Micro Tuning

[sandbar]

A question for Fred
You have mentioned micro tuning reels in your posts.
Would you please share how that is done?
I'm picturing connecting the line to a fixed point and adjusting the drag to fit the reel and pole strength.
-Steve

[oldmanjoe]

 

[foakes]

A question for Fred
You have mentioned micro tuning reels in your posts.
Would you please share how that is done?
I'm picturing connecting the line to a fixed point and adjusting the drag to fit the reel and pole strength.
-Steve

No, not actually, Steve —

It is my term for smoothing out and polishing every part that has any sort of friction involved.

Spool shaft, inside of worm pinion, all bushings, crank axle, gears, bearing, trip lever, bail supports, handle knob screw, any lateral bail resistance, any rough or worn edges, etc.

First, all parts are cleaned with proper cleaning solutions and the Ultrasonic Cleaner — then any resistance points or areas are filed, steel wooled with "0000", dremeled with a fine wire wheel, or the fine wire wheel on one of the mini bench grinders, all surfaces tested and recleaned with fresh solutions to remove any microscopic bits of steel wool, all parts tested for fit and function before any oil or grease. 

Then finally, after reassembly and lubrication — all functions are retested again.

Then a final check of all screws for proper torque — and nothing missed or left undone.

The different types of metal surfaces must work together like oil on glass.

It seems like a lot of extra work — but after one has done thousands of these successfully — it is just a natural part of the total restoration procedure.

Best, Fred

[Squidder Bidder]

So, it's more or less hand fitting of parts that mate to one another - not unlike what gunsmiths do. Perhaps another way to say it is reducing friction as much as possible everywhere it doesn't serve a purpose - i.e., everywhere but the drag disks/washers, where we want to control friction and put it to our purposes by making it consistent/predictable.

Fred - have you used any lapping/polishing compounds in the tuning process?

[foakes]

So, it's more or less hand fitting of parts that mate to one another - not unlike what gunsmiths do. Perhaps another way to say it is reducing friction as much as possible everywhere it doesn't serve a purpose - i.e., everywhere but the drag disks/washers, where we want to control friction and put it to our purposes by making it consistent/predictable.

Fred - have you used any lapping/polishing compounds in the tuning process?

On spinners (which is what I specialize in) — if the gear mesh is rough or uneven — I just install new gears.

This is VERY rare — since 3 of the 4 types of spinners I work on, have steel mated to bronze gears.  The bronze wears a little quicker than the steel — thus working together smooth and well as the reels break in over usage.

These are ABU/Zebco Cardinals, Penns, and DAM Quick.  About half of the Mitchells have light alloy gears — which when worn, just get worse — so their gears get replaced also.

When completed, I am confident they will go for another 3 or 4 decades of steady usage — with just periodic lubing and basic service every few years.

When Conventional reels such as Penns become noisy due to gear wear and poor meshing — I generally just install the gear set in an old frame/sideplate/spool assembly — load it with lapping fluid — and let it run on one of the line winders steadily for about 30 minutes.  If this doesn't quiet the reel down after Yamaha Marine or Penn Blue grease — it gets new gears.  But this is a time consuming and dirty process — and is only used as a last resort when the new parts are not available.  

Once or twice a year, I will take a couple of gallons of used but good parts out to the outer shop where I degrease them with an Ultrasonic Cleaner and lacquer thinner — rinse with water, dry completely — then toss them in the parts tumbler along with some fine media.  Then a quick rinse and dry — and back into the numbered used parts bins — ready for another life when needed for a client's reel.  I use a Hornady cartridge tumbler for this.  Works great.  Actually, a refurbished used part generally works smoother than a brand new part — as long as there are no gouges, excessive wear, or other deformities evident.  If any of these conditions are present — the part just goes in the garbage.

I personally hate to waste any parts — but time is critical — and I would rather spend time on productive restorations, service, and repairs — instead of spending a few hours on one part that I cannot in good conscience charge a client for my actual time on.  

Best, Fred