spooling up properly with hollow braid

[Ruben Frank]

Hi guys,

I usually let my tackle dealer spool up the reels so this is a first timer for me. Planning to fill up my 18k Stella with 100lb JB hollow braid and was looking for some advice how to get it done properly at home without the aid of machines and stuff. How do I get in real nice and tight? Any suggestions?

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated!

Ruben

[David Lumanauw]

I usually ask for 1 other person to help. Use 2 sheet of thick carton, put holes on center of both. Use chopsticks for center shaft. Press until you get desired tension on the line. With help of your reel+rod, you reel the line like you do when fishing. Put some tension on the cartoon, you will get tight spool lines. You will sweat  when doing this

[Mark Richie]

I usually use a 2nd person but if I'm doing solo, I put the reel on a little 4'5" no name jig stick I've had since a kid and sit the spool on a shitty old towel with a screw driver through the hole and apply pressure with my feet.

And David is right. You will sweat! And doing it my way solo, your legs burn as well as your arms. While I was young, stupid and unsure of how much line I only needed, I once put 1 kilometre of 50lb braid on a TLD25 by myself. Worst decision ever!

[David Lumanauw]

Some additional equipment for spooling-despooling.
Modified hand grinder for spooling PE line to plastic bobbin
Modified plastic handline spool (red). Make cuts on the innerside so when you soak PE line in fresh water after fishing trip, all the salt will dissolve from all PE line.
Modified fishing spool holder. For getting PE line out of fishing spool without twisting the line. I use blue tea cup for left and right clamp. The left and right blue tea cup has bearing on its axis, so the spool can rotate also on its axis