I somehow came across an advertisement on line for a service to tune casting reels to make them cast better.  I think the word "super" was associated with the tuning.  Being too trusting, and not thinking clearly at the time, I sent my old favorite Calcutta 100 to the guy, paid him his fee, and in a couple weeks received the reel back.

On putting it on a rod and trying it out I found if anything it cast worse than before it was worked on.  And it now makes a cheap rattly sound when retrieved, and often sort of screams when casting.  The latter can be affected by adjusting the spool end casting adjustment "nut."  In general, whether casting or retrieving, the reel has lost its "precision" sound and feel.

On examination I found that the spool shaft on one end had been machined down about 4-5/1000's of an inch, appearing to have been done very crudely, like with hand tools.

I think that is the source of the problem.  There is too much clearance at one end of the spool.

Bottom line, I'm a little poorer and my favorite casting reel is now a trolling reel.  

If you see ads for this kind of service, be very wary.  If you stop and think of it, casting reels without the centrifugal weights and the adjustment nut turned down are already so free that most of us cannot really cast them that way, so why would we want to make them spin any freer?  Dumb me.  But a little smarter now.

You should have sent it to Reel Mech  RW gave me a stradic that he tuned LIKE SILK!!!!!!

My Girl Freind uses it and I just took it out for Snappers in Sheepshead Bay Brooklyn and it worked fine!

You're right, I should have.  But I'll bet he doesn't "tune" by machining parts.  I'll bet he cleans and repairs.  There are a lot of things I "should have done," and this is one.

You're right, I should have.  But I'll bet he doesn't "tune" by machining parts.  I'll bet he cleans and repairs.

Your right I don't change the size or shape of any internal parts in the reel. If that happens the part is replaced. But then I was trained by the top 2 factories (Shimano® & Daiwa®), and, I understand the tolerances these reels are built with.

I have been doing super tunes for free for some 15 of the 25 years that I have been servicing reels, and many of the anglers don't even notice that I have polished, (not machined) the free spool friction points in their reels. Knowing what reels actually need and will benefit from the tuneup being done is the main key...

Just a side note here, the super tuning of reels was and is still only for the older reels that weren't bearing supported, and needed a boost in the casting arena. The reels of today really don't need to be tuned in this manner..

Tight Lines All !!!  

Thanks for your comments, Reelmech.  I thought my post would get your attention, and this gives me the opportunity to state to everyone reading my post that you were not the one who worked on my reel.

Next time you will be, however.

On a different issue, Reelmech, have you ever sanded "scallops" into the handles of your casting rods where the fingers of the casting hand rest when casting with one hand?  I recently did this on one of my casting rod projects, and really like the stability and grip improvement it gives.  They probably are less than 1/8 inch deep, and hardly noticeable visually.

Thanks again for your comments on this issue and the steady, rational opinions you always give on the forum.