Delaware Valley Tackle

Don't waste money replacing every bearing. Look for a SS ABEC5 bearing with the proper dimensions: IDxODxWidth (Thickness). If you want to email or pm me I'll help you find what you need. The reel model is helpful too. One more thing, depending on the design of the reel, the bushing you're talking about may or may not even come into play during casting. If there is a bearing on the spool shaft and side plate swapping out the bushing won't do much if anything.

It's unusual for a handle to become loose unless it's been removed before. However, if it is loose the steps outlined above will correct the issue. All I'll add is that the nut may have to be backed off slightly to make the retainer cap line up correctly for reinstallation.

Thank you! FYI - Delaware Valley refers to the Upper Delaware in PA where we started. I'm now in Central New York but chose to keep the name!

We're Facebook "Friends" as Mike Lawson but Like Delaware Valley Tackle if you haven't!

The current Stradics use a single drag washer in the 1000 size and a stack in the larger reels. They work the same way so i wouldn't say they are different mechanisms just that the 1000 is scaled down to handle the anticipated lighter lines. I assume the K series will follow the same path.

Sounds like $30 is a meaningful amount of money to you, so a broken rod CAN be spliced back together and made to work almost as before. If you want to tinker with it, email or PM me and I'll walk you thru the repair. A stiff inner splice will only cause another failure more likely than not.

A rod for hollow belly frog baits is one of the more technique specific IMO. You need the power due to the cover, but also a tip that will load, cast and aid in bait presentation. Rainshadow blanks are high quality and have a robust line to choose from as does MHX and others. Many are listed as "Frog" rod blanks, others you'll need to talk to a rep or builder that's used the blank you're considering. In the past I used In-shore blanks as frog rods to get the power/action I was looking for so think outside the box and don't get too hung up on labels.

Imo frog rods are technique specific to a large extent. You want the power of course due to the cover but you want a tip that will load for casting. Rainshadow, MHX and others offer blanks that fit the bill. In the past I've used in-shore Rod blanks to get the action / power mix I wanted.

The purpose of double foot guides is to withstand expected pressure put on them. In reality most bass rods would work just fine with all single foot guides. I use a DF stripper guide partly for cosmetic reasons. DF guides on the tip are performance killers due to their weight and weight of the extra wraps.

It sounds like you're describing over-run, the spool is feeding line faster than the bait is pulling it out. A smoother casting stroke and some thumb should help, but double check your setup as well. While getting the hang of it, it helps to pull off a long cast worth of line plus some (120' or so) and put a strip of electrical tape arond the spool there. This will keep any backlash from getting too deep.

Check against the schematic to be sure, but I believe the small orange one sets in an indent in the cap and the brass one sits on top of that and makes contact with the spool end.

X2. You'll be fine. Braid is typically noisy to some level.

Quality bearings is a few key spots are much more important than the count. Tolerances, gears, frame, etc all affect smoothness.

Bait cast reels are designed to mount to the top of the rod and should be fished in that position. Right or left hand cranking is personal preference but I'm right handed and prefer left cranking reels however I own and use both

The drag star nut only adjusts drag pressure. It has no function as far as securing the crankshaft. The whole "X-ship" design is meant to hold gears in better alignment. None of the I's I've handled were 100% silent. You either got a lemon or are ultra sensitive to the sound of the reel. I can't tell without seeing it in person. I just went through something similar with a Chronarch. Took it apart and back together 6 times without changing a thing. Eventually everything lined up well enough to quiet some but these light weight reels will never feel or sound like a D model.

A well done carbon fiber handle is hard to beat for looks, comfort and longevity but they are labor intensive so I don't see them becoming common on factory rods any time soon. As for cork vs EVA I'll use either equally. I find myself using more and more burl, composite cork etc.

Would a more accurate description be "Production rods featuring Rainshadow blanks"? As a custom builder it just irks me a little when the word "custom" is attached to anything prebuilt with few or no options available. I'm 100% behind your company's efforts to promote the benefits of custom rods and rod building, but I think co-mingling these two term is counter productive to that goal. Would you agree?

I do all the reel work and rod building here personally. I go out of my way to be helpful on the forums and not solely drum up business in every post. I would of course appreciate being the choice if the OP comes to the point of needing to send the reel out. Thank you for prompting me to clarify!

I've used an old eyeglass case to carry essentials when wading or hiking in. Sounds like you're looking for something a little more substantial though. Maybe a chest pack is worth considering.

You have the right plan. A 30 or 5 min epoxy adhesive is what we'd use. Rod building thread will be easiest to work with, but nylon thread from the sewing dept will work if you finish it with urethene instead of epoxy. Urethene is a lower build and it will take a few coats to get a gloss look if that's important to you. The urethene is something you may have around already and may be easier to work with for you.

Those go for $350, $500 for the Extreme Version new. If it's in decent shape sounds like a good price. They are a quality reel, no problem there.

I like a little more tip on a "Frog" rod than typically found on a flipping stick, for casting distance. Such a rod should serve well in the other applications except for seriously heavy punching which a specific setup for me.

Any of the Pflueger spinners from the President (or Trion even) up are a great bang for the buck.

Unless you filled the entire gear case with oil (in which case it would leak out anyway) I doubt the sound is oil related or actually a "gurgle" at all. I would use the reel and just monitor it closely. Have it deep cleaned if the sound persists or gets worse or any other symtoms develope.

There's a couple things at play here I think. 14# mono is stiff for a spinning reel imo. 10 is as high as I'd use on a 2500 size reel and preferably 8<. Second is that the guide train is critical on a spining rod. A stripper that is too close to the reel, too small or too low will all cause the line to back up and slap on the cast and possible retrieve especially if there is not tension on the line. I'd try a lighter line or better yet 15# braid with a leader.