Man. Bail for 704 & drain holes

[ProfessorM]

Any time just send me a PM and I'll see what I can do. I will even help out a Yankee fan, I noticed you are from NYC. Looking forward to the photo's. Paul

[staktup]

Thanks for the offer. I knew it would be a risky undertaking joining this site before The Curse was broken.

Here's pic of my 710:

[staktup]

Bad picture, can't see the slots in my 706 too well.

[staktup]

AKA "Hank" from Noreast... this is a 704.

[staktup]

A Penn 700 next to a VS. I forg to who posted this, but I found it on SOL.

[staktup]

I am not sure if you can easily drill through the bottom of the roto cup since it's stainless, but a good machinist can...

[staktup]

These last 3 were from the same dude on SOL. Penn 700..

[staktup]

From "Addict" on SOL & Noreast...

[staktup]

From NoEQL... BTW, nice reels Karl & Iceman!

Sam

[The Iceman 6]

Gotta love the coffe grind handle...

[ProfessorM]

Good photos. Shouldn't be a problem. I have a 650ss down the cellar I will have to look at it and see how it comes apart. Probably somewhat similar. At one time I used spinning gear all the time but now only use spinning gear now when a novice is with me . It is easier to let them use the spinning gear then to pick backlashes out every five mins. Do you run into sand getting into the drag washer with the cup, as you call it, open on the sides. As I said I am willing to machine what ever you want. Just drop me a PM and we will discuss. Paul

[rwilhelm]

How much weight do you lose when drilling and slotting a 706Z?

[basswipe]

Originally posted by rwilhelm
How much weight do you lose when drilling and slotting a 706Z?

I'm kinda curious about that myself.

[Goose]

very very little,,,if i knew a drug dealer i'd borrow his scale, oh well

[staktup]

I agree with Goose. I haven't weighed them after the job because I didn't care about the weight savings. I would guess about a half an ounce if you drill & cut slots, maybe more if you drill the spool too.

[basswipe]

I figured as much.Some of those reels look real nice though.

[SeaWolf]

i'd be curious to have a conversion made. as well. i've always been a fan of the 704/706 series reels, but they had negative qualities that finally made me buy a VS. i still feel that they are the best overall alternative in the surf if you cannot buy a VS. now mine are backups.

the 706 was one of my original workhorses, but the roller noise finally got to me and the 704 w/ a manual bail returned. to my lineup. i figured that if penn would only take the time and money to put into this reel better metals and a few technology advancements, this would be the end all reel again. some of those included a anti-reverse roller bearing to replace the anti-reverse gear, dog, and spring which always fail. next, use higher quality aluminum in the spool, body, handle, and rotor to limit annodization. i know that when you scratch the annodized spool, salt corrodes it quickly and you need to paint it. i'd pay $200 for that type of reel all day long, but that will never come. i'm surprized no aftermarket company never did this like accurate did for the senator/squidder/jm reels. between painting spools, regreasing the reel weekly, cleaning drags daily, i just got tired of the tlc this reel needed for everyday service in the surf. thus, a VS.

now, professor, i taken my rotors and drilled holes in the bottom. each opening had a 1/4" drill hole in it. i didn't care about the sides of the cup as that just sprays water on my hands. sucks when it's cold. i'd pay for a higher quality metal cup with just those holes made in it and no stupid penn stickers on the side. of course, no bail - man conv. now, the next item would be a better housing cover. the new ones are plastic and the old ones are aluminum. both do not do a good job. i'd like to see a higher tollerance cover that is tigher and maybe includes a %$%$%$%$ing to make it water tight. i'm sure just extending the lips on both side that cover the housing would work, as well as tighter tolerences.

[Goose]

Originally posted by SeaWolf


i'd like to see a higher tollerance cover that is tigher and maybe includes a %$%$%$%$ing to make it water tight. i'm sure just extending the lips on both side that cover the housing would work, as well as tighter tolerences.

good point.

[ProfessorM]

As far as making a cup, as you call them, I would have to see what they look like up close. I am not sure how the bail thing would be machined in. I would like to see how these manual bail things work too. I have an idea but am unfamilar with them. I think a member is going to come over tonite to give me one to modify and then I can see what they look like in person. As far as the side plate I will look at that too. Couldn't you just make a gasket out of thin neoprene rubber and squish it between the cover and the body. Draw file the body and cover flat and x-acto knife the gasket and tighten down. The only problem is you file off the anodizing and then you will get corrosion. Also wouldn't h2o get in thru the %$%$%$%$ing where the shaft goes in and out and into the gearcase. O rings could be incorporated into it. Not having one of these reels I am just speculating on these things. I will make an effort to get a hold of one of these reels in the near future so I will not be talking out my as.. Paul

[ProfessorM]

What is up with the word %$%$%$%$ing? A bird in the hand is worth two in the %$%$%$%$. I guess it is just the word %$%$%$%$. Guess I will leave it there. P.M.

[thefishingfreak]

Originally posted by Moses


I thought 'thefishingfreak' did a step by step on drilling holes/vanstallizing a 704 but did a search and came up empty. Maybe he'll chime in here.....

i did a 9500SS.
i will never go back to having a bail/plug donator again.
i just cut the bail off and filed down the nub super spooth
i think the smaller ones you can just take the bail out of? the 9500 you have to cut.

testors gold model paint is as close as you can get to the gold anodizing, thats what i touched up the holes in the spool with

[basswipe]

I drilled my holes last night and replaced the bail with manual kit.Took all of about a half hour for the whole job.

Gonna start on the finish after my coffee.

[staktup]

What did you use to strip the paint- Zipstrip? Also, what kind of clear finish and how has it held up to rigorous use?

[thefishingfreak]

i used chemical aircraft stripper. then dremeled the ba-jesus out of it.
too smooth for the clear to stick, so it just gets oiled.

[The Iceman 6]

Very nice work, Freak!