Working on Reels - Tips!

[ChuckE]

A few more tips that may help:

• Cleaning the spool pin and blowing out the hole it fits in (in the spool shaft), will make pin reinstallation a whole lot easier when pressing it back in. Coating the pin with a very-very light film of reel oil (or reel grease) will also help with reinstallation, and allow it to be easier to remove later.

• I store spare bearings and other small metal parts in small Ziplocks (1-1/2 x 3”, etc). I mark the outside of the bag with the size, reel, and other pertinent information to help identify them later. I sometimes give them a very light coat of reel oil to help preserve them while stored. Small precision bearings can be easily fouled by dust and debris during storage.

• Small precision bearings can also be easily damaged if dropped a small distance onto a hard surface. The outside race on many bearings is very thin and prone to denting and distortion, and the cage inside the bearing (that retains the balls) can also become warped or displaced if dropped. A towel or soft mat placed on the workbench can mitigate damaging a bearing that is accidentally dropped.

• Never press on the center race of a precision bearing to install or remove it from a tight fitting socket -- always press the bearing into its socket via the outer race. Never force a bearing onto/from a tight fitting shaft by pressing on the outer race – always press the bearing onto the shaft via the center race. The forces exerted across the balls in both situations can permanently distort the races and damage the cage.

• Some bearing sockets are fairly tight, and coating a very-very light film of reel oil (or grease) on the inside edges of the bearing socket before installing the bearing will not only help with installation, it can also protect the bearing and mount from dissimilar metal corrosion during use. Bearings that support pinion and drive gears usually have the tightest fitting sockets in a reel, because they carry the heaviest loads and alignment is critical for smooth operation.

• Never use cleaners that contain ammonia to clean reel parts or components. The ammonia can not only discolor some metals, it can cause surface cracking and pitting to quickly occur on some brasses and bronzes, especially if not completely removed.

[ChuckE]

Reel Docks/KS wrote:

[dhuie]

ChuckE, D.R., et al,

Great tips! I have learned more from this thread alone than from all that i have learnt on my own thus far! Thanks and keep it coming.

My humble contribution:

1)Instead of using metal tweezers for holding on to or removal clips, I use disposable medical plastic tweezers used for removing stutures. This way when i slip, it does not scratch or damage the part OR punture my hand! These can be found in any pharmacy and are inexpensive.

2)Use of a +1 reading glasses (even if you do not normally need one) greatly eases the eye strain and you'll see "more" things that you'll normally miss.

Cheers

[D.R.]

Thanks D,

I had not thought of the plastic tool likr that.

Thanks.

D.R.

[ChuckE]

D,
I like the idea of the reading glasses. I can use all the help I can get!

Chuck

[Texas_bullet]

Re: reading glasses. I already wear glasses so bought a pair of lenses that extend off a headband, like jewelers wear. Same result; looks ultra dorky (according to my wife). I too have a collection of spare clips in case I ever permanently lose one. Got tired of driving back and forth to Southwestern Parts for a tiny e-clip. ChuckE...great tip about keeping a notebook about work done on each reel. As I type this, I have probably 8 reels with mystery line spooled on each. I use different lb. test and brands. I used to put a tag on the reel handle, but they fell off.
ReelDoc..Wiha drivers are great! Thanks for the suggestion. Also picked up some Corrosion/X for my next overhaul.

[va175txr]

I've found (in my beginner phase) that taking pictures before each step of the process helped. I # the pictures with a peice of masking tape marked in the pictures and log notes on that picture on paper as I go.

[Lucky1]

Does anyone know what the head type is on a really weird screw on my alpha ito? Its a cross between a allen or a torx and a regular screw driver slot running through it. I need to get a driver with it so I can take stuff apart. Thanks, G

[ChuckE]

Lucky,
I just use a very good flat blade screw driver on these screws. I make sure it is the correct width and thickness, so that it fits well.

Chuck

[Lucky1]

Although that would probably work, I would really like to get the correct tool. Im kind of a tool junkie so I dont mind having a few extra wrenches around. If you find out what it is give me a shout.

Gotta have the right tool for the job. Thanks, G

[Lucky1]

Anyone?

[Vladimir_Kazan]

http://vlad.mi.ru/koop/all_bbs3.htm - this "Table of Ball Bearings applied in fishing reels" while is far from being complete. Let's to enlarge it (to fill it out), let's help to itself!

[Vladimir_Kazan]

My site is disabled.
I do not know yet, who has made it: the simple pirates or governance...
I shall try out now to place the table as appendix in this forum (if will be came off).
I am sorry for the delivered disadvantages.

P.S.
Sorry, it is impossible ("The Extension htm (doc) is not allowed").
As soon as possible the reasons of closing of my site will be clarified. I hope, the situation is reparable.

P.P.S. It works.
Thanks for the offered help!

[ChuckE]

A child size tooth brush works great for getting just the right amount of grease into the deeper recesses and tapers of gears. Just put a small dab on the outside of the gear and brush it on and into the bottom of the gear teeth as you rotate the gear. A small dab will go a long way and usually it's enough to cover an entire gear with a thin film. Any excess grease remains on the brush so you can use it on the next gear.

Chuck

[ChuckE]

Daiwa anglers often overlook cleaning baitcaster spools, when doing their annual reel maintenance or mid-season maintenance. However with time, debris (e.g. algae, dirt) or corrosion can affect the performance of Magforce V or Z braking systems. The centrifugal spool tabs can hangup on the tapered edges inside the spool, or the inductor can move erratically on the spool shaft as it travels in and out of the magnets.

I like to clean my Daiwa spools (and spool bearings) whenever I re-spool them with new line. With the bearing removed, I give the spool edges, bottom of the spool where line lays, and inside both sides of the spool ends a very light spray of Aerosol Reel Magic. I carefully wipe-off any excess with a clean lint-free rag, even though the aerosol dries quickly. Then I carefully and lightly pull on the inductor located on the side of the spool, to exercise braking components -- you should be able to observe the tabs moving on the inside of the spool as you do this. Sometimes it may be necessary to give the tabs another shot of spray, and even blow out the components with a shot of can compressed air (like what you use on a computer keyboard), before it completely dries.

The Reel Magic cleans the components, and provides a very light non-sticky coat of lube and protectant on the shaft, spring, tabs, etc. that will keep your brakes in good working order. The only negative I've noticed is that the Reel Magic can cause your line to slip on the spool, if you don't secure it tightly.

Chuck