Mitchell Reel Forum

I have a few Mitchells with skirted spools. 218, 218S, 300S, 900 & 906. They have 2 types of spool clicker. The 218, 218S and 900 have a hooked clicker which screws into the bottom of the spool (part # 82447), the 300S has a plate which fits over the spool spindle (part # 83061) and the 906 either has the hooked clicker or a plate (part # 83111). These parts are very difficult to get hold of and apart from the 906 plate I have never managed to source one. I thought I might try to make them myself, but I need to know what they are made of. I'm thinking Nylon 66 or something similar. Do any Mates have info on this? 2 photos attached.
Mcotswold

Mcotswold,

WYE24cotswold wrote: ↑Sun Apr 02, 2023 11:40 am I have a few Mitchells with skirted spools. 218, 218S, 300S, 900 & 906. They have 2 types of spool clicker. The 218, 218S and 900 have a hooked clicker which screws into the bottom of the spool (part # 82447), the 300S has a plate which fits over the spool spindle (part # 83061) and the 906 either has the hooked clicker or a plate (part # 83111). These parts are very difficult to get hold of and apart from the 906 plate I have never managed to source one. I thought I might try to make them myself, but I need to know what they are made of. I'm thinking Nylon 66 or something similar. Do any Mates have info on this? 2 photos attached.
Mcotswold

900spoolclick.jpg

Mitchell # 83061.jpg

I am familiar with the Mitchell 300S reels although I can't recall if we have ever had a discussion about them on the forum before.
Regarding the 300S reels, some came with two skirted spools, one composite (plastic) and one alloy. Many folks are unaware of these skirted spools and the superior drag system they were equipped with.
I know individual parts are hard to come by but I have found some on the big auction site in the U.S. I would like to suggest that as far as your problem of finding individual parts you instead look for the complete spool assembles. I have been able to find both the plastic and alloy spools for the 300S, for sale on the big auction site in the U.S. and in the U.K. Remember that the drag parts are not the same for the plastic and alloy but I believe the clicker is (#83016).
The alloy spool assembly is #83299 and the plastic spool assembly is #83101. The plastic version, which is also sold as an option, is a small to Ultra-Light capacity spool while the alloy spool is medium capacity.
(P.S.-I agree that the clicker looks like Nylon)

Good Luck
Kind Regards,
Bill

Thanks Bill,
I have 3 300S reels, and at last count 4 ultralight spools (83101) and 9 metal large capacity spools (83299). The reels are great, but they are not as flexible as the ordinary 300 as they don't have the range of spools to take different lines. 3 of the metal spools and 1 U/Ls have broken click plates and are in various states of disrepair. Both these spools fit the 900 and other reels like the 4450, and not too difficult to find over here, but rarely with intact clickers. I have 5 900s all with intact spools plus 2 with broken clickers. Why should I worry! It doesn't even stop me fishing with them - I'm just a bit of completist and I'd like to get them back to spec. The 900 doesn't feature much in the UK; most examples are on US sites, like the the 906 (I've got 2 of those as well, 1 mint and 1 incomplete). I had the idea of getting the parts 3D printed, hence the question about material, but we'll see how that pans out. Probably requires bulk purchase and selling the surplus on EBAY. Regards. Martin Carslake

Martin, As a UK reel restorer I have had similar issues with the clicker on the 300S, I ended up with a large collection of spools half of which had intact clickers, I binned a few plastic shallow spools once I had removed the line, cracks were found, even had one buyer of a 300S exchanged the clicker and returned the reel for a full refund, I have to remind myself to photo the clicker when a 300S is sold, to try and avoid the same trick. getting someone to make them is probably going to be difficult and expensive,I have been through the process on shims etc and stickers some you win and some you lose, if you find someone eBay would probably provide buyers for the surplus.

A similar issue raises itself with the 208 bail stop (and others in this range)with a clear plastic stop held in by a screw on the bail arm, a few years back I got as part of a batch one with a broken stop, no problem, I have a pack of them, it instantly shattered in use so did the rest, i currently have one with a stop the other without listed, someone is making them out of ABS plastic and selling them on eBay, although fairly cheap not viable for a low cost reel, although I have spoken to a ex restorer recently who has some parts made and sending me some.

Five years back I could buy NOS bodies covers and heads from the US, international postage costs and import duties, plus royal mails added £8 on top killed that, the parts have also run out now, I was building NOS Match, 410 reels and just covering the cost, also Canada was a good source of cheap parts source, killed of for the same reason, thankfully job lots come up making the hobby interesting again. I have a son living in the US and visit once a year so may use that for small parts.

Have good luck for the future sourcing UK made clickers Allan

Allan,
thanks for the reply. Yes, postage is mad now. I gave up pretty much all non-UK EBAY buying. A 300S clicker 83061 from France I've just seen is £5.52 plus £9.46 postage. Same website has 82447 for same price but included post . So 2 tiny bits of nylon for £20. Aaargh! A few years ago, a site in Florida was selling a bag of 6 82447s for peanuts. I ordered them, but they couldn't deliver because they were flooded and lost most of their stock.
Having said that I've just ordered some 306 parts from Canada for £17 inc. postage (plus whatever UK customs is adding on?) which would be over twice that from France.
Interesting about the 208 bail stop -the same part on the 218/218S. I found some plastic of the right thickness although more pliable and just cut them to size and drilled them. They look just like the picture on EBAY. They work fine and will last me out!
Tight lines! Martin