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Baitcasting & Conventional Reels: Lube & Check For Cheap Parts

flagold

Registered User
Abbeville, Alabama
There are many links below the vid for parts. You can update any star drag reel to the newer drags (carbon) by ordering carbon sheets (cut your own) or going to Mystic (the old PennParts) and ordering thinner washers (you'll just install more of them). If you've bought one of the newer (brand name) reels I'd suggest checking it for cheap parts inside before you lose a trophy. It's becoming a problem.


[FONT=&quot]Baitcasting Reels Conventional Reels Guide - What's Inside & How To Lube, Modify, Restore All Of Them. Slide your time slider to the subject area: [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]00:31 New Reels [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]00:56 Star Drag VS Spinning Reel Drag [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]2:45 Gearing for reels [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]3:30 ABU GARCIA - What's inside? [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]5:54 DAIWA - What's inside? [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]8:27 Shimano - What's inside? [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]12:41 Heddon "Pal" - What's Inside? [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]13:45 - STAR DRAG SYSTEMS (all of them) [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]16:00 - Drag Washer Construction & Order [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]16:55 - Bridge Casting - Bridge Sleeve [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]17:20 - Washer Setups Old & New [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]17:55 - Dogs, Gears, Yokes [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]18:00 - Penn - Ocean City & Large Conventionals [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]20:30 - Shakespeare - What's Inside? [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]22:10 - Star Drag Schematics [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]25:15 - Carbon Drag Washers [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]25:30 - Modifying A Star Drag [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Below are links to help you service your reels (believed reliable):[/FONT]

Happy flying to all!
Matt Mattson
 
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I put this post up because as you saw we found reel after reel (actually there were many more) "quality" salt water reels with plastic gears inside (beautiful on the outside though) and I needed to update my Dad's 1944 Service reel since he didn't use the drag system at all and had removed the drag washers. I also watched Dennis' film (links above) on the new Penn reels (Chinese) and simply lost confidence in the new stuff after that. So this is what I did: went down to the hardware store and looked through the furniture (handle) parts for felt washers and then the lamp section (found the size for mine there) (the usual factory drag washer stacks were metal-leather-metal-leather or metal-felt or stainless- brass (or copper) arrangements. I chose felt because it soaks up grease and will keep everything else in there greased for a long time and greased, dissipates heat well. I could have done any of the above and could have ordered carbon sheets (or washers from the links in the description (movie above). You can do anything you want with these old reels to make them new again - as long as the result is a smooth drag. Smooth is the key.

I would strongly suggest if you are using a new reel for big fish - look in it! Plastic (dogs, gears)? Some of these reels you would never suspect since they are beefy (on the outside). It's a case by case thing - you'll just have to look.


Here is what I did: https://youtu.be/HTv4p8SP0dA
Title: How To Upgrade Modify Lube Any Star Drag Fishing Reel To New - All Conventional Reels


Then I made another video on how to set the drag to line weight and be able to return to that weight when on the boat (and your buddy invariably messes with the drag - now you don't know what it's set to). Critical to know for trolling - because the speed of the boat, weight of the lure + poundage and speed of the fish will pop a line if not set right. Happens so fast many never realize why they lost the fish at all - they assume it was bigger than the line would hold (and of course we get a "one that got away" story). Basic: once you know the setting - use the rod to set it if on the boat (tie off to a rail - whatever). Those of you chasing big stuff have other ways of doing it with a scale, etc., that's just how I did it.


Here is how I did it: https://youtu.be/Rx9dpvDO3-E
Title: Big Game Fishing: Minnow To Marlin: How To Set Star Drag For Solid Hookups Trolling Or Jigging Fish

Good luck with your fishing & flying
Matt Mattson
100 ton lisc. C.G. Capt.
 

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I keep resurrecting my older pre-Chingaling Penn’s. Drag issues are fairly easy to remedy with aftermarket smoothies, quality pinion gears and bearings are getting harder to find. I use ACF-50. Grease seems to “hold in” the salt.
 
I keep resurrecting my older pre-Chingaling Penn’s. Drag issues are fairly easy to remedy with aftermarket smoothies, quality pinion gears and bearings are getting harder to find. I use ACF-50. Grease seems to “hold in” the salt.

I have finally got the chance to research that and agree - that's a very good lube. Like the anti-corrosion additive. The wheel bearing grease is pretty tough to beat but I think you did it. Well done.

In general - as I take more of these new reels apart, it's pretty shocking. [FONT=&quot]On some of these reels you'll find old style sturdy brass gears and bushings (the side commonly opened first) - but on the other end you're not likely to see at the store: plastic gears. Price doesn't matter either - you simply have to check it. Examples:

Shimano ($200 starting point reel) unusual that the plastic gearing is on the bridge (handle) side - the side you readily see if opening the case:
[/FONT]

ShimanoPe.jpg

ShimAvatar.jpg

Hard to argue with the outside though.

Daiwa (Millionaire Series Reels)

Daiwa MillionaireE.jpg

More common - plastic on the "harder to see" end opposite the handle.

$5-20 "flea market special" - Shakespeare in this case (could be Penn, Ocean City on and on up to mid 1970's)

ShakespeareSe.jpg

Re-assembled reel from the picture above:

ShakespeareR.jpg

Brass/Stainless gearing and bushing throughout. Since the softer metal wears the harder, a reel that simply resists all wear and theoretically has no life limit (as long as you grease/oil it periodically).
 

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