20070218.ba v04_n010.bam.20070218 >From ???@??? Sat Feb 17 23:26:42 2007 -0600 Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2007 05:25:45 GMT From: Old Tube Radios To: Old Tube Radios Subject: BOATANCHORS digest 4010 Message-Id: <20070218052547.18118187AE4@srvr1.theporch.com> BOATANCHORS Digest 4010 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Re: Simpson Meter woes by "JAMES HANLON" 2) Re: Resistance values of power supply chokes. by "JAMES HANLON" 3) Re: Commannd-set rx resurection by "JAMES HANLON" 4) Re: Commannd-set rx resurection by Scott Robinson 5) Re: Commannd-set rx resurection by "Sandy W5TVW" 6) Re: Commannd-set rx resurection by "JAMES HANLON" 7) Simpson Model 240 - Hammeter. by "Ken Hickman" 8) Re: Commannd-set rx resurection by "Sandy W5TVW" 9) Re: Simpson Meter woes by "K0DAN" 10) Looking for William Donzelli by Jerry Proc 11) Re: Commannd-set rx resurection by "David Stinson" 12) Re: Simpson Meter woes by WA5CAB@cs.com 13) Re: Command-sets by w8au@sssnet.com 14) Re: Art Deco-scope by "Eric Jones" 15) Simpson 260 Lives Again by "James C. Garland" <4cx250b@muohio.edu> 16) Re: Simpson 260 Lives Again by WA5CAB@cs.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-ID: From: "JAMES HANLON" To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Re: Simpson Meter woes Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 09:34:14 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_008D_01C751AD.9EF2C1D0" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_008D_01C751AD.9EF2C1D0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Jim, You just might find a 260 junker down at Electronic Surplus, 9012 = Central Ave, SE, Albuquerque. Phone "Skeeter" at (505) 299-3174 and ask = him if he has one. Jim, W8KGI ------=_NextPart_000_008D_01C751AD.9EF2C1D0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ---REMAINDER OF MESSAGE TRUNCATED--- * * This post contains a forbidden message format * * (such as an attached file, a v-card, HTML formatting) * * Mail Lists at theporch.com only accept PLAIN TEXT * * If your postings display this message your mail program * * is not set to send PLAIN TEXT ONLY and needs adjusting * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ------=_NextPart_000_008D_01C751AD.9EF2C1D0-- ------------------------------ Message-ID: From: "JAMES HANLON" To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Re: Resistance values of power supply chokes. Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 09:47:00 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0095_01C751AF.6795B6A0" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0095_01C751AF.6795B6A0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Ken, You've gotten a lot of good advice about stray magnetic fields and = possibly bad filter capacitors, although I do not see where application = of Aluminum foil is going to do anything for a stray magnetic field. I = would second the motion that you look at the power supply voltage with a = scope to see how much ripple there is on the DC. If you don't have a = scope you can try one other thing. Put as large a capacitor as you can = find - I'd go with a non-electrolytic - with a high enough voltage = rating to safely withstand your power supply voltage, say a 0.1 mfd, 600 = volt job, in series with a pair of high impedance headphones. Ground = one side of the phones and, with the phones slid off your ears for a = moment, touch the open capacitor lead to a B+ point. There will be an = initial "pop" while the cap charges to the DC level of the B+, and then = you will be able to hear any hum or ripple in your phones. You can = check several different places, for example the junction of filament of = the rectifier tube and the first filter capacitor or the input filter = choke which should have pretty high ripple, and subsequent points down = the filter line where you should find diminishing ripple. =20 Remember that the cap in series with your phones will charge up to = whatever DC value you connect it to. So be sure to touch it to ground = when you finish probing points so that you discharge it. =20 Also, the resistance values you report for your rewound chokes seem = fairly reasonable. If you really need to know what the original ones = measure, let me know and I'll drag an HQ-129-S out of the attic and = measure them for you. 73 Jim Hanlon, W8KGI ------=_NextPart_000_0095_01C751AF.6795B6A0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ---REMAINDER OF MESSAGE TRUNCATED--- * * This post contains a forbidden message format * * (such as an attached file, a v-card, HTML formatting) * * Mail Lists at theporch.com only accept PLAIN TEXT * * If your postings display this message your mail program * * is not set to send PLAIN TEXT ONLY and needs adjusting * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ------=_NextPart_000_0095_01C751AF.6795B6A0-- ------------------------------ Message-ID: From: "JAMES HANLON" To: Old Tube Radios Cc: <1editor2@indra.com> Subject: Re: Commannd-set rx resurection Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 10:08:20 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_009F_01C751B2.628D6290" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_009F_01C751B2.628D6290 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Marty, I'm glad to hear that you at long last found the joy of restoring a = Command Set Receiver. =20 Do keep a careful eye on the remaining capacitors in that little guy, = and burn it in for a while before you send it back to its owner. I have = three Command Set Receivers that I use at least occasionally on the = Classic Exchange. They are a Colonial Radio BC455 for 40, a Western = Electric BC454 for 80, and a Western Electric BC453 Q-5er that I use as = a common, second IF for both of the others (ala ER #75, June 1995, On = the Air with Command Set Triplets). The capacitors in the BC454 and = BC455 are all original and still OK. But the caps in the BC453 all = failed, one by one, and I replaced them with like caps from a junker = chassis. Now those second generation caps in the '453 are failing. I = would conclude that some of the lots of capacitors obtained for these = radios are better than others and that at least one lot obtained by = Western Electric has reached its end-of-life failure point. =20 What did you do for a drive knob for the tuning control? I have two = knobs with the correct mating spline gear in them, both marked 6743. My = third receiver uses just a quarter inch shaft with a piece of shrink = sleeve holding it to the gear in the receiver. That works acceptably as = well. Jim, W8KGI ------=_NextPart_000_009F_01C751B2.628D6290 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ---REMAINDER OF MESSAGE TRUNCATED--- * * This post contains a forbidden message format * * (such as an attached file, a v-card, HTML formatting) * * Mail Lists at theporch.com only accept PLAIN TEXT * * If your postings display this message your mail program * * is not set to send PLAIN TEXT ONLY and needs adjusting * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ------=_NextPart_000_009F_01C751B2.628D6290-- ------------------------------ Mime-Version: 1.0 Message-Id: Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 09:31:29 -0800 To: Old Tube Radios From: Scott Robinson Subject: Re: Commannd-set rx resurection Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" Hi Marty, Now about those bathtub capacitors: in my Scott 800B, I found that they could not only leak between their terminals but could also leak to the case. For bypasses this is a non-issue, but for couplers it ain't. Check 'em both ways. Peace, Scott ------------------------------ Message-ID: <008201c751f5$d4385f10$2fa1cdd1@gateway> From: "Sandy W5TVW" To: Old Tube Radios Cc: <1editor2@indra.com> Subject: Re: Commannd-set rx resurection Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 12:11:05 -0600 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Marty, Jim, Those caps are 65+ years old by now! I have been simply installing small lug terminal strips in the existing holes and putting in small mylar .05's. The electrolytics usually go first, then the .05's thenm the big .22 mf one. Those are some of the best built radios I have ever seen. Very "quality parts and construction thruout. 1930's "technology" circuitwise. Most aircraft gear on HF was "MOPA" type transmitters. The reason BC-221/LM frequency meters were required. Tuning knobs.......Look for some replacement knobs for old AC/DC "All American 5" plastic cased radios. A lot of them used a knob with an internally splined shank that entended about 1/4 to 1/2" beyond the rear of the knob. A lot of them fit into the tuning shaft fitting on the front of the receiver and worked great with them! Used to be plentiful at radio stores, but now will reuire some searching to find them. I always kept them in my knob junkbox when I was playing with the SCR-274N/ARC-5 stuff. I no longer have any of them anymore, unfortunately! 73, Sandy W5TVW ----- Original Message ----- From: "JAMES HANLON" To: "Old Tube Radios" Cc: <1editor2@indra.com> Sent: Friday, February 16, 2007 11:08 AM Subject: Re: Commannd-set rx resurection Marty, I'm glad to hear that you at long last found the joy of restoring a Command Set Receiver. Do keep a careful eye on the remaining capacitors in that little guy, and burn it in for a while before you send it back to its owner. I have three Command Set Receivers that I use at least occasionally on the Classic Exchange. They are a Colonial Radio BC455 for 40, a Western Electric BC454 for 80, and a Western Electric BC453 Q-5er that I use as a common, second IF for both of the others (ala ER #75, June 1995, On the Air with Command Set Triplets). The capacitors in the BC454 and BC455 are all original and still OK. But the caps in the BC453 all failed, one by one, and I replaced them with like caps from a junker chassis. Now those second generation caps in the '453 are failing. I would conclude that some of the lots of capacitors obtained for these radios are better than others and that at least one lot obtained by Western Electric has reached its end-of-life failure point. What did you do for a drive knob for the tuning control? I have two knobs with the correct mating spline gear in them, both marked 6743. My third receiver uses just a quarter inch shaft with a piece of shrink sleeve holding it to the gear in the receiver. That works acceptably as well. Jim, W8KGI -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.441 / Virus Database: 268.17.39/687 - Release Date: 2/14/2007 4:17 PM ------------------------------ Message-ID: From: "JAMES HANLON" To: Old Tube Radios Cc: "Bob Hanlon" Subject: Re: Commannd-set rx resurection Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 11:12:48 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_00F2_01C751BB.64841360" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_00F2_01C751BB.64841360 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Ray, It's interesting that your 80 meter Command Set transmitter has a = "unique" signal. I have had several Command Set transmitters on 80, = starting with a BC457 that I acquired around 1952 for $2.95 from = Columbia, The Gem of the Surplus, in as-is condition - VERY as is. = After I shook out the shards of the broken loading coil, pounded out the = dents, washed the salt out of it with a garden hose, baked it out in = Mom's oven one afternoon when she was out at the hair dresser's, and put = in three new tubes (one National Union 1625 was not shattered), it went = on to serve as the 80 meter vfo in the W4RXK/W4VIV transmitter that = multiplied all the way to 10 meters. We keyed the vfo plate and final = screen from a regulated supply, and there was only a slight chirp on 15. = Since then I've had several more Command Sets on 80 including a BC696 = currently driving my Hammarlund 4-20 and a CBY52209 (Navy BC457) and = they all key nicely with no "unique" signals. Once again, I key the = oscillator plate and final screen from a regulated supply in the 255 to = 300 volt range. On the other hand, I have yet to meet a 40 meter Command Set, BC458 or = BC459, that doesn't chirp no matter how I key it! Even if I run the = oscillator continuously and just key the final cathode, they still are = quite distinctive. I've tried bypassing the filament lines at the 1625 = sockets - not much help. Wrapping the power cord through a ferrite = donut helped a little bit. With my current BC459, once again keyed in = the oscillator plate and final screen, I set the 1625 loading very = carefully to get a minimum-chirp output. But it is still one of those = "unique" signals on the 40 meter Classic Exchange. =20 I also have a CBY pulled into 160, the 2.1 to 3 mc version, and it has = no chirp or click when I key the osc plate and final screen. Does anyone have any magic to make 40 meter Command Transmitters key = well, short of putting in a buffer stage between the oscillator and the = final? Jim, W8KGI ------=_NextPart_000_00F2_01C751BB.64841360 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ---REMAINDER OF MESSAGE TRUNCATED--- * * This post contains a forbidden message format * * (such as an attached file, a v-card, HTML formatting) * * Mail Lists at theporch.com only accept PLAIN TEXT * * If your postings display this message your mail program * * is not set to send PLAIN TEXT ONLY and needs adjusting * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ------=_NextPart_000_00F2_01C751BB.64841360-- ------------------------------ Message-ID: <00a401c751c4$94bcf5c0$6b9c1f45@rtconline.com> From: "Ken Hickman" To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Simpson Model 240 - Hammeter. Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 12:18:35 -0000 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Gang, I have two Simpson model 240's and have made the same mistake with both! This has happened many, many years apart. I had measured line voltage and forgot to switch back for ohms! Oh woe is me! With a "phutt", out went the meter. Does anyone have a schematic of the critter! If so, would you please send me a copy. One of the precision resistances, resistance wire wound up in a coil went up in smoke. If I knew the value, maybe I could approximate the precision value. At least it would be useful for all other purposes I think if not accurate on the ohms scale. Take care, Ken N5CM ------------------------------ Message-ID: <009001c751f8$05684fd0$2fa1cdd1@gateway> From: "Sandy W5TVW" To: Old Tube Radios Cc: <1editor2@indra.com>, Subject: Re: Commannd-set rx resurection Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 12:26:46 -0600 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit BTW...Another "conversion I used to do commonly. (Frowned upon these days!) Wire heater string in series, RF/IF tubes on "ground end" of the string and 12A6 at "hot end" of the string. Pull 12A6 and plug in a 50L6. add a "diode" (1N4007), and a dual 25 or 30 MF @ 150 volt electrolytic. One positive lead to each side of the existing filter choke. The anode of the 1N4007 to the "hot" end of the heater string along with one side of the ACline. Use existing output xfmr or "sub" a common 2000 ohm to VC one out of any junk AC/DC radio. The "trick is to wire the "hot" AC lead to the small blade of a common 3 circuit AC plug. and the chassis (ground) to the round "earth" pin of the AC plu leaving the "neutral" pin unconnected. This will give you a return path for the chassis that is safe and keep you from reversing the AC plug (if a 2 wire plug was used) an minimize shock hazard! The set works fine with 120 v B+. Changing the old 12A6 cathode resistor to 180 ohms 1 watt, will produce a bit more audio, but the existing one will work in a pinch. Only thing left is the BFO switch and a 50K gain control. I used to use a 50K with a switch eliminating the need to mount a seperate switch for power on-off. Guess you could call this conversion the "Command set 6"?! It was a way to avoid spending "big bucks" (when I was in high school, $5 was BIG BUCKS!) building a seperate power supply. 73 to all, Sandy W5TVW ----- Original Message ----- From: "stuck in 50s" To: "Old Tube Radios" Cc: <1editor2@indra.com>; Sent: Friday, February 16, 2007 8:19 AM Subject: Commannd-set rx resurection > First, this IS NOT a boatanchor rendition of the Easter story. > > That sed, I'd never re-done a ARC-5/274N rx 'til last night. Had alsays > thot the sets a triumph of 1940 miniturization. > > Last night ended my command rx abstinence streak. A pal, K2UFT, wanted > one > resurected & I complied. He had a near-virgin BC-455 > > Have read for years at the "recapping pain" taken to scour the guts > from the little cap-carying "tanks" inside. Procedure looked awful & at > least once I'd read that most sections of same were still OK. > > So here's how this e-mailer went at it. I looked (& looked & looked) at > schemat for a non-intrusive way to lift 7K bleeder pair off ground. > Method involved only lifting connecting wire that was in plain view. > Why? Well to apply 300v thru 20k to find leakies by measurments > across 200 ohm in-set isolation resistors. > > Two were found. .05 sections that got replaced by disc ceramics grounded > to thin homebrew copper flashing tags under "tank screws." Hard to > tell they're there. Went this way because I admire the original > enginering & didn't want to get command set purist's (xtal) drawers > in a knot. > > Then came AVC check done same way. All OK. > > '455 now running with a p-s using an old rx xfrmr. This power was > non-mainstream too. I seriesed 5vac & 6vac wdg.s then fed a voltage > doubler. No filament re-wire req'd > > '455 a cute little way to tune in CHU Canada > > Hope this 2 hr resurection helps others to bring 'em back alive w. > little trouble & minimal appearance change. > > OH YES! Anyone ever see the little front pocket cover giz that > yields a sensitivity ctl, a CW-off-MCW switch & fone jack? Note > "MCW" not "AM." Hmmm - a message there? Anyway, made by > G. L. Electronics / LA. Maybe later GLB (synthesizer) & probably > now a division of Tyco. I MUST HAVE MORE Of THESE! > > Marty > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.441 / Virus Database: 268.17.39/687 - Release Date: 2/14/2007 > 4:17 PM > > ------------------------------ Message-ID: <004f01c751ff$390dbb20$6601a8c0@K0DAN> From: "K0DAN" To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Re: Simpson Meter woes Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 13:16:08 -0600 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=response Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Don't trust me on this, but I "think" all the 260's use the same case. If you go the refurbish route, you might consider using J-B Weld for your case repair. Second to Duct Tape, I find J-B Weld to be one of the best repair materials ever! Good luck & 73 Dan K0DAN ----- Original Message ----- From: "James C. Garland" <4cx250b@muohio.edu> To: "Old Tube Radios" Sent: Friday, February 16, 2007 8:05 AM Subject: Simpson Meter woes >I dropped my beloved SImpson 260 VOM (series 7M with mirrored scale) and >broke the case and meter bezel. The innards of the meter, including the >movement, seem okay. I called Simpson Electric, but they won't sell me >replacement parts. They referred me to one of their service centers, which >also won't sell me parts. They will "repair" the meter (a five minute job) >but charge me more than I paid for it. I'll try to glue the case back >together and fill in the chipped corners if I can find a black paste-like >epoxy, but otherwise I'll look for a parts junker. ANybody know if the >bakelite case is interchangable for the various series of Simpson 260s? > 73, > Jim W8ZR > > ************************* > James C. Garland > 102 Spur Ranch Road > Santa Fe, NM 87540 > www.w8zr.net > ************************* > ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 16:21:30 -0500 (EST) From: Jerry Proc Subject: Looking for William Donzelli To: Old Tube Radios MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Message-ID: <194748.38995.qm@web90604.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Hi Bill, E-mail sent to your mailbox results in a bounce. If you are still subscribed to this list can you e-mail me privately? -- Regards, Jerry Proc E-mail: jerry7proc@yahoo.com __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Message-ID: <006f01c75218$ee08df00$fa01fea9@Default> From: "David Stinson" To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Re: Commannd-set rx resurection Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 16:22:22 -0600 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The bathtub caps will also lead to each other, besides leaking to ground. Check'um close or do what I do: run them on very reduced B+. Works good. ------------------------------ From: WA5CAB@cs.com Message-ID: Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 17:59:18 EST Subject: Re: Simpson Meter woes To: Old Tube Radios MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_d0c.93dd18e.33079146_boundary" --part1_d0c.93dd18e.33079146_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Just for the record, all Simpson 260's do NOT use the same case. I have examples here of at least four different ones, maybe more. Major differences are (1) method of attaching front panel to case, (2) presence and location, or absence, of battery supports, (3) presence or absence of rear access to batteries. Robert Downs - Houston (Web Store) MVPA 9480 (Primary email) (Backup email) --part1_d0c.93dd18e.33079146_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ---REMAINDER OF MESSAGE TRUNCATED--- * * This post contains a forbidden message format * * (such as an attached file, a v-card, HTML formatting) * * Mail Lists at theporch.com only accept PLAIN TEXT * * If your postings display this message your mail program * * is not set to send PLAIN TEXT ONLY and needs adjusting * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * --part1_d0c.93dd18e.33079146_boundary-- ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 21:37:48 -0500 To: Old Tube Radios From: w8au@sssnet.com Subject: Re: Command-sets Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Message-Id: <20070217023753.EFDB83183BB@srvr1.theporch.com> At 01:12 PM 2/16/2007, JAMES HANLON wrote: >Does anyone have any magic to make 40 meter Command Transmitters key >well, short of putting in a buffer stage between the oscillator and the final? Jim: Eons ago as a teenager, I did keying mods on my ARC-5s from a QST Hints'N'Kinks tip. (I think) It involves cathode keying the osc and using cath bias on the finals. The Hartley osc cathode tap on the grid coil is opened, and a .001 cap or less (I can find the exact value if interested) is inserted from grid coil tap to cathode. Then a 2.5 mH RFC is run from osc cath to the high side of the key jack, the sleeve of which is grounded. The cath bias for the 1625s was done by adding a 400 ohm or so 25 watt resistor from cathodes to ground, and bypassing with an .01 mf cap. That's it. My 40 meter ARC5 and my ATA, both 40 meters, keyed nicely with this arrangement. The finals ran a bit warm with the cath bias, and the output was a bit less than normal. I think the 40 ma or so resting plate current on the 1625s and the lesser plate current under keying combined to ease the load on the osc. Last year, for OMRN-CW net, I grabbed it off the shelf and gave it a checkout (50 years later when I have good test gear) and found that it worked as before, but I decided to remove the cath bias resistor and run the 1625 cathodes to the key jack along with the osc cath that was already there. The keying is still acceptable, even with the increased output (and increased loading on the osc, I suppose). The keying may have some clicks with this arrangement as there is no filtering in the key line. FWIW... Perry w8au ------------------------------ Message-ID: <004701c7524f$b614d0e0$1a04b4d8@yourxb2x7j77gn> From: "Eric Jones" To: Old Tube Radios Cc: "Old Tube Radios" Subject: Re: Art Deco-scope Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 22:54:15 -0600 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit de N4TGC Eric, the Tek junker (as opposed to junkie) vini, vidi, ... hmmm ... vici?! Was neat - but why the radidio? What was it 'spose to diagnose? My pile of ~30 examples only sports 1940's to 70's; 1930's is too old for even me ... a 5" Browning Labs "Synchroscope" w/ DC voltmeter is probably the oldest I have. No Tektronix currently ... except maybe a knock-off copy or two that no doubt works better than the original (irresistable barb ...) e ------------------------------ Message-Id: <7.0.1.0.2.20070217215012.024c5b18@muohio.edu> Date: Sat, 17 Feb 2007 22:12:07 -0700 To: Old Tube Radios From: "James C. Garland" <4cx250b@muohio.edu> Subject: Simpson 260 Lives Again Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Thanks to all of you who wrote with suggestions and offers to help with the broken case and meter bezel on my Simpson 260 VOM. I received abaout 20 emails, some from List members who had several of these VOMs. I knew the venerable Simpson meter was popular, but I hadn't realized HOW popular! There must be millions of them out there. I very carefully and respectfully weighed Marty's advice on fixing the meter (complete text of his email: "duck tape") but in the end used JB Weld, which several people recommended. JB Weld is a slow curing epoxy (6 hour set time, 15 hour cure time). It worked just fine. SInce there were numerous pieces broken off the case, I made little formers using card stock coated with 1 mil teflon adhesive tape (I knew I'd find a use for that 500 spool of tape one day. Now the spool is 499 ft 11 inches), and filled the holes and broken areas with JB Weld. After it hardened I sanded down the overflow. The trickest part of the repair was the screw holes that clamp the bakelite meter bezel to the case. Following Arden's suggestion, I built up the epoxy around the screws, and then backed the screws out after the epoxy was nearly, but not quite hard. That left threaded holes which worked fine after the epoxy hardened completely. The last step was brushing some glossy black enamel over the grey epoxy. The finished work won't win any prizes, but the meter is now in one piece and works fine and I feel a lot happier than I did when all those broken pieces of bakelite were scattered on the concrete floor. Thanks again, gentlemen, for all your suggestions. Jim W8ZR ************************* James C. Garland 102 Spur Ranch Road Santa Fe, NM 87540 www.w8zr.net ************************* ------------------------------ From: WA5CAB@cs.com Message-ID: Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2007 00:25:11 EST Subject: Re: Simpson 260 Lives Again To: Old Tube Radios MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_bc1.cc76924.33093d37_boundary" --part1_bc1.cc76924.33093d37_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit As an afterthought, I wonder what effect mixing carbon black into the JB Weld would have on the final mechanical properties? Also, Jim, how many hours did you let it set before backing out the screws? In a message dated 2/17/2007 11:12:59 PM Central Standard Time, 4cx250b@muohio.edu writes: > Thanks to all of you who wrote with suggestions and offers to help > with the broken case and meter bezel on my Simpson 260 VOM. I > received about 20 emails, some from List members who had several of > these VOMs. I knew the venerable Simpson meter was popular, but I > hadn't realized HOW popular! There must be millions of them out there. > Robert Downs - Houston (Web Store) MVPA 9480 (Primary email) (Backup email) --part1_bc1.cc76924.33093d37_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ---REMAINDER OF MESSAGE TRUNCATED--- * * This post contains a forbidden message format * * (such as an attached file, a v-card, HTML formatting) * * Mail Lists at theporch.com only accept PLAIN TEXT * * If your postings display this message your mail program * * is not set to send PLAIN TEXT ONLY and needs adjusting * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * --part1_bc1.cc76924.33093d37_boundary-- ------------------------------ End of BOATANCHORS Digest 4010 ******************************