STH POP2 Cassette for Fly Reel

thingiverse

The Argentinian company STH made fly reels from the 1970s to the mid-2000's before going out of business. In addition to several first in the fly fishing industry, they were one of the first companies to bring to market a cassette fly reel system where the fly line was held on an inexpensive polycarbonate cassette instead of an expensive, machined spool. Their cassette system was innovative in the early 1990s, and STH produced several reels sold by other companies, including Orvis, the Cortland Line Company, and LL Bean. After their patent for the cassette system lapsed in 2010, the idea was widely copied (including by Hardy Reels). Whether the expiration of their patent was the proverbial straw that broke STH's back or not, I don't know, but the company ceased operation about the same time.The reels are still easy to find on eBay and are serviceable to use. I have one of the few Sacconni "Turbine" reels (they also produced an innovative turbine drag system using fluid dynamics to adjust the drag on a fish throughout its run) that was produced and sold, but only have the two original cassettes that came with the reel. Since the cassettes are no longer produced, it is difficult to find one without purchasing it with a reel on eBay.My design copies dimensions from the "POP2"-sized cassettes that fit my reel. Other cassette sizes are likely similar in dimension, but I don't have any copies of other sizes to measure. My version differs slightly from the original in being ported to allow the line to dry more rapidly (the original was solid PC around the entire line).Files are included for printing one of two ways:(1) A file of the complete cassette can be successfully printed in RESIN using an SLA printer.(2) Two files are included that create the cassette in two halves with mating surfaces. These can be used on either an SLA printer or on a FDM printer.Regardless of which set you use, you will want to include supports for the small "lip" around the central hole that the "cassette keeper" snaps against. These are minimal supports and easily removed in post-processing. If printing on an FDM-type printer, I have had best success with PETG or one of its copolymer companions.Hope you find it useful and it helps keep your STH reel functioning for many fish to come!