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Thursday, August 28, 2008

Articles

Incredible Magnet Tips for Conventional Reels!
by Old Spook
While at my local Radio Shack scrounging for some stuff, I found some Neodium Rare Earth magnets that are the exact size I needed to use in the Quantums and Abu's! These are a direct drop in fit for Abu Garcia Black Max and Quantum low profile reels. The Neodium mags are stronger than the factory mags in the reel itself, and the strongest magnets one could ever possibly get. Abu Garcia shipped all of these reels with 3 magnets and ten slots, 3 slots filled. What I did was to add these extra Neodium Iron Boron Rare Earth Magnets to fill the empty spaces on three reels, two Black Maxxes and one brand new Quantum ex 501 cx. On the Abu's I used a flat tape strip magnet cut in a half moon for a backing for the magnets, then used a bit of superglue to hold them in place on the carrier. Also one must set the magnets so that they are north south north south all around for a better eddy current and magnetic force, just hold the magnet next to one in place and the force from the set in mag will tell you by pushing or pulling it away . The principle used is this: the eddy currents created by the aluminum spool spinning next to the magnets creates a force that keeps the reel from backlashing one during a cast . With the standard three magnets in the Abu's and the five in the Quantum, it just was not enough to control the spool from creating a nice bird's nest when I missed a cast, or threw too hard, etc. So what I did was add in more mags for a full stack on each reel. Using less tension and more mag control made sense to me as I was out for more distance, less backlash was the first reason. My tests when done exhibited excellent results as according to plans I had. I threw a normal cast with my old zara spook .The tension was set lightly just so that a bit more of a turn on the knob and the spool would move side to side some. The mag brake adjustment was still set the same as before at a setting of five because I forgot to change it. The cast went far on a sps 1100 Shakespeare Ugly Stick as usual but the line just had a bit of lift on the spool about midway through the cast. I did not use the thumb at first as I had before to control the spool, But on the touch down when the lure hit the water. I then set it to ten on the mag adjust and set the tension so that I had some very, very light side-play in the spool. I cast the same with the Abu Black Max again. Lifting of the line with no thumb on the spool was a bit less than at first but I instinctivley used my thumb to control the spool on touchdown. The third cast was all out for distance. The line lifted with the heavy cast some and disappeared when the lure touched down in the water. My conclusions were as I expected. No distance shortening of the casts, less backlash considerably and no tension on the spool for a true freespool effect. With the Quantum I added in the extra mags filling the slots up. This reel was as bad as the Abus for backlashing even with two extra magnets stone cold stock than the Abu's. When I tried to get some magnets from Abu Garcia I found that I had to buy the whole mag carrier plate assembly, not being pleased I found my dream come true at Radio Shack with part # 64-1895. Now for the Quantum Testing. I had set the spool with some light tension with no sideplay and the mags setting to five for my starting point again. The idea was to have it the same as the Abu to fairly judge this. I put the Zara Spook on that I used on the abu , same rod as well and cast normally. Just a slight lift on the line as the lure was in mid flight heading down to the water. Next cast I had the setting on the mags to ten maxed out for all it was worth and then set the spool tension so I had some slight sideplay in the spool. I let it fly casting the same as before this time some line lifting but I think it was slightly less than before in mid cast this time. Now for cast number three. The acid test for distance all out with my favorite Zara Spook. I had sent it out there nice and far with minimal line lift mid flight on a heavy cast and the lightest of tension I could use with barely some side-play, when she hit the water I had maybe three loose wraps of line on the spool without using my thumb at all. Man it was hard keeping my thumb from wanting to touch the spool I will admit. Next I plan on adding four more Neodium magnets on the Quantum mag carrier plate on either side of the screw mounting dogs shown. Two on each side totaling a count of fourteen. I should get no lift at all when casting after that without thumbing the reel at all on touchdown as well as keep the spool set with slight side-play and maybe less mag setting. I would use more control with a heavier lure or a c-rigged bait, maybe more tension for a real heave on the rod going for distance gained I think with a pendulum cast. For a light bait I would get no spool over run anymore and yet the same distance on a cast as before with same bait used before the magnet add job. Anyhow, I hope this helps some to make their reels better for casting for themselves.

Other Tips

Use a light film of grease on stock Penn and Abu drag washers. The reason for a light film is this: when the drags are being used they build up heat right fast. This heat in turn can turn a stack of brass blue, if you see that blue look on the brass you know its gotten hot enough to harden the washers through the heat, tempering them to get that color. Also heat erosion will trash Micarta or fiber washers in a short amount of time. What I use for drag grease is Lubrimatic heavy duty lithium barium grease with graphite. This repels water and heat and works for me real well. I've saved and resurrected 25 year old drag washers with this stuff. Also, breaking the glaze on the washers helps alot using a 600 grit emery wet/dry sandpaper this will let you use less of a turn on the drag wheel to get a setting easier. A smooth set of brass washers I find takes more of a turn on the star handle to get a tighter drag setting.

Hope this sheds light ......

On making a smoother custom looking Penn, what I do to my old Penns is to customize them this way for looks and reliability.

First, I clean them out well and on the spool shafts I buff them out to a mirror finish with a Dremel motor tool and jewelers rouge carefully. This milks it out considerably on the casts. I also mirror finish and buff all the brass inside. On the pinion plate and the gearshaft plate underneath as well as the shaft itself. On the selector plate it has the two tips that stick up to push the pinion plate down. I slightly round the edges so it doesn't feel too rough when I go to select freespool. I also use a good grease lightly on my drags too and only a thin film on them.

On the ratchet gear I use a fair amount so it helps quiet the ratchet noise down. On the level wind what I do is very lightly oil the shaft ends on that. What I've found was a whole drop slows it right down. I try to keep those tracks clean as possible. And keep the pawl in its housing cleaned often too to pevent spool line loading on one side if she misses a track on a few spins from dirt. Anyhow, I just hope all this helps you out.

Dating Early Abu's

5 figure numbers XXXXX given to the Record Ambassedeurs. 6 figure serialized 179911 is from the 50's to early 60's. 6 figure numbers xx06xx is mid-60's replace the 0 in the middle with the number 6. 6 figure number 71xxxx OR xx71xx with 70 as the first 2 or the middle 2 will give you the year.

The 80's are same as 70's but in the 80's, it'll be the first 2 numbers.

Late 80's to early 90's--3 pair of numbers separated by hyphen. Late 90's 06006 or 04006 made in 1996. 4 screw sideplates were used on the earlier reels. Color of spool was gray on early reels and changed to silver color in early 60's.

Smooth vs. Checkered foot. Abu reels foots were smooth foot until 1973 at which time then checkered on the bottom of the reel foot came into play.

Once again grampa old spook!