Ohioguy25 Posted September 10 Share Posted September 10 I have long been relying on others and it’s just one more thing to coordinate every time it needs done and they’re usually backed out. Is it reasonably easy to figure out? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Choporoz Posted September 10 Super User Share Posted September 10 100% worth it to me to have someone else do it. I am not mechanically inclined, nor the least bit dexterous. I have never deep cleaned a reel that worked correctly when I got finished. That said, I bet over half...maybe 3/4 of BR membership are perfectly capable and competent stripping down and deep cleaning their reels. I just don't happen to be one of them. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User gimruis Posted September 10 Super User Share Posted September 10 9 minutes ago, Choporoz said: 100% worth it to me to have someone else do it. Same. I do not trust myself tearing apart a reel and assembling it back together. I take mine to a local guy every few years for complete tear down, cleaning, lubrication, and assembly. He charges $15 for a spinning reel and $25 for a bait caster. While none of my reels are worth hundreds of dollars, they're all certainly worth more than a routine cleaning costs. So I figure that preventative maintenance is better than buying a brand new reel. And I'm at the point where I'm only buying reels when I need to replace one now. I believe that @Delaware Valley Tackle offers this service here. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User MickD Posted September 10 Super User Share Posted September 10 There have been over the years a lot of posts from guys who have disassembled their reels and then had trouble. Some just can't leave even a new reel alone. I used to do all my own work on reels but they were much simpler then. Nowadays this is my practice: - Do not disassemble or lube a new reel unless it appears to need it. - Disassemble only the first "layer" or two. When I get to the point where little parts have to come out and possibly not get oriented correctly on reassembly, I don't go that far. - If a reel gets dunked and is in the water for a while, I send it to an expert. A day fishing in the rain requires nothing more than drying out and lubing as above. This practice has worked perfectly for me. I once read a piece of advice written about firearms, and how sometimes people cause more problems than they solve, and it went something like "Don't love your gun to death." Same for fishing reels. I know there are guys who disagree with this practice, and good for them if they can confidently take today's reels down and get them back together right. I am not that good or patient. 11 minutes ago, Choporoz said: That said, I bet over half...maybe 3/4 of BR membership are perfectly capable and competent stripping down and deep cleaning their reels. I'll take that bet. 🙂 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User gimruis Posted September 10 Super User Share Posted September 10 2 minutes ago, MickD said: firearms, Off topic here but I do the same for my firearms, especially the hunting versions I use in inclement weather conditions. I'm capable of taking the big pieces apart and wiping/lubricating them, but I am not even going to consider disassembling something like the firing or trigger mechanism myself. That I leave to a gunsmith when the need arises, which is every few years, the same as my reels. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Bankc Posted September 10 Super User Share Posted September 10 It's going to be a different answer for everyone. If you're the kind of person who is at least average on the mechanically inclined scale, then it shouldn't be too difficult for you. Just make sure to have a clean workspace, take your time, and document where everything goes. I like to lay out a white towel to work on, because sometimes tiny parts can roll away if you're working on a hard surface. Though you do have to be careful about lint. And, if I'm unfamiliar with anything I'm taking apart, I always take lots of photos with my phone before I remove any piece, that way I know where everything goes, what direction everything goes, and in what order I disassembled them. Just work your way backwards through the photos. Some people might get overwhelmed more easily or lose their focus. So for some people, it might be really difficult and frustrating, and probably worth the time and money to send to a professional. There are a lot of horror stories of people taking reels apart and not getting them back together, or putting them back together wrong. Especially the spacer washers that look like regular washers, but are bent. You have to put them in like this ( ), not like this ( (. So while I believe it's something most people could do, I don't believe it's worth it for everyone. I've done a bunch of reels and never had any issues besides the occasional can't figure out how to remove something. In those cases, I can always just clean and lubricate that part without removing it, so it's not a big deal. But I'm pretty mechanically inclined, so this type of work is right up my alley. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User MickD Posted September 10 Super User Share Posted September 10 25 minutes ago, Bankc said: I've done a bunch of reels and never had any issues besides the occasional can't figure out how to remove something. In those cases, I can always just clean and lubricate that part without removing it, so it's not a big deal. But I'm pretty mechanically inclined, so this type of work is right up my alley. You show good discretion, something that many these days do not have. Good for you for being good at this. I'm pretty mechanically inclined too, but lack patience, and I consider the risks of going deep to be too high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User bulldog1935 Posted September 10 Super User Share Posted September 10 The OP is not a question that can be answered for another person. To me, rebuilding an Ambassadeur is so crazy simple, and when a really sharp BR member (who's now in law school) tried it, he couldn't do it, and sent his to me. The reason I picked on Ambassadeur is because the parts are big and the function makes sense. Everything gets trickier as it gets smaller and more complicated. If you're not confident, check how far you can go on simple maintenance exercises before you consider a major rebuild. Another good idea is take photos for bread crumbs - I always have my sports camera on tripod beside my bench. Electrons are cheap. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User PhishLI Posted September 10 Super User Share Posted September 10 If you've been taking things apart and putting them back together since you were able to grasp a screwdriver, then a bait caster is a dumb-simple thing to work on. If your knees start knocking when your wife asks you to assemble an IKEA desk, then working on a reel probably isn't for you. If you're somewhere in between, there are plenty of YT reel maintenance and breakdown vids that will help to familiarize you with the process. 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MediumMouthBass Posted September 10 Share Posted September 10 Im going to have an opinion that 99% of you will either be against or just shocked. I dont clean my reels much, if at all. I will either just wipe the spindle on the spool and add a drop of oil every 4 years, or i just wont clean or oil them at all for their whole lives. I know some people clean theirs religiously, but in all my years/entire life of fishing i havent had 1 single reel go bad from not cleaning them or even heard of one in real life aside from here or youtube. And ive put my reels through quite alot. Ive got reels from $30-400 and all but the defective ones from the factory work, and all but the Black Maxes are flawless still. I have done a few quick 2 minute cleanings on my nicer ones, but its uncommon that i will. Because all the experiences ive had so far give me no reason to do so, others may vary and be the opposite. What i will add is this, if you dont think you can do it, theres probably 50 videos on youtube that can and will teach you. If you focus, make a plan, and take notes you can probably do it without issue. Just get a clean/neat area, have a few trays to separate each category and area of parts. I personally dont think paying someone to clean a reel is worth it, especially a deep clean. Most reels that are commonly bought are between $75-150, most cleanings/deep cleanings cost about $25-50, and then add $25 for insured shipping. So after tax you are either paying half or full cost for what your reels worth. However if you really want to have it done try finding someone reliable thats much more cost effective, and if its a antique reel, or something handed down from a family member then maybe it would be worth it. I had a deep clean and fix done to an old Ambassadeur before i became more mechanically inclined. The cost i paid for it to be done just to sit on a shelf as a nice decoration was twice the price of the new C5 i got on a great sale a bit later... Now that im more mechanically inclined from different work and projects ive done lately i probably couldve spent 1/8th of the cost and did it myself. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garroyo130 Posted September 10 Share Posted September 10 IMO the main benefit to learning is you decide how you want your reel to feel. I went through several different combinations of grease and oil before I landed on something that was perfect for me with my ultralight spinning reels. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User PhishLI Posted September 10 Super User Share Posted September 10 3 minutes ago, garroyo130 said: IMO the main benefit to learning is you decide how you want your reel to feel. Another benefit is that you won't end up spinning-out in your head over the slightest squeak or noise. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User new2BC4bass Posted September 10 Super User Share Posted September 10 1 hour ago, Choporoz said: 100% worth it to me to have someone else do it. I belong to this group. 42 minutes ago, MickD said: but lack patience, and I consider the risks of going deep to be too high. Patience is not a forte of mine. My reels may not be upper echelon, but worth it to me for a professional to do the job. I programmed, set-up and ran lathes for almost 38 years. If a reel part could be made on a lathe, then I probably could make it even if live tooling was involved. Loved that type of work. However, I have absolutely no desire to tear my reels apart for maintenance. Apparently there's a spot in my brain that is dead. EDIT: MediumMouthBass, I would agree that spending $25 for cleaning plus the required costs for shipping both ways would be a total waste for a $30 reel. Unless that reel had enough sentimental value to make it worthwhile for you. I always try to send out several reels at a time so that shipping costs per reel can be less. I always wanted a Pixy Airy Red. Picked up a used one in great cosmetic shape for $140. Couldn't spool line on it. Sent it out for repair, upgrades (including faster gear set), and tuning. Cost of that just over $160, so a little over a total of $300 invested in the reel. I have no regrets. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User F14A-B Posted September 10 Super User Share Posted September 10 No way I’m paying 50$ for a reel clean and lube. That seems like an exorbitant cost 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolleyfooley Posted September 10 Share Posted September 10 I’ve done it myself and did not find it to be an enjoyable experience. I was always stressed the whole time and once the reels were back together I always wondered if I had done it correctly. I’ll be sending my reels to @Delaware Valley Tackle from now on. I like the peace of mind knowing it was done right. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VolFan Posted September 10 Share Posted September 10 $50 is a lot for a basic reel clean. I send mine in groups to @Delaware Valley Tackle on a semi-regular basis to save on the shipping. They are always SIGNIFICANTLY better functionally on return. He even gives forum members a discount. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User king fisher Posted September 10 Super User Share Posted September 10 There is a fine line between preventative maintenance and if it aint broke don't fix it. If I try and do the preventive maintenance myself, I will most likely be wishing I had gone the if it aint broke don't fix it rout. If I have a professional do preventive maintenance I will most likely feel I have solved a problem before it happens. Peace of mind is worth a few dollars to me. The last thing I want to be thinking about when I finally hook my PB is what that little screw that was left over from my attempt at cleaning the reel does, sure hope it doesn't have anything to do with the drag. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little giant Posted September 10 Share Posted September 10 I take apart and maintain all my reels, spinning and baitcasters. I'm used to working on precision things so for me , not an issue. That said, it can be quite stressful in the beginning, many small screws, etc. You must have the reel's schematic and take pictures every step of the way! You must invest in good precision tools! (Strip a tiny Philip's screw- you're doomed!!) Just my .02 cents! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User MN Fisher Posted September 10 Super User Share Posted September 10 Having worked with small mechanical items for years, I have no issues tearing down and doing maintenance on my own reels. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Backroad Angler Posted September 10 Share Posted September 10 I'll agree with what @MediumMouthBass said. With that said, I have an older reel a shimano chronarch 50mg, that I just sent off to DVT to be cleaned. I have never really cleaned and broken down my reels, so I felt like it was about time to send a reel off to a professional to be cleaned and serviced. First time doing so, I'm sure it'll be worth it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveT63 Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 To me, it is 100% worth it to pay someone a reasonable fee to clean my reels every couple years or so. I send between 2 and 4 at a time to @Delaware Valley Tackle. Sending multiple reels together cuts down on shipping costs as well. Mike does a fantastic job, and every reel I've gotten back from him felt better than it did when new, including a 20 year old TD-Z I bought used and incomplete. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sota Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 If I can chime in. I like to support the good guys in brick and mortar businesses. If they charge a reasonable price and they are good at what they do. Why not support them? If we don’t support the good guys. One day they might not be there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User J._Bricker Posted September 11 Super User Share Posted September 11 4 hours ago, Ohioguy25 said: I have long been relying on others and it’s just one more thing to coordinate every time it needs done and they’re usually backed out. Is it reasonably easy to figure out? @Ohioguy25 I’m gonna start by saying YouTube is your friend. I’ll suggest maybe looking up a video of “how to change the drag washers” on a reel you own because this will give you insight and confidence as to how you should move forward. I found the key in disassembling your reel is to lay out each part as I removed it from the reel with reassembly just in reverse order. I had a couple of JDM TD Zillions that I’d send to Japan and have Jun Sonoda tune them up. Jun suggested that I could do it, and if I had any questions he’d be happy to answer them. Well, Jun was right and currently the entire Bass Resource community is here to help and support anyone with their reel project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User GreenPig Posted September 11 Super User Share Posted September 11 I enjoy breaking down, cleaning, lubing, and assembling reels. But, they're fairly simple compared to jet engines, IMHO. It's not very difficult, if you want to do it and have the time. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User new2BC4bass Posted September 11 Super User Share Posted September 11 2 hours ago, Sota said: If I can chime in. I like to support the good guys in brick and mortar businesses. If they charge a reasonable price and they are good at what they do. Why not support them? If we don’t support the good guys. One day they might not be there. I prefer that, but hard to find a local guy that I would trust. I'd want to talk with a few of the customers who had him do the work rather than relying on remarks posted on Yelp or some other such site. Probably much easier to find a local now that I've retired to Florida. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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