Another Squidder 140

[Flat Top]

Finest Kind; I got the Newell kitted reel back together last night...cleaned, lubed and ready to fish. You were correct this Newell kitted reel will spin/free spool forever....and it is very smooth. Now I understand the difference that the Newell kit can make.

[JasonGotaProblem]

My good sir I think you've stumbled onto the one of the central tenets of this site (aside from "fishing, like life, is better with friends") which is that something can be just fine (like a factory penn reel) and not need any mods, but still have room for improvement.

[Flat Top]

JasonGotaProblem; 100%!!! I have some OEM Penn reels that I have been using since I was 15 years old (thats 60 years worth of salt water and fresh water use). None of them have ever needed anything but drag washers...they have all the original parts. I took good care of them, and still use them to this day.....and from 5 feet away they still look great. I am not embarrassed to fish them in public....and they do as they were intended to do...catch fish.

I thought the OEM Squidder I first purchased was the be all end all for long distance casting (smooth and great free spool), but this Newell kitted Squidder (my second purchase) I believe will out perform the OEM Squidder. Weather permitting I will give it a tryout tomorrow morning. Like you said anything can be improved upon.....but do the OEM Penn reels "need" improvement....no...they have served me well.

[Finest Kind]

Sweet! SS drag washers are nice for corrosion, but for my money greased carbontex on polished brass makes for really smooth drag and with quick take apart you can service if needed easily enough. I lap brass drags out on 1000 grit wet dry with some oil on it.

Thanks for the advise on polishing the brass drag washers Thorhammer. When I updated the drags in my Surfmasters and Squidders I replaced all the brass washers with the SS. Why? Probably because they came with the kit and I never really thought about it. I think I will change them back.

[Finest Kind]

Finest Kind; I got the Newell kitted reel back together last night...cleaned, lubed and ready to fish. You were correct this Newell kitted reel will spin/free spool forever....and it is very smooth. Now I understand the difference that the Newell kit can make.

That's good to hear. Enjoy the reels!

[thorhammer]

Sweet! SS drag washers are nice for corrosion, but for my money greased carbontex on polished brass makes for really smooth drag and with quick take apart you can service if needed easily enough. I lap brass drags out on 1000 grit wet dry with some oil on it.

Thanks for the advise on polishing the brass drag washers Thorhammer. When I updated the drags in my Surfmasters and Squidders I replaced all the brass washers with the SS. Why? Probably because they came with the kit and I never really thought about it. I think I will change them back.

I'd leave them be. I just reused the brass ones because I'd buy a bunch of carbontex in different sizes because they go to a lot of Penns, instead of buying a bunch of kits for shelfies that MIGHT get fished. This particularly applies where I find a yard sale sleeper in good shape, but the original drags are melded crud on the brass washers. Polish, grease, new carbontex, done for a few bucks. I don't think you'd notice a difference in any actual fishing application, just that SS won't corrode up. IMO, using greased carbon drags vs. ole skool leather or asbestos significantly reduces corrosion on brass washers anyways. Makes a difference if you're piecing together a dozen LB 60's out of parts buckets but for a couple of user reels I'd go the kit. You can also polish the SS, just harder.

[Finest Kind]

Thanks Thorhammer, good to know.

[deptrai]

My dad's old Squidder.  Why does it have different colored sideplates?  One black and one maroon.

[Swami805]

My guess is one side plate broke and was replaced but who knows. Don't think it would come from the factory like that