I have a few of these empty line spools and I want to take line off a reel but save it for later use but wrapping it around this empty line spool. The question is how to best do this? It would just take forever to put a screw driver in the middle and "spin" it by hand. I have heard some guys extract line from a reel with the use of a drill but I imagine that would be to take it off the reel and trash the line and in this situation I want to keep the line for use in the future. I can't see a way to install a handle on this plastic spool to turn by hand either. I like to work smarter and not harder and there has to be a way to do this easier!

It can be done with a variable speed drill set on the slowest setting, preferably in power mode if it has it. I cant remember the size paddle I used, but you can find a paddle bit that will work, you just need to figure out the hole size on the empty spool. Or, you can use a regular drill bit and wrap electrical tape around it until you get the spool to fit snug on it. I haven't done this in years, way easier to just buy new line.

1 hour ago, pauldconyers said:

I have a few of these empty line spools and I want to take line off a reel but save it for later use but wrapping it around this empty line spool. The question is how to best do this? It would just take forever to put a screw driver in the middle and "spin" it by hand. I have heard some guys extract line from a reel with the use of a drill but I imagine that would be to take it off the reel and trash the line and in this situation I want to keep the line for use in the future. I can't see a way to install a handle on this plastic spool to turn by hand either. I like to work smarter and not harder and there has to be a way to do this easier!

Use a reel you’re not using 

1 hour ago, jbsoonerfan said:

It can be done with a variable speed drill set on the slowest setting, preferably in power mode if it has it. I cant remember the size paddle I used, but you can find a paddle bit that will work, you just need to figure out the hole size on the empty spool. Or, you can use a regular drill bit and wrap electrical tape around it until you get the spool to fit snug on it. I haven't done this in years, way easier to just buy new line.

Found a bit that worked! Thanks!

1 hour ago, basser27 said:

Use a reel you’re not using 

I should have thought of that 

Find a bolt the appropriate length and width to fit in a drill and put a nut and washer up to the head of the bolt. Put you spool on the bolt, bolt into the drill, tighten the nut/washer combo down to the top of the spool and fire it up.

Just do it by hand. Probably won't even take 5 minutes.

5 hours ago, pauldconyers said:

Found a bit that worked! Thanks!

I'll find a spade bit that fits snug into the hole in the receiving spool, chuck it up in the drill, tie the line to it, zero out the drag on the reel, and just wind it in using my fingertips to level it. Works okay for me.