Penn 140 Squidder Repair

Wayne B. · Post by **Wayne B.** » Tue Mar 08, 2011 12:20 pm

A friend asked me to clean and lube his old Squidder. Best we can tell, it is a late 40's reel. Everything was going well until I tried to remove the headplate. It is stuck and I don't know how to free it up. I have tried light oil, I have tried an hour so in an ultrasonic bath of vinegar and water, and I have sprayed penetrating oil around the seam. One question that I can't remember...which way does the black headplate relative to the plated ring. If I am trying to free it, which way should I be twisting it?

Any help is appreciated!

Post by **john elder** » Tue Mar 08, 2011 10:24 pm

It's lefty-loosey (counterclockwise)...righty-tighty (clockwise) I assume you've loosened the spring-loaded pin that holds it tight and you are holding out on it while you turn? Unless it's been jammed sidewise, it should screw off with about a quarter turn. If it still won't come, then what you're doing is about the safest thing you can do...sneak penetrating oil in the crack between the sideplate and the rim and be patient. I usually put the reel in a good quality zip-loc bag with a bit of penetrating oil so you can submerge the trouble area. If that doesn't do in a couple days of treatment, you might try a heat gun on the metal to encourage it, but I think it will not be needed.

one other thing...it's sometimes hard to get a good grip and hold that pin out at the same time. I hold the back plate side in the palm of my left hand...grasp the handle/drag wheel with the last three fingers and palm of the right hand and hold out on the screw with the thumb and forefinger and twist away.

m3040c · Post by **m3040c** » Wed Mar 09, 2011 1:12 am

I have had this problem about a hundred times. My solution was to have two simple items which work all the time with no damage to the reel. First is to mount a reel seat onto a dowel so you can clamp the dowel into a vice. This will enable you to solidly mount the reel onto the reel seat and have the vice hold it solid. The next thing you need is a small strap wrench. If you have ever been in a pubic bathroom and seen a flushometer on the toilet bowl or urinal you will notice it has a round top cap. Any plumbing supply can sell you the small plastic strap wrench that is designed to remove that cap. One brand that makes it is Sloan. That small strap wrench is the perfect tool for removing stuck side plates. The body of the wrench is plastic and the strap is a strong enough rubber belt material to remove the plate without damaging the side plate. The investment will be under $5.00 and with it you can now unscrew many side plates that are under 5 inches.

The Lefty-Loosey rule presented by Mr. Elder is the perfect direction. Counter clockwise is the direction for the spring loaded plate retaining screw and the direction the head plate needs to be turned.

BTW, a 155 is a Beachmaster. The Squidder's from that era would be a 145 or a 140.

Good Luck

Post by **john elder** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 6:22 pm

Hey, Arnie! report in! did you wrestle that Squidder to the ground?

Wayne B. · Post by **Wayne B.** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 6:59 pm

John:

If it had been my own reel, we would still be on the mat!

Since it is a friend's reel, I limited my efforts. I did rig a way to have it in a vise and tried the strap wrench approach. No success.

Trust me, I could get that thing loose, but it would look ugly when I was done. A 4" pipe wrench can doing almost anything!

Sorry, I failed! Again, if it was mine, I would still be more aggressive.

Wayne

Post by **john elder** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 10:04 pm

Tell him he can send it to the East coast to Mike or the West coast to me, whichever is easier and we'll get it loose for him.

m3040c · Post by **m3040c** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 1:15 am

Sure sounds like a tough one. I would be willing to give it a shot.

Wayne B. · Post by **Wayne B.** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 6:18 am

Thanks for the kind offers. The owner says he is not as concerned about it as I am. Go figure!

Wayne B. · Post by **Wayne B.** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 1:46 pm

m3040c wrote:Sure sounds like a tough one. I would be willing to give it a shot.

Mike:

My friend reconsidered. Please email me and we can work out details.

Wayne

m3040c · Post by **m3040c** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 2:12 am

Wayne,

I will get it apart. The biggest problem I have found with these old Squidder's is if someone changed the reels head plate receiver ring to a more modern ring. If that is the case, coming apart and going together may never be easy. We will see.

Mike

m3040c · Post by **m3040c** » Mon Mar 21, 2011 3:08 am

Problem Solved