Mitchell CAP 304 / Planamatic gearing

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I got a 304 in a lot of parts reels. It's rough and filthy but it turns and the bail works. Got it soaking in dish soap and water. I'll post some before/after pics after I do some work on it; I know I'll need one sideplate screw, may need a sideplate bushing and/or a crankshaft, a lot of slop there. I'll have to see how it goes when it's cleaned up and re-assembled, maybe shimmed up to control end play.

Tommy tells me it's a '56 year production and doesn't have the Planamatic gearing. I'd like to know how to identify a Planamatic 304 without being able to see the transmission. Also, any additional information on the Planamatic gearing would be appreciated. I'd never heard of it until Tommy told me about it and I did do some searching here on the subject, but I'd like to know more about how it actually worked.

[Midway Tommy D]

Round bodied 304 style reels with a flat side plate starting with the "54 Cap" (it had no engraving on the side plate) and all that had Cap engraved on the side plate had planamatic gearing. When they removed the Cap etching they ended planamatic gearing in the 304. The 314 "Super Cap" had planamatic gearing until it was discontinued in '72.

Here's what the gearing looks like' You can click on the thumbnails to enlarge them for better detail.


You can learn more about their history and evolution here
and You can watch one function here

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Thanks Tommy

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I should have realized that Planamatic was a reference to planetary gearing.

Ingenious design. Occurs to me though that it would require more power on the crank since it is generating a lot more motion. Is that the case?

[Midway Tommy D]

I don't notice that much difference between my 304s & 314s with it and 304s without it, but free wheeling & ease of cranking on an open face spinner doesn't mean much to me. I grease my bushings & bearings with a light oil added. Open face spinners already have the free-est line release available that, unlike bait casters and closed faced spinners, you can possibly get. When I'm reeling in I expect a fish to be on the other end so cranking ease would be irrelevant and drag efficiency would be most important.

[Rook]

I've enjoyed using and working on my Mitchell 304's, 305 and 314 reels over the years. They are so simple to tear down, clean and put back together you could do it while your out in the boat fishing if you need to.

304 cleaning.







305





314 with box.



Another 304

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Nice reels, Rook. Thanks for sharing.

I guess I need to find a Planamatic. The 408s I'm seeing are pricey, though. Maybe an earlier 304 or a 314.