The mystery is solved!

Thanks for the tips, suggestions, and lively discussion.
I was able to loosen and adjust all of the coil slugs in
the radio without breaking any. Belive me, fellas, that
radio was in sore need of alignment! Now that I have the
set functioning, I can continue with troubleshooting and
restoration.

Here's what I did to loosen the slugs:

1. denatured alcohol... no luck
2. non-acetone nail polish remover... no luck
3. acetone... yahoo!!!

After sitting for a couple of minutes, the acetone loosened
the sealer enough that I was able to break the slugs loose
with a plastic alignment tool (I apparently pushed someone's
buttons when I referred to that tool as a "diddle stick" in
an earlier post!). I removed the slugs, one at a time, and
cleaned all of the old sealer out of the threads. It looks
a lot like some kind of lacquer, which makes sense if I was
able to soften it with acetone.

Two of the coil forms had their internal threads factory
pre-stripped-out, so I had to use some melted wax to hold
the slugs in place in those coils.

Anyway, a big "73" to the guys who suggested acetone, 'cuz
your suggestion was ultimately the right one!

To those curious as to why I would even care enought to do
all of this work on an old CB radio, I have a very simple
answer: restoring ANY old radio is fun! What am I gonna
do with the finished product? Sell it, of course (likely
at a huge loss).

73,
Dean K5DH

Awesome!

Glad to hear that trick worked :-)

--
Gregg
*Perhaps it's useful, even if it can't be SPICE'd*
Visit the GeeK Zone - http://geek.scorpiorising.ca

the Japanese have been extremely big on lacquer since they discovered it
centuries ago. consider it likely in Japanese-builts.

K5DH wrote:

The mystery is solved!

Thanks for the tips, suggestions, and lively discussion.
I was able to loosen and adjust all of the coil slugs in
the radio without breaking any. Belive me, fellas, that
radio was in sore need of alignment! Now that I have the
set functioning, I can continue with troubleshooting and
restoration.

Here's what I did to loosen the slugs:

1. denatured alcohol... no luck
2. non-acetone nail polish remover... no luck
3. acetone... yahoo!!!

After sitting for a couple of minutes, the acetone loosened
the sealer enough that I was able to break the slugs loose
with a plastic alignment tool (I apparently pushed someone's
buttons when I referred to that tool as a "diddle stick" in
an earlier post!). I removed the slugs, one at a time, and
cleaned all of the old sealer out of the threads. It looks
a lot like some kind of lacquer, which makes sense if I was
able to soften it with acetone.

Two of the coil forms had their internal threads factory
pre-stripped-out, so I had to use some melted wax to hold
the slugs in place in those coils.

Anyway, a big "73" to the guys who suggested acetone, 'cuz
your suggestion was ultimately the right one!

To those curious as to why I would even care enought to do
all of this work on an old CB radio, I have a very simple
answer: restoring ANY old radio is fun! What am I gonna
do with the finished product? Sell it, of course (likely
at a huge loss).

73,
Dean K5DH

-- If it's a "new economy," why do they want my obsolete old money?

"K5DH" wrote in message
...
The mystery is solved!

Thanks for the tips, suggestions, and lively discussion.
Here's what I did to loosen the slugs:

1. denatured alcohol... no luck
2. non-acetone nail polish remover... no luck
3. acetone... yahoo!!!

After sitting for a couple of minutes, the acetone loosened
the sealer enough that I was able to break the slugs loose
with a plastic alignment tool (I apparently pushed someone's
buttons when I referred to that tool as a "diddle stick" in
an earlier post!).

First of all - congratulations on your success.. As to the "diddle stick"
term, who cares.. it is only a term... For some one to get ticked, is
ridiculous. It isn't like "you" came up with it. I've seen that term used
hundreds of times. They need to get a life. Secondly, yes.. sets do need
aligned often if components are replaced... maybe not much, but some...
WHY??? For one reason because MAYBE the set was retuned to suit the failing
component to start with and once it is replaced due to total failure, the
coil is out of tune.... Could make a big difference. Whoever said they don't
need tuned doesn't know their ass from a hole in the ground. They're either
not good techs or too lazy to do a good job. The tuning "should" be checked.
As to cores, I save cores from many items small and large.. I have probably
6 drawers full of various sized slugs for just such purposes. A lot of my
repairs are from screw driver techs that break the slugs and cant get them
out... OR the idiots they are, superglue them in place. Sometimes not able
to get it out. I usually "carefully" drill it out and replace it. I've not
had a problem yet. Not the greatest job to do, but with care, can be done.
As for repairing old CB sets, a friend of mine got me started.. He likes the
old sets and has bought a few for $5 and asked me to get them going, him
buying the parts of course OR paying for them if I have them on stock. He
helps me a lot, so I barter the labor and I also get a thrill out of the
challenge. Not every defect is the same in cause or solution. Besides, the
more you do, the better you get. As they say, practice makes perfect.
Anyway, I have an old Lafayette Comstat 25A that was my moms and I acquired
a Kris tube set also. Am going to get those two going. She also had a
Johnson Messenger 250 Gold Anniversary radio I want to get working.... While
I may sell the Kris when done, I won't sell the others.. as they are
sentimental. One other thing, I often take those old radios since easier to
repair... and use them to teach troubleshooting when I hold basic
electronics classes or more advanced classes at our Amateur Radio Club. Most
guys don't have the tools let alone the equipment to do the new stuff. So,
they can learn on the older stuff. I troubleshoot it first, present them
with the radio and a schematic and present the problems.. I then have them
tell me their opinions of the causes. I correct them in their thoughts if
need be... In other words, I don't let them go off stray into areas that
would have nothing to do with the defect. I also give them hints on how to
boil it down to blocks then to a specific area. So as not to end up chasing
their tail and wasting their time. After I've gathered all of their
opinions, I let them know who was correct or on the right path as I've
already got the answers. I show them how I found it. I then replace the
parts the next bench session and take it back to show the repairs.... We
don't normally meet where we can do any repairs, so we just do show and
tell.. and teaching in theory. But for me to trouble shoot ahead of time,
lets me know the exact cause and therefore help them hone their skills down
to a stage or part... That way, I too am not wondering what it could be, I
already know. If we had more time and space to do actual repairs and had the
equipment there without me hauling half of my workbench, then I'd let them
troubleshoot with tools and equipment and replace parts as going along. But
in the way it is now done, it at least gives them some understanding on how
to proceed in a logical manner. C.L.

Dean,

Congratulations! Makes it all worthwhile, right? As to the "diddle
stick" .... I hope we aren't going to get the "Queens English" or "technical
terms" police going here too

It works, and anything else doesn't really matter.


73 from Rochester, NY
Jim



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