are there illustrated instructions on how to install a bail ...

are there illustrated instructions on how to install a bail spring in a Mitchell 300 fishing reel?

Hi.
I haven't seen any illustrated instructions.
Check out Related Posts on this site under Mitchell Bail Arm Spring Replacement where I explained how to do the job.
If you have any troule let me know.
Good Luck.

Click on this link and watch a U-tube video on how to do this. Dan
http://www.youtube.com/user/FishingFilmHistory#p/u

mitchellreels.net/index or just look up mitchel reel museum This is the mitchel reel museum site they have a good exploded view of your reel hopefully it will give you a good idea of how to fix yours.
Good Luck and Good Fishn !

U-tube explains it quite well to help anyone out of trouble,however my method to replace the Bail Arm Return Spring is a little different.

Well liphooked, I'll bite. What is your method? Dan

Just a bit of Trivia as well,The First 301 I have I bought in 1961,many of my friends also had them,so I ended up with the job of making supplying & fitting springs,I have made replaced many springs as I worked as an Apprentice & later a Tradesman in a Munitions Factory where I had access to all the Spring Making Gear,the early genuine made springs used to break either foot off all the time.
Note: Make sure you have the correct spring,301 springs won't work on 300 Reels & vise versa as the springs are wound in the opposite direction,also make sure on new springs the upward facing leg doesn't protrude out of the plate otherwise the spring can bind.
Even Though I have done it the way as described on U-tube I now do it this way (not alot of difference). although it can be a big tricky at first.
Firstly check,clean the spring,spring housing.
Holding the Reel in the left hand,place the Spring into its resting place,then moove the Bail arm around as far as it will go so the upward facing leg of the Spring goes into the hole,then moove the bail arm around over the lug,holding the cam plate down,then loosely put in the small screw,next step put in the large screw making sure the leg doesn't come out of the hole,then tighten both screws.
If you can't pick up the hole you can lenghten the spring slightly,I've also bent & formed another leg onto the spring to get me out of trouble until I could replace a correct spring.
I hope you don't think I've written a novel.

You do the process the same way I do! Thanks for sharing. Dan

Hi Liphooked !
Interesting that you would say trivia, And yes it has caught my attention. When you said Mitchel 301 I figured you to be Left Handed, such as I am. I also own a mitchel 301 wich I have had for many years. I too have had problems with the bail spring, I did not replace it I mearly took it out and rewound it. That was around ten years ago it still works just fine today. All I did was took the spring out and put a dowel rod through the center of the windings and take two pliars and turn the spring to tighten it up a bit. it works just fine.
GOOD LUCK and GOOD FISHN !

I'm right handed,I had not long started work as an Apprentice & we were going away Fishing,I badly needed a new Reel & that's all was available so that's what I bought.
I've also recoiled springs,as I said the early Spring weren't properly Heat Treated,when I started making my own Springs out of Piano Wire & Heat Treating them they lasted,operated better,I even tried them out of different Diameter Wire,I finally settled on .002 larger Diameter Wire.
Cheers & Good Luck.

Liphooked, what is the process you use in heat treating your own bail springs? Dan

Fish Hawks.
The best way is without a doubt using a Commercial Heat Treatment Oven because the temperatures can be better controlled,the springs are firstly Stress Relieved by heating & allowed to cool,then heated to a high temperature and quenched in oil,then reheated to a lower temperature to temper them however like others I haven't access to an oven anymore.
Note:Quenching in water after heating to the high temperature violently cools the metal & from personal experience leads to eventual spring breakage/failure when you don't want it to.
There are a wide range of excellent commercially made springs available which I now use all the time,all that has to be done is firstly find a spring wound in the right direction,of about the same diameter & diameter wire as the original spring,cut off the required number of coils allowing for the ends,then carefully heat the ends to form the legs.
If I had to treat a spring I wouldn't stress relieve it,then the procedure is the same as above.

Fishhawks.
I thought I'd check Google so I Googled "tempering Springs" where there is heaps of info,some I have used in the past,it's worth a look,if you run into problems let me know.
Good Luck