broken fishing line (kids CF-spin)

Question
I am trying to fix my son's kiddie pole; it is the standard closed-face spinning reel.

The line snapped and he reeled in the line...I took it apart, there are no knots or twists, but can't seem to get it to "reel in."

I have all the parts. Can you please provide me the steps in getting this back to working order, please?

Answer
Hi Crystal,

This is way out of my area, but I'll try.  As a kid I broke more than my share of line and had to take this kind of reel apart often.  I even ruined a couple, but that probably doesn't help you feel more comfortable about my answer, does it?

In most of the closed face spin/cast reels I've taken apart the line is spooled below a rotating plate that is then covered with the reel casing.  In the side of rotating plate there is a small rod (probably called a bail) that is retracted when you push the thumb button and extended when you crank the handle.  Pushing the thumb button also activates some sort of brake which keeps the line from just falling out of the reel.  When you cast, you release the thumb button which releases the brake and, since the rod is retracted, this allows the line to flow around the plate and out of the reel.  When you turn the crank, the rod is extended to catch the line and wrap it back around the spool as you reel.

I have no idea what the official names are for these various parts of the reel, but if you look inside again you should be able to figure out what I'm talking about.  

It is apparent that there is some connection between the thumb button and the main shaft in the reel that holds the spool and the rotating plate.  There is something that activates the mechanism inside the rotating plate to retract the rod when the button is pushed.  There is also something that releases the rod when the handle is turned.  I assume this "something" requires all of the parts to be aligned and/or fit together in some proper fashion.

Perhaps when you took the reel apart you did not quite get everything aligned exactly as it has to be to work properly.  I can't imagine that you broke anything, only that it may not be exactly reassembled in the proper fashion.

If you take the casing off the reel, you should be able to watch the rod retract and release as you work the thumb button and the handle.  If it is not retracting and releasing, then the mechanism inside the rotating plate is not being activated.  If this is the case, I would take it apart again and figure out how to reassemble it so that everything fits and works.

Good luck,  Joe