Seascape maintenance

[Dee Why Jim]

Hi Folks - I have an old seascape reel (see picture below) that I haven't used in decades - not sure it has ever really been used much.  Does anyone know where I could get it serviced ?  I am thinking the old drag washers will need to be replaced with whatever is the latest and best material.  I don't intend to use it on a regular basis but would like to get it into shape so that if the opportunity arose the drag would be in working order.

Somewhere in Sydney would be my preference.

Thanks for any help provided - I hope this is outside the rules of the site.  Delete if this is the case

Jim

PS Hope everyone is coping with the lockdowns ok and the next few months see some positive changes

[zmk1962]

Well it’s not a direct answer to your question but I service my penn overheads. It’s not very difficult. Carbontex is the go to drag material. First time I took lots of photos as I disassembled so I could refer back when assembling. 
I also found it helps if you put down an a3 sized white paper mat and systematically lay out all the screws and parts. Wash/wipe all grease and dry grease away with a degreaser or some turps. Relubricate as you reassemble. 
The carbontex can be ordered as ready made washers or as a sheet from which you punch out the washers ( you can buy wad punch kits online). Carbontex comes in various thicknesses so when you disassemble check the thickness of the washers to match the carbontex.

cheers Zoran 

 

[noelm]

Most decent tackle shops will do it (not the department store type) but as mentioned, it's not that hard to do yourself, Seascapes were pretty common once, but I haven't seen one for years, they were not exactly super strong in construction.

[Green Hornet]

As said above they're fairly easy to service yourself and if you're not keen, a good tackle shop will do it for you.

You may be interested in the schematic diagram here if you choose to do it yourself.

 

[Dee Why Jim]

Hey GH - that's great, appreciate your help (and those above).  I was a bit wary of doing it myself as I suspect I mucked around with it years ago and could easily have got things in the wrong order but now I can at least check the various bits are all there.  I have almost exclusively used direct wind Alvey reels so this might be a dumb question but if I replace the washers etc myself I can roughly check that the drag works as it is supposed to when fully on and fully off.  With the drag set at some intermediate point should I be able to get a sense if it is releasing smoothly and not grabbing as can happen if things are not working right?  Maybe the only way to be sure is with a decent size fish ?  

[noelm]

Just pull some line off the reel with the drag adjusted at various tensions, it's a pretty simple concept, when you tighten the "star" it just squashes the drag washers tighter together, making it harder for the spool to revolve by pulling the line.

[zmk1962]

Carbontex washers need to be greased and they don’t pack down like felt. When it’s all reassembled you can test stripping off line at various tension settings. It should be a smooth consistent resistance without grabbing. The grabbing can occur due to corrosion on the stainless spacer washers. If you see that polish the corrosion off before reassembly. 
cheers Zoran 

[Green Hornet]

noelm and zmk1962 have nailed it.

Another way to test if the drag on an overhead reel is smooth is to put a medium amount of drag pressure on, clamp your thumb on the spool and wind the handle. 

If the handle turns smoothly without a “lumpy” feeling, your drag is smooth as well. 

Keep in mind Seascape drag washers were small for the intended pressures they were meant to deliver and aren’t as smooth as modern day reels.

[noelm]

Absolutely correct, Seascapes were made long before reels were judged by the hundreds of kilos of drag, and dozens of bearings made from some thermo nuclear material, they have simple fibre washers sandwiched between steel ones, never capable of applying much drag even when brand new.

[bluefin]

On 9/3/2021 at 4:48 PM, Green Hornet said:

noelm and zmk1962 have nailed it.

Another way to test if the drag on an overhead reel is smooth is to put a medium amount of drag pressure on, clamp your thumb on the spool and wind the handle. 

If the handle turns smoothly without a “lumpy” feeling, your drag is smooth as well. 

Keep in mind Seascape drag washers were small for the intended pressures they were meant to deliver and aren’t as smooth as modern day reels.

I used Seascapes for many years,  Never blew up the rears all 6 to 1   Always pumped the fish in to take pressure off the gears.  all pressure on the anti reverse lug. Never used the reel as a winch. 

"Another way to test if the drag on an overhead reel is smooth is to put a medium amount of drag pressure on, clamp your thumb on the spool and wind the handle."

This is a guaranteed way to strip the gears.  

[rickmarlin62]

Scapes are easy to work on  we used to pull ours apart every 2nd night when on nth coast trips spinning places like hat head and coffs  i made washers from leather and soaked in auto transmission fluid   smooth as

[bluefin]

Extra drag was gained by applying Thumbs to the side of the spool .  

[Muzza66]

Had a shimano speed master iv main sharft was made of brass got a bit stripped was re place it then sold it use abu 9000cl with carbon drag two speed reel good for snapper and Jews sold a seacape 9nce got ab7 chrome rocket 6500ct love my abus,

[Muzza66]

On 9/3/2021 at 2:43 PM, Dee Why Jim said:

Hi Folks - I have an old seascape reel (see picture below) that I haven't used in decades - not sure it has ever really been used much.  Does anyone know where I could get it serviced ?  I am thinking the old drag washers will need to be replaced with whatever is the latest and best material.  I don't intend to use it on a regular basis but would like to get it into shape so that if the opportunity arose the drag would be in working order.

Somewhere in Sydney would be my preference.

Thanks for any help provided - I hope this is outside the rules of the site.  Delete if this is the case

Jim

PS Hope everyone is coping with the lockdowns ok and the next few months see some positive changes

Easy to service yourself picked up one at a op shop once for 10 bucks pull it apart polished the gears with brasso had leather drag washers greased it with cals universal grease took it to the footy field cast about 150 metres sold to a collector at my local club where I worked for 120 dollars wish I still had it but now use abu chrome rocket cut and abu 9000 cl two they are in mint condition purchase in the 90s now most are made in China or Taiwan not Sweden like mine in live in wollongong.  Local tackle shop should be available to help you.

[Dee Why Jim]

On 9/3/2021 at 3:36 PM, Green Hornet said:

As said above they're fairly easy to service yourself and if you're not keen, a good tackle shop will do it for you.

You may be interested in the schematic diagram here if you choose to do it yourself.

 

 

[Dee Why Jim]

On 9/16/2021 at 4:45 PM, Dee Why Jim said:

 

Thanks for the diagram - based on your prompting I have started to look at doing it myself.  Also found a link that has lots off good stuff on seascape reels.  Seems I have the low ratio (about 3:1 ratio) model so no high speed spinning.  Maybe that makes the pinion gear a bit more robust - it has more teeth than the high ratio models.

https://www.reelmanaustralia.com/jack-harvey-page-20

I found one small difference vs the diagram and thought I would put it in this thread in case someone looks in the future.  The drag plate shown as 4a is different in my reel - no key on the outer circumference.  The other 2 washers are d section as shown but the middle one is just a normal concentric washer.  I thought perhaps that the original was lost but there is also no key way on the inside of the main driving gear.  Perhaps not a bit deal but maybe I have an earlier, slightly simpler model.  

I have ordered a sheet of Carbontex and some Cal's grease and will give that a go.  Also looked at the recent thread on using felt so could try that as well.  As I mentioned initially not a high usage reel but want to get it in working order just in case.

Thanks everyone for their help.

[Green Hornet]

There was a few different upgrades to Seascapes over the years and obviously by what you're describing, the drag configuration was one of them.

Considering the drag pressures expected and the relatively small diameter of the washers, carbontex will be a perfect replacement of the originals. Especially if your reel is only a 3:1.