How Many Johnson Reels Do You Own?

[Huckster37]

Let's see how many serious Johnson Reel Collectors we have.

[Skip Smith]

I'm checkin' in with 60 complete reels and about eight parts reels.

[salmonfishing]

Counting the ones that work, 83 more than my wife thinks I should have!

[AL]

Final count, "58". It was more but I have given many of them away.

[TIMMY]

i have not counted for quite some time. but i know there are at least 75 and probably closer to 100

[GaryWB]

Prior to 1 Aug of this year........0

Hovering at 52 presently

Hope everything is going well for you guys

Gary

[Huckster37]

Hey Gary,
Looks like you caught it as bad as me and Chuck.
Dennis

[Skip Smith]

I'm hovering somewhere in the 50's.  Ranges from a Model 80 Sidewinder to Asian Sabra 4, 6 and 10, Century C200B and C300B.  The Asian reels don't see much action, for obvious reasons.

[salmonfishing]

Dennis is correct! Once I got started I caught the fever big time! Currently have around 160 ranging from several 10A Sidewinders up through almost all models into the early 1980s. After that time frame, I am not interested. I also not only want the reels but the boxes and papers that went with them so over half fit that category. Best find was the 10A prototype. I thoroughly enjoy the hunt. Most have come from eBay but many also have come from garage sales which amazed me what I have come across there. After acquisition comes  the disassembly and review of the engineering.Some I got for peanuts and some I paid way way too much for! I have slowed down on purchases and am starting to review getting rid of the many lessor duplicates and ones that once I have seen how they work inside no longer intrigue me. My wife would suggest that would mean getting rid of around 160! This is a great hobby! I have learned a bunch from guys like Dennis and Skip and Al and several others who are great friends as well!
Chuck

[GaryWB]

I look at the older ones myself.  Only the ones made in the USA.

I started off buying them because I thought they would work out well for my granddaughters,  ease of operation, quality stuff, last a lifetime, etc.  But....then I just kept buying stuff here and there.
I'm not married, so I have no throttle.  I have to slap myself around.  I've slowed down some already.  I just look for reels that I don't have or something unique or in excellent shape.
I would like to find the correct boxes and papers for some of my nicer reels.  But most of the boxes on eBay are either in pretty bad shape or they want some stiff prices.  So....just window shopping on those.

I retired two and a half years ago.  But I spend most of my time up helping out parents.  Mom is 91, Dad 89.  And there is a stepmom thing too.  But, someday I intend to buy and RV and do some traveling.  Who knows, I might meet up with you guys down the road and you can show me how it's done.

Hope you all have a great weekend
Gary

[Skip Smith]

Hi, Gary!  I retired early, nine years ago, at age 62.  Haven't regretted it for one moment.  I often find myself wondering how I found time to work for a living for 35-some years, because of all of the volunteer work I do.
I started collecting Johnson reels in the mid-1980's.  The collection has waxed and waned over the years, but has always been there.  Like you, I have no throttle.  I'm a bachelor, so I have 15 reels lined up on the kitchen counter, waiting to be cleaned up and preserved or lubed for fishing.  If I'd had a wife, I'd probably be divorced by now.
When you get your RV, if you ever get to SW MO, holler at me....we have great fishin' down here!

[GaryWB]

There are advantages to being single.

I bought a wheel barrow at Home Depot.  Brought it home and put it together in the living room because it was about 95 outside.  When I got done I leaned it up against the wall.  It's still there, haven't used it yet.
I have some resurfaced brake rotors on my kitchen floor.  And I use my kitchen table as the Johnson inspection, lubrication station.

I'm redoing my master bed/bath and garage right now.  So my whole house is sort of in chaos.  Texturing scheduled for Saturday.  I'll paint the whole garage, again, after that.  Then the cabinets, etc start going up.  Hard to make progress when I spend most of my time up helping out the parents.  Every time I come down I try to get as much done as I can.  Keeps me out of trouble.

Hope you guys have a great day

[Skip Smith]

The kitchen table is my reel work station, too, Gary.  The top of the table is a dark woodgrain laminate, so I went to the local newspaper and got the tag end of a roll of blank newspaper to use as a work surface.  It's light-colored and absorbs oil.  Perfect!  I clean the reels in the kitchen sink.  That, by itself, would cause most housewives to go postal.  I do use a wash basin to keep parts from disappearing.

[GaryWB]

Latest update/Report on the sickness/addiction

I have 89 reels.
     6 have issues.  Broken off feet, etc and are parts reels only.
     83 function/usable in various states of perfection

Signed
The "Sicko"

[Skip Smith]

It seems that there are enough of us "afflicted", we could start our own sanitarium!

Skip