I finally managed to build this reel! I've been toying with the idea for over 3 years now and finally got the design together and cut the parts. When I was first thinking of this reel, there was only one hubless reel that I could find on the market. That company seems to be out of business now but there are a number of others that have started making hubless reels of various flavors since then. The main ideas behind this reel are simplicity, lite weight and eye appeal. I first thought that I was going to make something with a fancy drag with and a clutch bearing and all the frills that go with that concept. After looking around and getting the general feeling that everyone making reels these days seems to be doing exactly that, I decided to head in the opposite direction all together. This reel has only a simple clicker to keep it from over spooling and a rim for palm dragging. It is 3.5 inches in diameter with a 2.25 inch bore all the way through the center and it weighs in at less than 4.5 oz. which is pretty good for a large arbor reel. I have been fascinated with idea of hubless reels and hubless wheels for a while now and love the minimalist look of the design.
I made every part in the reel except for the screws and the spring plungers used for the clicker. The bearings are all made from Delrin AF which is an acetyl co-polymer impregnated with PTFE fibers. The main parts are all aircraft grade aluminum and the counter weight is titanium (just because...).
