# Ultra Cast in larger ABUs?



## Oyster (Jun 28, 2000)

ABU came out with the ultra cast design many years ago, but only in the 6xxx and down size reels. Why isn’t this superior casting design used in the larger reels?


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## BlaineO (Jan 22, 2001)

Oyster,

Abu made some bigger ultracast design reels, they were made around the time frame of the UltraMag 2 amd 3's. IIRC they were 
about the size of a 9000, held lot's of line, and would rust if you set them in a kitchen where there was a saltshaker.

I think maybe controlling inertia becomes more of a priority than reducing friction when you get very far above a 7000 size Abu.

It's probably a bit easier to have a larger drag system a well, with the bearings outboard.

Blaine


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## Oyster (Jun 28, 2000)

Hi Blaine,

It’s been a long time. I met you years ago when Tres hosted a casting session here in Richmond and Nick M. was there promoting his then new 2pc/1pc. I was the old bearded guy with the only English rod on the field. 

I figured it was something like that, an inverse relationship with UC advantages decreasing as mass increases. I remember when ABU started touting the UC, but it was only available in the upper end models (ultra mags), while the standard reels still carried outboards. So ABU did try the UC design in larger reels but discontinued. That’s disheartening, for a long time my dream reel has been something like a knobby mag elite with a bullet in a 7500.


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## Hooked Up (Feb 6, 2009)

.....


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## Loki (Sep 26, 2010)

Can yall tell me the difference in the 6500s and 6500 ultras?


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## BlaineO (Jan 22, 2001)

Hi Oyster, I remember you, when you cast, the sinker landed in the next zip code over.....
I think it is a workable idea, the frames on those reels lacked corrosion resistance, and were honestly
flimsy. I have often thought that the UC spool, with thrust bearings instead of radial bearings,
for side to side tension control, would be the stuff.

My best, 

Blaine


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## Oyster (Jun 28, 2000)

Hi Loki,

Ultra cast spools have the support ball bearings in the spool and employ a floating shaft. Non ultra cast reels (all of the older reels and reels larger than 6xxx today) have a spool with a fixed shaft and supported by bearings or bushings at the end of the shaft in the end plates.


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## Oyster (Jun 28, 2000)

Hello again Blaine, A thrust bearing in a UC reel? I guess you would have the bearing at the bottom of the UC cavity and then extend the speed bushing into the spool. This would give the speed bushing the duel function of supporting the spool as well as controlling tension through the end cap. That is a very interesting idea; I would have never come up with something like that, but it sounds plausible. I remember a lot of guys saying they could get more distance with an 8600 than they could with a 9000C. As you know the 86 was a cheap bushed reel. 

That idea might also apply to the small reels (minus the thrust bearing) for grass work. Big Danny is very secretive as to his tuning tricks. I heard he was a machinist and has made a few parts for his reels. A couple of years ago he was posting on one of the casting forums across the pond and he hinted at something that made me think that maybe he was using spool bushings instead of bearings. Ball bearings do more to give strength to the spool, which is needed when the spool is under a heavy load, like fighting fish or cranking in heavy lead. But that type of strength is not needed on the grass court. There are a lot of moving parts in each bearing, 6 balls, cage and an inner race, X2 and all turning 40 grand on the cast. With bushings, all those moving parts are eliminated and the spool would float on a thin skim of thin oil. I wonder? I have never heard of anyone trying this, have you?


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## BlaineO (Jan 22, 2001)

Oyster,

I'm sure I have tried this or something very similar, but I would need to look up some old notes.

From industry, I have seen instances where bushings with a cross hatch pattern and light oil took less resistance to rotate than ball bearings, an oil mist was used to lubricate the bushing in a fairly controlled environment, but it could be verified with the initial few casts with a reel, I suppose. I think if the bushings and axle were concentric within a few thousandths, it would at least have less resistance to start, because as you mentioned, just fewer parts and less to gum up.


Blaine


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