TackleTour

Just a question I came up with last night, Why don't more reel manufacturers use titanium for fishing reels? My father is a mechanical engineer but doesn't really work in much design/development so he wasn't sure, and I am working on my chemistry degree so I know a good bit about titanium but not enough to answer my own question.

I thought maybe it flexes more than other metals (pretty sure it IS rigid and very strong), I am pretty sure it doesn't or is HIGHLY resistant to corrosion, maybe even though it is known for being light it isn't as light as some aluminum on the market now.

Maybe it is too hard to machine or just extremely expensive for a fishing reel application (I know some reels approach 500 dollars now though). I figure the gains over aluminum don't outweigh the extra cost, and when extreme lightweight applications are necessary, magnesium is the more sensible choice.

Does anyone know something I don't? Or is it a more obvious answer I have totally overlooked.

The main question I have is why isn't titanium more utilized in the fishing reel industry?

Aluminum is actually lighter by volume than Titanium, but Titanium is stronger when formed into similar thicknesses and shapes. Aluminum is rather corrosion resistant like Titanium. Titanium is usually between 30x and 40x the cost of Aluminum and is much harder to source. I could see a limited edition reel made of Titanium, but it doesn't make sense to use it in mass market reels.

DaveJ

A frame would have to be cast and in general cast Ti isn't cheap and would flex a fair amount. With the current amount of Ti being used in the worlds militaries, it's pretty expensive.

Ti alloys are appropriate, but when where and why?

I love the stuff myself however it's hard to work with and it's practical applications could be substituted with other metals more weight and strength appropriate like aluminium alloys.

Also as mentioned cost from raw material to production costs would be exorbitant.

I could see main and oscillator shafts being made from, however the fact of galling between dissimilar metals would be a fact.

Titanium spool maybe?

LowRange wrote:Titanium spool maybe?

Too heavy and too hard to machine, also heat dissipation.

Titanium drag washers yes, springs, screws and maybe a few other boutique things but only if the strength required...

I was just thinking of someone making like an SV105 size reel with a skeletal frame made from the stuff. I used to be huge into ATVS and know some people will pay like crazy for titanium components...

The fw bass market drives the industry. There is no need for titanium components for bass reels. I love bass fishing as much as anyone...But they don't put up much of a fight at all whatsoever. Casting and retrieving, setting the hook on a stump, and reeling in vegetation, burning spinnerbaits puts more strain on your gear than 8lb bass do.
The only wear items are bearings, gears, pawls, worms, drags. Coatings, plastics and nylons have come a long way. Tensile strength isn't what is always needed. Coeficient of friction and precision are more important.
Bass reels aren't being driven by turbo charged nitrous injected motors......just 200lb gorillas
IF powdered metal gears can be used in 200-300$ hand drills. Bass reels can get away with brass, stainless and even pot metal.

Mainshafts sure. As it's a simple lego part with minimal machining required. Bar stock is cheap. And simple enough that offshore companies now offer it. Look at flooger/ penn. But that's it. But even still Hardened stainless has been good enough since forever. 90% of fisherman probably never bent a main shaft. Even with pe lines.

VS has used TI shafts for a looooong time.

Ther was a company marketing solid titanium fishing reels called fortitude. Van Stall / ocean city esque in looks.
But that was 4 years ago and not peep since.

Some commercial electric reels offer titanium spools. Lingren Pitman. But I prefer the Daiwa mp 3000 as I can hand crank or use the electric winch. Or wind while the motor is going to increase speed.
Plus everyone needs a 130 class reel in their life Just don't let it bang around in the coffin box...As repairs cost over 1000$ and take a very long time.

As far as corrosion...Magnesium reels don't turn to dust in saltwater. Even the worst surf reel design of all time...Daiwa saltiga surf. With tons of body cancer still works......Ram a hookset on a big bass or boofish.....and with the amount of speed holes in the lower portion of the frame that supports the worm gear my break....But hey...it's still in one piece and it's the worst corrosion on a mag reel i've ever seen. And that is after it sat for 5 months.

Full Ti Z1016. One could only dream.