Mitch 300 & 306 - my first tear downs

[Midway Tommy]

Tommy- thanks for the tip. When posting a photo I'm prompted first to upload, then to insert. To clarify, do I then go back into the text box and delete the link?

That's what I do.

[cbamer]

Fred, I will take you up on your kind offer to send me a shim for that broken one on the Mitch300. I also need a set up for thedrag on my $5 306 that I cleaned last night...it was missing some parts!

[cbamer]

The corrosion on the 306 is not very nice, and I'm wondering if it's the kind of thing I should ignore, since I'm going to fish with it. And fish with kids.

[cbamer]

I've cleaned and burnished with 500 wet/dry sandpaper, and will go higher if needed. That drive gear has a triangular divet and the pinion bearing is scratched. Are these ok to use?

[cbamer]

Sorry for posting the 306 under a 300 heading. Not very helpful...

[foakes]

Everything up you have done so far is very good, Carla —-

I would just fix up the 306 and fish it.  It is fine, and looks intact.

Here is a new missing drag tension spring you need, a spare new drag disk, and an assortment of new Mitchell shim/washers.

PM me your full name & best mailing address and I'll drop it off at the Post Office on Tuesday, after the Holiday.  N/C.

The drag system on the 306 only consists of the drag knob, keyed spring, and the black nylon disc.

The 306 is a good and simple reel for the salt.

Best, Fred

[Midway Tommy]

Carla, you're doing a great job, especially considering you are just getting started at this reel restoration/service pastime! Here's a little tip that might benefit you, especially on reels you will be using. Anytime you come across that white salt corrosion film that has worked its way under under the painted surfaces use a wire brush, preferably brass as it is gentler, and remove all the white residue, even the paint if you have to. Any white salt residue that is left under the paint surface will continue to degrade the aluminum or magnesium alloys underneath.   

[cbamer]

Thank you Tommy: I scrubbed the spool as you suggested, with oil and a brass brush. I was surprised how little paint it took off.

Fred, all the parts you sent me arrived safely, despite the pileup of snow in CA. Thank you so very much. I'll try my hand at shimming the 300 tomorrow. Today I was able to finish the 306, thanks to all the help on this thread and on the "tinkering with the 306" thread.

Went from looking like this, with corrosion and sand everywhere,
to this
Thanks to everyone's advice, I was able to get the bail spring installed by removing the wire and unloading the spring. However, I couldn't get the mount past the trip lever no matter how hard I pushed it around, so I uninstalled the trip lever. Well, that was a 2 hour adventure in trying to re-install it. Booiiinnnggg! Despite this, I am glad I did it b/c I found more green corrosion on the underside.

The bail now snaps so snappily that after three tests it split the black rubber bumper. Hoping I can find some tubing at the hardware store to make another.
A couple last questions: Is that handle painted, and I scrubbed too hard? Should I pack grease into the main gear that the handle screws into? There was nothing in there when I disassembled it.

Thank you again! The reel is amazingly smooth after all the abuse it suffered. I'm hoping to take it fishing later this week, once it stops sleeting every day... I also have three functioning old penn 710 greenies I acquired on fleabay for the grandkids to use (still shopping for one more!), about $15 each to my door, and a quick Super I ended up paying $0 after I complained to the seller about the cracked mounting foot, cracked drag knob, and gritty mechanism that she sold as "fully working smooth action." I'm sure I'll be looking for more advice in the next few days...thanks so much for helping out all us newbies!

[Keta]

:0)

[cbamer]

Still learning on inserting pictures

[cbamer]

I spooled it with 300 yards of 12# TrileneXL and am finally going to fish this Mitchell 306 for surf perch this weekend. I found an old 8.5' garcia conolon rod in rough but useable shape at the goodwill for a couple bucks. I like the utilitarian vibe of the old reel and rod together. Later this summer I'll pretty them up a bit, just to remove more of the surface corrosion on the reel and put a coat of varnish on the threads, replace a couple guides, etc, but they will work just fine as is for where we're going. I hope. Thanks again to everyone who helped out with this reel. Couldn't have done it without you