idea for washing small parts.   I separate small parts from the big parts and I don't usually wash dog springs or rotar keys.  They sit in a jelly jar lid.
Educating fish on every trip

Lunker Larry

Had a part fly out of a reel once and after searching the workbench and crawling all over the floor, sweeping, dragging a magnet, etc I sat back and looked up and there it was, stuck to the wall.
You know that moment when your steak is on the grill and you can already feel your mouth watering.
Do vegans feel the same when mowing the lawn?

Brewcrafter

Hee Hee,  ;D now I don't feel like I'm the only one!  I haven't had any of my old Mitchell's apart yet, but yes I've launched Penn dog springs into orbit, as well as the circlip-type bearing retainer clips on my Penn spinners that you use a fish hook to remove, and even the bail springs from my DAM spinners.  AND - Knock on Wood (sound of Brewcrafter rapping knuckles on his own head) I've always had the luck of either finding the parts on my wood workbench or the concrete floor, but frankly I will be the first to say most times I was just plane lucky.  Now if I'm removing a part I know can "launch", I make it a habit to drape a small washcloth/shop rag over the assembly to trap any ballistic objects.  I REALLY like the "tea strainer" idea, but I am still in enough trouble with SWMBO for the unfortunate "eyeliner brush incident"...

grekim

Quote from: Brewcrafter on June 05, 2018, 05:30:58 AM
I REALLY like the "tea strainer" idea, but I am still in enough trouble with SWMBO for the unfortunate "eyeliner brush incident"...

I think you may need to tell us about that.
Educating fish on every trip

Butch

Quote from: nelz on June 04, 2018, 05:38:25 PM
Here's an old jeweler's trick for finding tiny diamonds that flew, great for reel parts too...

Put a new bag in your vacuum cleaner and vacuum all around the area. Then, inspect the contents of the bag. With luck it will be in there. Repeat: NEW BAG!  ;D


I did this to find the diamond out of my wife's wedding ring...Had to vacuum the whole house (She didn't know when or where she lost it)...But I found it! What I want to know is where did all those little pieces of glass come from that I picked up with the diamond? We've lived here over 40 years, had the carpets replaced, and haven't broken any glass (Except on the tile floor, in the kitchen) ??? ...I also use the magnetic trey trick, and dragging a magnet to corral or round up ferrous parts...

Butch

Long Enuff

When searching the floor for dog springs and other subatomic size reel parts, I have found that a good high intensity flashlight will almost always save the day.

Cor

Today I lost a spring from a custom made dog.  Tried strong torch, lying on the floor, moved cars out, and swept my whole garage and work area and moved all kinds of stuff around.
I work in my Garage and there are many items around and nooks and crannies and the spring was not found.

Had to make a new one but benefit is I now have a nice clean garage and work space.

Cornelis