Hubless Centerpin Fishing Reel

Specs:

Here’s my take on a Centerpin Reel using a hubless design similar to my hubless fly reel here: https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/various/hubless-fly-fishing-reel. This design is much bigger at 123mm (4.84”) outside diameter. The spool diameter (first wrap of line) is 100mm (3.94”) diameter by 19.4mm (0.76”) wide. The total weight of the reel with line is 232g. Line capacity with the spool half full is approximately 150yds of 15lb test monofilament.

Background:

Most Centerpin reels do not use a drag system so a drag system is not used in this design. There is a pawl and leaf spring clicker that you can engage for transport or if you want to try using this reel as a large fly reel. Your thumb or fingers provide the drag. Lots of YouTube video’s out there on Centerpins if you are new to this type of reel.

Printing and Assembly:

The goal was to design this to be fully 3D printed with one exception. You must use ¼” (6.35mm) commercial bearing balls (10 required) for the ball bearing. I am using steel bearing balls I found on Amazon but I have also tried ¼” steel slingshot balls (see image) and these work just as well. I am sure other materials like ceramic or glass balls would also work.

All parts print without supports except for the frame that requires support under the reel foot only. I print all the larger parts with 0.3mm layer height and smaller parts at 0.2mm or smaller. I print the bearing races at 0.3mm layer height but I use the variable layer height in PrusaSlicer to print the bearing grooves at 0.15mm layer height.

You can use PLA or PETG for all parts but I recommend using the hardest material you have for the bearing races and cage (PLA tends to be a stiffer/harder material than PETG).
Use CA glue or contact cement to bond the handle posts to the outer spool and the inner spool ring to the outer spool. All other parts snap together.

See pictures on how to assemble the double row ball bearing using the printable tool. The tool will help you locate 5 balls in each groove before centering the races. From there you just need to move each ball to its respective cage recess. A small screwdriver or toothpick will help you move the balls around the races to each cage recess.

The pawl must spin freely on the pawl pin, almost to the point of it falling off. It should spin on its own a little after flicking it with your finger. Try installing and removing it and flipping it over a few times until it spins very freely. Then install the spring and spring cover. Also provided are three pawls and five springs in different shapes to try. Pawl2 and Spring5 are working well on my reel (the heavier Spring5 works well for transport). Apply a little reel lube or light grease between the spring and pawl.

The outer Retaining Ring is a bayonet style mount. Install it 45 degrees from the orientation shown in the pictures and then turn it 45 clockwise to engage the retaining ring on the end of the frame. It will loosen up after a few uses. It it gets stuck you can use a couple of quarters to assist in removing it ccw.

On the River:

The spool spins very freely and is easy to Wallis cast or Swing cast. The spool starts up easily and smoothly when drifting a float. The low ball count in each race helps keep the mass and friction down and allows for quicker startups. I have experimented with more balls and single row ball bearings as well but the double row, 10 ball bearing seems to work best. Let me know if you would like to try a bearing with more balls or a single race. One final tip, a very small amount of thin oil in the bearing grooves will help it spin a little smoother and more quietly (try Wahl clipper oil or sewing machine oil). However too much oil can gum up the works so try it without oil to start.

This reel works great with the moderate to heavier weights and floats typically used for Steelhead and Salmon fishing. This reel would not likely be suitable for ultra-light float fishing setups and small/very slow streams. This reel is not as silky smooth as a machined aluminum Centerpin but it does work and is fun to use. Good luck out there!

Suitable for FDM or Resin printing. No supports or rafts required except where mentioned above. Infill 100% recommended. PLA or PETG. Recommend PLA for bearing races.

Other settings to check:
- Use Elephants foot compensation set to 0.2mm.
- Ensure slicer extrusion widths and extrusion multiplier are set to default settings.
- Print at reasonable/normal speeds.