Garcia Mitchell 306 Assembly Help

Started by Windsurfrgal, October 01, 2013, 02:48:35 AM

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FMBSteve

Now I've got another couple of questions to finish this one up.  The first involves the drag.  When I took mine apart, the drag included only a drag bearing which was held down with the brake spring and then the drag adjusting knob.  Also, the brake spring was oriented so that the "wings" were facing down thus making convex contact with the drag bearing.  The spool that Fred sent had a teflon washer followed by the brake spring in the concave (wings up) position.  Is this the correct direction for the brake spring?  Also, Fred sent a fiber washer in a bag...does that go onto the spool first, followed by the teflon washer?  Last but not least, should I use grease on all the drag washers when I put them in?

Next question is regarding the axle.  Mine has a pin that stick out that engages the bottom of the spindle.  The one Fred sent does not have the pin?  My guess is that the axle needs the pin.  The axle Fred sent is corrosion free and I want to use it.  Should I punch out what is left of the pin in the new axle?  Or maybe try to punch the pin out of my old axle and put it into the new axle?

Last but not least, I was going to follow the advice from a video I found on line (300 series) to lubricate the parts as I reassemble the reel.  I use Penn reel grease and oil.  Any other recommendations?

Thanks everyone for all the help.  Don't mean to be so needy but usually I just go about it on my own but now that I've found such a fantastic forum, I'm going to be a regular.


foakes

Drag washer goes in first (either the CF Cal's greased or the Teflon white, but not both) —

Followed by the brake spring with the wings oriented "up" —

Only use drag grease on the CF, not the Teflon, if using that one —

Punch out the old pin, if it doesn't work — just let me know, and I will mail a new pin out —

Oil on the exterior parts (bail assembly, crank knob, etc.), gear nub mounts, spool axle, etc. —

Use grease on the gears, Penn is good —

If used in freshwater, I cut the grease about 1/3 with oil such as CorrosionX, TSI321, or similar —

If slated for use in the Salt — generally just grease.  You can experiment with different lubricating qualities.  What is important — is if used in the salt — grease...if used in the fresh — more oil since you do not want the gears too stiff.  But in the salt, you need the protection.

Best,

Fred
The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

--------

The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
                                                     Fred O.

foakes

Hey Steve  —

Looks like I just found the cross pin under a screwdriver.

I will send it along this afternoon.

Best,

Fred
The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

--------

The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
                                                     Fred O.

scrinch

Hey thanks for this thread. It's just reminded me that I have an old gummed up 306 that my dad gave me when I was a kid back in the 60's to fish bonito at King Harbor in Redondo Beach. It hasn't been used since I got out of high school in the mid-70's. I'll get it out and see if I can take it apart and get it operating again. Both my dad and my maternal grandmother loved those black Mitchell spinners.

grekim

Quote from: Dominick on September 05, 2018, 06:07:22 PM
Yep, great people.  Dominick

+1  The folks here are amazing caring people.  And the 306 is cool too  8)
Educating fish on every trip

scrinch

I've come down with the flu today, so I don't feel like going out. I thought I'd get out the Mitchell 306 to help pass the time. I opened it up and found the body was 1/3 full of grease the color and texture of earwax! That's original grease from the 1960's, I think. I could just barely get the gears to move. After disassembling, cleaning, and reassembling, it spins smoothly and relatively easily. It still requires a little umph to spin the handle, and there's' a little wobble to the reel as the bail spins around, but it is worlds better than when I started.

The one problem I encountered is that there is no drag washer atop the spool...there's only the drag spring and knob. I vaguely remember many years ago taking the spool off the reel and a broken teflon or nylon disc fell out. I don't know how it would have broken...maybe it got brittle somehow. Anyway, I'm looking for a drag disk now. I see on the schematic that the part number is 81582. When I look on eBay, I find two different black plastic-looking pieces with this part number, but when I look at your photos, I see a white teflon disk and a carbon fiber disk. Neither of these is available on eBay. Are all of these interchangeable and used at different times on the 306, or am I misunderstanding what some of these are?


foakes

I'm down in Laguna Beach until Sunday afternoon —

When we get back, I could send you either a new Teflon drag or a CF greased — or both.

Only use one or the other, and both work well.

N/C.

Best,

Fred
The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

--------

The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
                                                     Fred O.

scrinch

Quote from: foakes on September 15, 2018, 05:10:33 AM
I'm down in Laguna Beach until Sunday afternoon —

When we get back, I could send you either a new Teflon drag or a CF greased — or both.

Only use one or the other, and both work well.

N/C.

Best,

Fred

Thanks very much for your offer Fred. I'll PM you my address. I guess the drag disk just needs to be flat, smooth, and durable, and any of these fits that bill.

FMBSteve

Have fun with the 306, I finally finished mine with some help from the site and especially Fred.  The drag system was a bit confusing as my 306 had just a drag disk, spring and knob when I picked it up.  The greased CF drag is a definite improvement (thanks Fred!).

I have three more 300 series Mitchell's to get started on but apparently painting the house ranks above my reel hobby!  So they will have to wait.   Below is the finished reel, you can see the discolored bail but that won't affect it's performance.  I've got it paired with a Sam Scott Palm Beach Original 7' spinning rod from the same era.  It's a killer combo, now I need to spool the reel and give it a spin.

Thanks everyone!




grekim

#54
Nice rig my friend!

I have 306 question...feel free to move or delete :)   Actually, it's a 306A question.  After I take it out of gear and flip the switch to go back in gear, the dog creeps up the tiny post that it sits on ever so slightly.  This causes it to not go into gear right away (say a minute of reeling or tilting).  It is driving me a little crazy.  Right now there is basically just oil on that little post.  I thought of switching to the heavy penn blue grease, but then if it does move up it will be even harder to get back into gear.  Maybe plummer's tape, but it is such a small post and if it got lose inside it might cause other problems.  Thoughts?

Edit:  I think I fixed it.  The dog spring (metal strip) can be wiggled in its slot in the dog so that the end (the part away from the post) can be a tad higher than the dog/post end.  This creates a little downward force and seems to be preventing it from sliding up the post.  Been a great week of little tweaks!  Going to go small blue fishing tomorrow with this. 
Educating fish on every trip

foakes

#55
Right, the attached dog spring strip can also be adjusted by slightly bending the strip to give a little more dog pressure, and less chance of slipping.

Sometimes a new dog with an intact spring will help — if you need one, here it is.

Best,

Fred
The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

--------

The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
                                                     Fred O.

grekim

Thanks Fred.  The reel worked perfectly today.  Unless you count the handle knob (that is used to collapse the handle) just shearing off and falling into the water at my feet!  It had been completely stuck since the previous owner neglected it, but the remaining handle is so fused that it is still quite usable.  This is why I carry a spare reel too.
Educating fish on every trip

NCGeo

Great info on this thread. I picked up a 306
at a yard sale and then disassembled to clean it, as it would not crank.
Got to the point as shown in the photos but
Not sure what to next to remove remaining gears.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!

Midway Tommy

Lightly tap the rotor off towards the front. Then remove the keyway pin, bushing & pinion gear. Then you can remove the main gear. Go back to pg 1, Keith's (handy2's) photos show that step by step process in reverse. Also see Fred's post regarding the key on pg 2. 
Love those open face spinning reels! (Especially ABU & ABU/Zebco Cardinals)

Tommy D (ORCA), NE



Favorite Activity? ............... In our boat fishing
RELAXING w/ MY BEST FRIEND (My wife Bonnie)

Mark A

Quote from: Pejay on August 03, 2018, 08:51:46 PM
Okay guys another question. Is there supposed to be a filter or wad of something inside the stem on the main gear where the handle screws into? I dislodged "stuff" when cleaning the small opening ( oil port?) on the stem.
Thanks

Hi Pejay and All,
Brand new member here and from what I have read it looks like a fantastic resource. I am in the process of disassembling, cleaning, lubing and reassembling 3 vintage Garcia Mitchell 300's from the early and mid 1960's I bought when I was a kid. In my research I learned that often times there was a small piece of cotton tucked down inside the Main Gear Shaft by the little hole. It can be left out when reassembling and it is suggested to push a little grease down the shaft until it starts to come out the hole. That is what I did and all works great.
I now have some Mitchel 306's to do and this particular forum looks like it will be of very valuable help. Thanks To All.