Asked this on another forum with zero answers in 3 days. Maybe someone here can give me some advice.

Specifically on tolerances for the spacers. How many thousandths over the spool rim diameter should I make the spacer ID? How about the OD? Should it (the spacer) be a snug fit to the ID of the reel to keep it in place and to keep it from moving? I'm planing on getting the part anodized. Is this a good idea, or should I leave it in the raw? I can measure the rim size of the stock spool and the ID of the reel where the spool sits, and make the spacer with the same ID tolerance, but can I safely assume the current tolerances are the ideal?

Production often entails a more open tolerance for ease of assembly, and to make sure all parts fit together well. However, buy a custom .45, and many of the parts are hand fitted (with very close tolerances) for optimum performance. I assume it isn't much different when it comes to reels.

I read about people using Pixy spools in their Sol. After communicating with japantackle, I went with the Presso spool which was their suggestion as the current best option. I'm attempting to wind up with a finesse reel for less money than what a Pixilla, PX68/68L, etc. would cost.


I'm not a tinkerer. I don't know what works best, but give me a drawing and I can make the part myself. In this case since I have the parts (reel and spool), I don't need a drawing, just some tolerances.

Oh yeah, how wide should I make the spacers?

Thanks a bunch.

tackletour is the place, but the maint/supertuning gets very little traffic.

Try asking your question in the enthusiast section or PMing D.R. on that forum.

he made a thread with the parts list for transforming a Pixy into a Pixzilla.

http://www.tackletour.net/TTForums/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=11075

This forum is just a bunch of guys who just fish...fewer of the truly afflicted and more the blue collar crowd here.

I also thought Tackletour would be the best place to ask. I posted in the Maintenance & Super Tuning Q&A forum. Then I left a link to the post in the Reel section. A few minutes ago I copied the post into the Enthusiast & Import Tackle forum.

I'll try getting in touch with this D.R guy if no one responds in a timely manner. Appreciate your trying to help.

D.R. is your man

Since you asked Japan Tackle and they did their recomendations, did they not know the answers to your questions?

Otherwise I think that trial and error is your best methology.

That is the way we have to do things without technical advise availablilty to the contrary.

The spool shaft on the Garcia REC50 has been discontinued. I had a bent one on a customers reel. Garcia had not answer for me. Guess what? A shaft from a 5500C3 fits just fine but has a groove in the end of it but it does not affect the operations. It took interchanging parts without tech advise to come up with the answer/

Same Principal. Good luck.

I had e_bassfisher customize my Alphas to fit a Pixy Gigs spool. He had to change something and add the break thingy from a Pixy to the palm plate. It was the baddest finesse reel I ever had. Hands down, better than any Alphas, Press-Z-illa, Pix-Z-illa I've ever owned. Personally I would go w/the Gigs spool over the Presso spool for line capacity reasons. Below is a pic of my Alphas w/the Pixy Giga spool conversion.