~ Penn Reel Add-ons ~

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Surftackle
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~ Penn Reel Add-ons ~

Post by Surftackle »

I've always liked Penn Reels especially Senators and picked up a 3/0 over the summer with a nice add-on. Was curious if anyone is familiar with this handle and drag system. Very cool and works real well although it didn't when I bought it. Thanks for any help you can provide. Bob Hart
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kingfisher
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Re: ~ Penn Reel Add-ons ~

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Surftackle
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Re: ~ Penn Reel Add-ons ~

Post by Surftackle »

Great, thanks for your help Kingfisher. Here's another add-on but for a Surfmaster. This one controls the free spool and has much more detail. Does anyone know anything about this one? I have some paperwork for a Don's Antilash that was made in England but I think it's a little different than this one. I'll post a pic or scan when I can find it. Thanks again, Bob
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Brian F.
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Re: ~ Penn Reel Add-ons ~

Post by Brian F. »

Woah, that's a new one for me! Thanks for sharing it, Bob.
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kingfisher
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Re: ~ Penn Reel Add-ons ~

Post by kingfisher »

I have only seen a few photos of this set up from someone who asked if i knew anything about them. The owner had 2 squidders and had seen them mostly fitted to Surfmasters. I'm no help on these.
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m3040c
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Re: ~ Penn Reel Add-ons ~

Post by m3040c »

The Dix Drag was a popular add on but I am not really convinced that it changed the efficiency of the drag. I see the control may be ergonomically different rather than creating a superior drag. I have never used one but if you look at a print of the Dix Drag, I do not see much of a change from the original except for the drag wheel and its location.
Image
This is a 1950's modification. It was the Golden Age of new products. No matter how good a product was, someone was going to try to improve with a Aftermarket product.

The pictures of the Surfmaster with the casting gizmo is another very interesting example of innovation in the Aftermarket. The Surfmaster was a fine reel, designed for Surf Casting. It was a simplified version of the Squidder and became a platform for innovation.
What is interesting about Penn is that the company was smart enough to let radical changes stay in the Aftermarket. Unlike Ocean City, which was constantly putting radical innovations into production and consequently loosing money because when it comes down to it, the Penn Mantra of, "Make it Simple, Make it Work" is the basic bottom line business tactic that makes success.
Take a reel like the Surfmaster, in order to cast well with a conventional reel you have to educate your thumb. The Aftermarket was always trying to make a fisherman with a Dumb Thumb cast well. Ocean City designed a add on and called it a Far Kast reel. It was a bar with a internal braking system that could be dialed in to a specific casting need. The theory was wonderful. Ocean City invested in it and produced it and probably lost plenty of money on it but it was interesting enough to wake up the Penn folks.

The Penn engineers also worked it into our old friend the Surfmaster,
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A fine prototype was designed and built and then Penn came to its senses. They realized that improving on a absolutely great reel was not the right direction to go in.

But that does not mean the Aftermarket innovations are not fun, it only means they are not too profitable. I bet if we started to list Aftermarket products for Penn reels this thread could go on for pages.

What's next :idea: :?:
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kingfisher
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Re: ~ Penn Reel Add-ons ~

Post by kingfisher »

Here are photos of a Squidder with the add on.

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kingfisher
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Re: ~ Penn Reel Add-ons ~

Post by kingfisher »

Third photo : head plate and spool removed and looking into inside of tail plate
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m3040c
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Re: ~ Penn Reel Add-ons ~

Post by m3040c »

Wow Ray, the internal tail plate pictures tell the complete story! The brake drum is on the spool and two small brake shoes are built into the tail plate. The tail plate becomes the brake assembly mounting plate for the assembly. The linings are even replaceable!

The strength of this assembly is questionable because the two screws that the brake shoes pivot on are not visible on the outside of the reel, which tells me that those screws are simply threaded into the Bakelite of the tail plate. That seems sort of weak. I would think they should have been through bolted.

This sort of reminds me of the brake used on a Pflueger Atlapac tail plate. The internal design is similar but of course the purpose is different. The Atlapac brake was used for a drag while this Aftermarket Surfmaster brake is an anti-backlash device.

Great Stuff :!:
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Brian F.
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Re: ~ Penn Reel Add-ons ~

Post by Brian F. »

Would be interesting to really try and cast the reel to see how well it works.
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m3040c
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Re: ~ Penn Reel Add-ons ~

Post by m3040c »

Yes, casting it would be the perfect proof of function. I assume that in some sporting magazine, some time in the past, there is a article about this Add On. I bet Dr. Todd has a past advertisement telling a story of this Gizmo.

Hello Dr. Todd................................... Come in Dr. Todd, we need an opinion or piece of past info from the Keeper of Documents of the fishing world.
oldmanjoe
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Re: ~ Penn Reel Add-ons ~

Post by oldmanjoe »

Surftackle wrote:Great, thanks for your help Kingfisher. Here's another add-on but for a Surfmaster. This one controls the free spool and has much more detail. Does anyone know anything about this one? I have some paperwork for a Don's Antilash that was made in England but I think it's a little different than this one. I'll post a pic or scan when I can find it. Thanks again, Bob

I know this post is old ,but i found a patent for this reel ... https://www.google.com/patents/US2607547 joe
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Re: ~ Penn Reel Add-ons ~

Post by fishhead »

What do you all think about the Powerhouse transmission/gear box and the Reel Deal 2-speed add ons for Penn reels. Are they collectible and what is their value?

Paul Berinson
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m3040c
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Re: ~ Penn Reel Add-ons ~

Post by m3040c »

What do you all think about the Powerhouse transmission/gear box and the Reel Deal 2-speed add ons for Penn reels. Are they collectible and what is their value?
No doubt the transmissions are collectible. Their value varys depending on condition and what reel you may find it mounted on. A mint in the box Reel Deal might be $50 to $75.A mint in th box Powerhouse might be more because they are much less plentiful.
mike cass,,, if you can't collect it, it must be food
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