Fishwhittler

True, though I doubt if it's the reason you hint at. They're being discontinued in the US because they didn't sell well enough here. While they remain in production under various guises for the JDM. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the T3 platform except for the fact that Daiwa introduced a whole lot of new technology in one reel series, and the US market didn't know how to handle it. Flaws were reported shortly after it came out, such as people reporting grooving in the front of the reel from line digging in, but frankly after seeing the T3 in person I've absolutely no idea how that happened except due to user error, from holding the line and forcing it down against the face of the reel while battling a fish. Otherwise, you'd have to be fishing the reel on a noodle in order for the rod to flex enough to let the line dig into the front plate. However, the biggest issue with the T3 was the price tag; $250-$430 for a single reel doesn't sit well for a lot of people, especially one with a "plastic" frame. The T3 line was the first to sport a carbon frame, and many people viewed it as nothing more than glorified graphite. Which it may or may not be, but in light of the fact that the reel feels just fine to me so far, and that there are hundreds (if not thousands) of other satisfied users of the T3/T3B, and that the Shimano Chronarch Ci4+ has been such a raging success, I think carbon frames are here to stay. Exactly what issues have you encountered with the T3/T3B line?

Well said. As far as being a good learner's reel, either the T3 or the T3B will be very easy to learn on, thanks to an extremely capable braking system. Never used Magforce Z, so I don't know how they compare, but Magforce 3d is outstanding. There's a reason when the T3B is currently on sale for $40 less than a new Tatula.

Most of the upgrades I put in my reel were to improve performance. I haven't got a rod for it yet (going to get a custom, and I need to buy a car first), but that's the only thing keeping me from using this reel. I couldn't justify spending that kind of $$ on a reel and then not using it.

Thanks. I used a ruler to mark the locations for the hole in the frame, and then freehanded the drilling.

You'll also need the click plate and click plate retainer spring to retrofit the Core drag star, which are $0.99 each. The numbers for those parts are 2121 and 2120. FYI, the Core 100MG drag star is the same shape as the Curado 200E's aluminum star, and is probably the same thing with black anodizing. The Core 50MG has a slightly more expensive drag star with straight prongs. One other option: If one or both of those reels started life as a Curado 200E, you could have Hawgtech anodize the stock aluminum drag stars. Here are a few examples from Hawgtech's Faceblah page (not my reels): I believe the cost is $15 per part, plus shipping. BTW, I also did a reel not unlike yours, though I started with a Citica E. Here she is:

Fastmover3, I somehow missed the first custom Chronarch you posted here (the blue one), but both that one and this one are awesome. The Shimano E platform is an excellent platform for custom reel projects, and you knocked it out of the park. Ever consider upgrading the drag stars to aluminum? The Core 100MG drag star isn't too expensive and would look incredible on either/both reels.

The short version of that story is in "The Silmarillion", though the full-length version definitely contains a great deal more. Still, it's kind of a depressing story…gives me a Sad whenever I read it.

If you like the fantasy genre and haven't yet read "The Lord of the Rings", you should put the series very high on your list, along with "The Hobbit" and "The Silmarillion". Tolkien was an english professor and wrote very well.

Don't be too blown away with the amount of detail on the lure body; it's a $2 injection-molded plastic lure blank from China. The guy probably bought it from www.predatorbassbaits.com or off eBay. All of the lures in that eBay shop are the same sort of thing. Not making light of the painter's skills, but there are many, many others out there doing the same sort of thing as he does and doing it as well or better. Yes, there are some very good lure painters out there, but painting pre-molded lure blanks shouldn't be confused with actually building your own lures from scratch. Here are a few guys who actually build their lures from the ground up, and do a ridiculously good job, Fatfingers jrhopkins Solarfall Big M

A new reel might be stiff because of too much grease, but it should never grind. If it does, there's something wrong with it. Send it back for a replacement.

I've ordered several times from Shimano, and shipping has always been $3.00.

I would avoid Craigslist for a rod, or really buying any rod sight unseen unless you know the guy selling it. Graphite rods can be damaged without appearing to be, and then they break seemingly without cause when put under load. My advice, check with Valley Sports and see if Ron can set you up with a nice $100 - $150 rod. I've heard a lot of good things about the new Daiwa Tatula rods, which are right in that price range. Don't have one yet, but I plan on it. Also been hearing very good reviews on the *** *** Black rods, which are also in the $100 price point. As far as your reel, unless you get a lemon, you'll definitely notice a difference between a $600 reel and a $60 reel. The tolerances will be closer, machining will be better, the reel will have fewer rough edges, higher quality bearings and build materials, etc., lots of little things that add up to a heck of a reel.

The Mettle is built by Daiwa. It uses the same clutch as the Lexa 100, with a slightly different frame.A lot of the el-cheapo reels on eBay have graphite frames. That's what I'd avoid, first and foremost. As far as I'm concerned, graphite simply isn't a suitable material for a baitcast reel frame.

You could take the clutch out of any of those reels and swap it into another one, and it'd fit perfectly. The gears might be a different size, different materials are used for drag washers, handles, spools and braking systems are slightly different, and of course the reel profile varies, but all of the reels are built by Doyo to another company's specs. I prefer to see companies like Lew's and Pflueger as importers.

Abu's low-profile reels, Lew's reels, Pflueger baitcasters, and the BPS Pro Qualifier and Johnny Morris Signature Series baitcasters are all made by Doyo in Korea. Abu Garcia's round reels from the C3 on up are still made in Sweden. Shimano makes most of their upper-end reels in Japan, though they also have their own factory in Malaysia to build their lower-cost reels from the Curado G on down. I believe the Malaysian factory is owned by Shimano, not just a contractor. Could be wrong. Silstar Corporation owns Pinnacle, and also produces reels for Ardent Evercast, W&M, and Halo. Production is based in China, if you check the bottom of the reel foot. Daiwa is similar to Shimano in that most or all of their high-end reels are made in Japan, but some of their cheaper reels are built at Daiwa-owned factories in other countries. I believe Daiwa uses South Korea and Taiwan as the bases for those other factories. Not sure on the other companies listed. Zebco owns Quantum, for whatever that's worth, so they're probably built in the same country. Cabelas doesn't use just one manufacturer. They've got some Daiwa reels, some Okuma, and a few that I think are Quantum. BPS also uses multiple companies, mainly Quantum and Doyo. Though, I think the Johnny Morris Carbonlite is actually built by another company, Dawon. Not sure on country of origin, probably Korea or Taiwan.

oldschoolbasser, that's an awesome collection.

I have a Daiwa Ballistic 7'11" M cranking rod with a "Regular" action. I'd call it a Moderate-Fast; it's too fast for a Moderate but definitely slower than a Fast action. Loads very well for cranks, but it's definitely on the soft side for anything else.

What have you seen with the Lexa that you don't like?

Open up the gearbox, remove the two pinion-yoke springs, then carefully stretch them enough until they stay roughly 1/16" longer than they were before. The problem you're experiencing happens when the pinion-yoke springs lose some springiness due to being constantly under pressure. Stretching them out restores the lost spring power.

I own both the Team Daiwa T and the Abu Garcia Vendetta V1, which are at the same price point ($70 - $80). I have to say that the Daiwa rod is built better; the components are aligned better and seem to be a bit better quality, and the overall finish is nicer with fewer flaws. The Vendetta is a decent rod, I'd just rather spend my money on the TDT.

Just an FYI, US Reels aren't made in the US. US Reel shipped production overseas years ago for the same reason as Ardent.

I disagree that it's impossible for a US-based reel company to compete. Ardent couldn't make it work, but I think they went about it wrong. Shimano reels don't have as many features as other similarly-priced modern reels, yet they're immensely popular because they're mostly rock-solid reels. Ardent should have gone for solid rather than gimmicks—their drag-tracking technology is by and large a gimmick—and focused on building the highest quality reels for the money. I'd be very willing to pay $100 - $150 for a Made-in-USA, metal-frame low-profile baitcaster with a good braking system, smooth drag, and three or four good-quality bearings.

Thanks. Like I said, weight isn't really a concern for me. It doesn't weigh much if any more than it did before, and the Citica E isn't a heavy reel to begin with. It also has a very small, smooth profile, so it could weigh considerably more than it does and not be uncomfortable to fish with. Catfish…gotta love autocorrect. Lefty reels aren't as common as righties, but sometimes they have their advantages. Such as being easier to get parts for due to less demand. ETA for the RH pinion gear is January 1, 2014…I hope that's accurate.

You're disqualified for having a collection that's WAY TOO AWESOME!

Nah, I got nerves of steel…or maybe I'm just really, really crazy. That's very possible. At present it's spooled with 10# Yo-Zuri Hybrid, and I plan on pairing it with a *** *** Black, probably an all-around model so I can use it for a variety of applications. Someone suggested a couple Chronarch E's to go with this reel in another thread, and while that's beyond my means, I could do my Citica 100D with a Storm Trooper theme. Only thing is, I've been thinking I'd like to have the frame painted metallic blue with the side and front plates painted white. Then I'll get a Hawgtech swept handle and have Mike anodize the drag star and spool-tension knob blue to match the frame. Though, a black frame would also work. I still think I'd probably want the drag star and tension knob to be blue…or…wait a minute…now that I think about it, having them anodized black would be really awesome. Maybe I'll go that route after all. BTW, I wasn't actually thinking Darth Vader when I started this reel. I was thinking more along the lines of the F117 Nighthawk, only I wanted glossy black instead of matte. This reel sort of became Darth Vader after it was finished. These pics might have had something to do with it: Those were the first pics I posted of this reel on another forum, and the rest is history. I'll see what I can do as regards a documentary of my next project. Fair warning, it's going to be as extensive as this reel's overhaul and will probably be drawn out over several months. I've still got to save enough money so I can afford the parts I'll need, so it may be quite a while before I can get started.