"Bill Turner" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 8 Dec 2004 16:42:48 -0500, " Uncle Peter"
wrote:


What you say is true, but still doesn't answer his question.

The reason that "The manufacturers saw no need to use high tolerance
components" had more to do with cost than careful engineering decisions.

I would especially be wary of "NOS" carbon comp. They do NOT get better
with age. If you want to use them to maintain the authentic look of an
old radio, fine, just be aware that metal film is far superior.

When I graduated from high school in 1959 I spent the next few years
making a living by repairing those old tube radios and TVs, and a fair
amount of the time was spent replacing carbon comps. They were state of
the art at the time, but time has marched on.

Caveat fixor.

--
Bill W6WRT

Well, I test every component before I install it, and so far most of
the NOS carbon resistors have been well within tolerance.
Carbon resistors made much before 1950 do have some issues
with aging, and I find 50 to 75% well out of spec and they do get
changed. I'd bet most of the resistors
you were changing in 1959 are probably the same vintage that are
found bad today. I won't argue metal films aren't better, but I
haven't had problems with good quality carbons either.

Pete