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Penn 49A Build

Started by xjchad, February 21, 2020, 02:08:52 AM

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xjchad

UPDATE: I started this project as a way to create my own 49A.  Since my last post on May 24, 2019 I had let it sit.  I was busy with other stuff and discouraged with trying to figure out a way to make my own wide spool.  Since then I recently aquired and REAL 49A!!!  ;D  My many thanks goes out to the generous person that made it happen for me (you know who you are).  It's special to me to have a reel that has caught fish on the ledges of Rooikrantz!  Initially I wanted to clean it up and put it on the shelf, but you all know that I love fishing the older gear and I'm not much for shelf queens.  SO, I'm going to go ahead with modifying this reel to fish with me and continue it's legacy of catching trophy fish from shore.  NOTE:  I will not make any modifications that can't be undone to put it back to original.  Any parts that have permanent modifications are from the donor 49 reel that I started with and the original parts will be kept safe until I'm ready to put it back to it's original state.  Most of the mods I've done below will continue to be used, so be sure to read the whole thread.


    When Ted posted the batch of 49A reels and spools for sale, I got REELLY interested in them.  Especially the history behind them!  I loved reading all the info and stories about how they came about and were fished.  Then it occurred to me that the 49A would work great for the type of land based shark fishing that I do.  So far, all my LBSF has been done with bait casted from the surf on my 12' Penn Prevail and 9500SS combo.  I love this set up and will continue to use it for most of my fishing.  However, I've been wanting to start kayaking baits out to further areas that I can't reach with a cast.  I was able to build a buddy a reel in trade for a kayak, and then Darin sent me a sweet classic Penn International Tuna Stick (50-130 lb.) so all I need now is a reel.  I was going to build a 6/0 but I think the wide 49 will be the ticket.
 
   The sharks that I catch here are mostly Sevengills, and their MO is to charge the beach when hooked.  I was concerned that the 6/0 would not have the speed necessary to keep the line tight when they did so.  The 3.5:1 ratio of the 49 should work great.  I don't have the cash to buy a 49A so I started thinking about how I could build my own.   I'll start with showing the first steps of this build and then update as it progresses.  

   The first thing was to acquire a 49 which I had in a bin already.  Can't remember where I got it, but I looks like it has good potential.  





   Opened up it has some light greese/oil smeared everywhere, but not too bad looking.  The pinion gear is steel, but the main is bronze.





I had a Newell Jigmaster stand and bars that will widen it and give more rigidity.



   I also found a 4/0 stainless gear sleeve and a steel gear for it.



   In order to use the gear sleeve, I'll need to convert to the 349 bridge with the larger post as Sal has done here: https://alantani.com/index.php?topic=6197.msg52039#msg52039  



   Unfortunately, I couldn't get the holes to align close enough to make it work.  Even when I tried only setting the screws a couple of threads at a time.  I tried everything aside from modifying the head plate.  



The other issue I found was that even with a couple of the screws in place, the post was not centered properly.



   After chewing on it for a while, I decided to try something different.  I'm pretty confident that this will be solid, but only time will tell.  I removed the post from each bridge.



   I bored out the hole in the 49 bridge to about .001" under the diameter of the 349 post.  I then machined the height of the post down to a few thou below the thickness of the bridge plate.  The post was then drilled and tapped for a stainless bolt.  I applied Loctite and pressed the post into the bridge and then fastened it in place with the bolt and washer (also loctited and torqued).  Fingers crossed!!







   That's where I'm at for now.  Next steps will be to make some stainless dogs to DD it.  Figure out how I'm going to modify the drag for more strength.  Make my own wide spool.  

Husband, Father, Fisherman

xjchad

UPDATE: I started this project as a way to create my own 49A.  Since my last post on May 24, 2019 I had let it sit.  I was busy with other stuff and discouraged with trying to figure out a way to make my own wide spool.  Since then I recently acquired and REAL 49A!!!  ;D  My many thanks goes out to the generous person that made it happen for me (you know who you are).  It's special to me to have a reel that has caught fish on the ledges of Rooikrantz!  Initially I wanted to clean it up and put it on the shelf, but you all know that I love fishing the older gear and I'm not much for shelf queens.  SO, I'm going to go ahead with modifying this reel to fish with me and continue it's legacy of catching trophy fish from shore.  NOTE:  I will not make any modifications that can't be undone to put it back to original.  Any parts that have permanent modifications are from the donor 49 reel that I started with and the original parts will be kept safe until I'm ready to put it back to it's original state.


So hear is my newly acquired Penn 49A from South Africa.  This reel has caught fish from the ledges of Rooikrantz and will continue the tradition from the beaches of California  ;D





Very clean inside!






I will be using the parts that I modified in the above posts, but as most of these projects go, I've found snags and need to continue the modifications to make it work.  If you haven't read from the beginning, check out the previous posts too.
Husband, Father, Fisherman

xjchad

So previously I had modified a 49 bridge by removing the skinny post and installing a 349 post.  This was to make it stronger and allow me to use a 4/0 stainless gear sleeve.  Once I put the sleeve on the post and installed the bridge in the head plate I had a problem.



Not enough room left for a spacer sleeve  :o
I then remembered that Sal had removed the insert and bored the hole larger when he did the 349 bridge upgrade.
I'm not about to cut into this reel so I need to come up with another solution.

I think I've got it... Stay tuned...
Husband, Father, Fisherman

xjchad

So I left off with my 49 bridge that I had installed a 349 post into.  The plan was to use a 4/0 stainless gear sleeve, but the diameter of the gear sleeve didn't leave enough room to fit a drag spacer sleeve into the head plate.  I'm not willing to permanently modify the head plate since I want to be able to put this reel back to original someday.  I have another 49 head plate that I could have modified, but decided against that since I really want to fish the entire reel (sans internal mods) for nostalgia sake. (I know, I know, but it makes sense in my head, haha!)

So here's what I came up with.  The 349 post is much stronger, but I needed to use a smaller Jigmaster stainless steel sleeve.  





I started by drilling out the Jigmaster sleeve to fit the 349 post.



Then I cut the 349 post shorter.



Once I had the right height, I needed a groove in the post to match the retaining pin for the sleeve.



I started the groove with a hack saw blade, and finished it with a diamond file.







Now I have the Jigmaster stainless steel sleeve on the 349 post mounted to the 49 bridge.







Husband, Father, Fisherman

xjchad

Been really busy with other projects, but was able to make a stainless dog for it.

Husband, Father, Fisherman

xjchad

I've been in Indianapolis for work this week.  I brought the parts for my 49A project with me so I'd have something to do in the evenings.

My makeshift work area.  I cleaned all the parts really well land preppped them with a thin coat of Penn grease.


Assembling the custom bridge.


Took a break for some dessert via room service.


Head plate going together.


I got it almost all the way together and realized that I had brought the original drag star, but my stainless sleeve is fine thread  :-\
Oh well, I'll have to finish that when I get home next week. 
Everything else when together great, and Ted's stand was the icing on the cake!



Husband, Father, Fisherman

Maxed Out


  I'm drooling Chad

btw, nice reel too
We Must Never Forget Our Veterans....God Bless Them All !!

mhc

#7
Very tidy work Chad, your bridge/gear sleeve/dog upgrades combined with Ted's (Maxed Out) solid custom stand has made a very capable 49A.

Mike  
It can't be too difficult - a lot of people do it.

Crow

There's nothing wrong with a few "F's" on your record....Food, Fun, Flowers, Fishing, Friends, and Fun....to name just a few !

Donnyboat

Thanks chad, very interesting, good work, thanks for showing us, nice reel, cheers Don.
Don, or donnyboat

mo65

The 49A is such a cool reel...great work Chad! 8)
~YOU CAN TUNA GEETAR...BUT YOU CAN'T TUNA FEESH~


Decker

  Chad, how would you use that reel?  It would hold a mountain of braid.  I ask because I've been thinking of building a reel for deep dropping.