Attaching Drill Chuck to a Ram End.

You know, the more I think about this the more nervous I get about using so much force on a reel or reel parts. I've worked on saltwater reels for more than 50 years and have not seen a pin that I couldn't move with a good pin punch and a bench block or a shaped wooden finger to provide solid support under the part. Many of the old Garcias and reels of that vintage have cast aluminum baskets; pressure will crack them. Your call, of course, but I would be very careful about using a press of any kind.
 
Yes, I agree I can get nearly any other brand reel pins out but these Dam Quick Reels seem to be especially difficult to budge. I have beaten the hell out of one here and it will not move.
 
How deep should I drill into the ram? Do you think the magnet is a bad idea?

The usual hydraulic ram would be awkward to drill accurately: making a slip-on cap for the (presumably accurate) ram
would be straightforward, though. Ideally, the cap would have a 1/2-20 (for 1/2" Jacobs chucks) or 3/8-24
(for 3/8" Jacobs chucks) threaded extension (or just drill/tap it to take a threaded stud).

The magnet might attract a chip and seat the chuck at an angle; not recommended.

I've used rivet sets that came with a 1/2" shank, presumably to go into a 1/2" socket, which is cheaper
than a chuck and easy to make. For small-force work, small such items can be pressed using a drill press
which already has a chuck... or a setscrew holder can attach to an arbor or hydraulic press. If your
pins have a dimple in the center, such a rivet set may have been used on them already (drilling them
out would work, though).
 
Yes, I agree I can get nearly any other brand reel pins out but these Dam Quick Reels seem to be especially difficult to budge. I have beaten the hell out of one here and it will not move.

Yeah, I have several Quick reels. Problem is that the pins get stuck by corrosion. I've been meaning to try ACF-50 for this but haven't done it yet. I did work on a Quick some years back and we used a soldering pen to gently heat the area around the pin and that broke the corrosion loose and the pin came out but I have to admit that the thought of a bigger hammer did enter my mind. If the reel belonged to me, no problem but it didn't; it belonged to a friend so care was needed. I feel your pain on this one, believe me.
 
Yeah, I have several Quick reels. Problem is that the pins get stuck by corrosion. I've been meaning to try ACF-50 for this but haven't done it yet. I did work on a Quick some years back and we used a soldering pen to gently heat the area around the pin and that broke the corrosion loose and the pin came out but I have to admit that the thought of a bigger hammer did enter my mind. If the reel belonged to me, no problem but it didn't; it belonged to a friend so care was needed. I feel your pain on this one, believe me.

I hear ya there. If these reel weren't built so well and nearly indestructable I wouldn't bother but I think they are worth it. You just don't see workmanship like this any longer.
 
I'm not familiar with the reels, but I would think a hydraulic press would be tough to control, and hold the reel in place to keep the pins aligned.

Have you considered an arbor press? Or even a bench drill press might work better, and also do great for drilling. Both would allow you to control the force applied better then a hyd press.
 
Have you tried a penetrating fluid like Kroil? Getting some into the reel and then using some heat should help break things
loose. Hydraulic presses have no "feel" and would be too brutal. A small arbor press should work if you're gentle,
proceed carefully and use pins or arbors sized for your parts.
 
Like superburban said, use the drill press! It is a press. It has a chuck mounted to it. You could make all the fixturing you'd ever need for your project and fit it into a drill press vise. Why make it harder than that?
 
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