The Edwards 30 is a nice little reel. Light and with a light click. However it is not a robust reel. This example had the pawl post loosen in the reel back which led it to etch the back of the spool. I tightened it back up with an application of jb weld. I’d have preferred to braze with solder, but read it didn’t work well with aluminum.
As long as I was doctoring the reel I opted to make another change. I drilled out the rivets holding the spring so that I could flip it and make it left hand retrieve.
The changes to the reel aren’t all that pretty, but as a proof of concept at least it works. It has a sweet click that favors left hand wind. I attached the spring with a spacer rather than bend it backwards or make a new one. I pinned it with brass nails and glue.
I intend to use the reel with a light line that I had on a medalist 1492. I felt that the 1492 had too course a click for a light rod. The 1/2” arbor of the Edwards is too small for the amount of backing I prefer with a 1 weight line, so I added a cork arbor, but may still fashion something larger to get closer to the capacity of the 1492.
I sanded around the pawl post to allow the glue to adhere.

Here you can see the etchings of the pawl on the back of the spring.

Spring drilled out and flipped

Pinning the spring

And done. Pinned and glued and I put some silver paint over the glue to lessen its appearance. I'll also admit to taking this picture at a bit of an angle to lessen the asymmetry of the brass pins. I drilled the second one from the inside with tension on the spring and if I were to do it over I'd have installed it symmetrically from the outside and then bent the spring to the right tension.

Inside the reel. There is an 1/8" thick piece of an aluminum bar glued and pinned in behind the spring as a spacer. The alternative would have been to have bent the spring anchor, but I didn't want to risk breaking it off.

Making a cork arbor

Arbor installed and pictured with a 1492 spool.

I don't know how these changes will hold up to use, but I figured I didn't have much to lose with this project and it seemed like a fun thing to try.

Thanks BD. Yeah, this reel came along in a box with a vintage Medalist I bought about a decade back. It wasn't worth enough to sell, didn't work well enough to use, but it had too much potential to throw it away, so I figured it would be a fun project. I'll be using it for bluegill, so even if it fails and locks up I won't be losing the fish of a lifetime, or even a day on the water.
I didn't realize that the Gem had such a nice sized drag gear. Too bad one that size wouldn't fit in a 1492.

"Can't hurt, might help" strategic tinkering ! Great, and looks like it is going to be successful !

When parts and/or professional repair service aren't worth the cost or aren't available, just going for it is great ! About the worst can happen is damaging or losing a part from something that already doesn't work. That must be why once in a while I find a winding stem, third wheel, or tiny screw that I couldn't find when I went to put a mechanical watch back together. Well It cost me about nothing, didn't work when I took it apart, would cost $100 or more for pro service, and wouldn't be worth more than $25 if perfect. Eventually, I get one to start ticking again. But I got my money's worth just messing with it and a few others that are still out of whack.

Hope that one ticks, and thanks for showing.