I had several old sw radios that worked fine except that the dial cord
was slipping. Very annoying. But replacement cord is hard to find and
can be tricky to replace. The problem is that the cord and tuning shaft
became highly polished over the years and there wasn't much friction
left. I got a can of "Gunk" Belt Dressing, sprayed some into a glass,
and applied it to the cord and the tuning shaft with a camel's hair
brush. That was three months ago and the tuning has been fine ever
since with no slippage. The belt dressing is the type used to spray on
automotive v-belts.

ve3... wrote:
I had several old sw radios that worked fine except that the dial cord
was slipping. Very annoying. But replacement cord is hard to find and
can be tricky to replace. The problem is that the cord and tuning shaft
became highly polished over the years and there wasn't much friction
left. I got a can of "Gunk" Belt Dressing, sprayed some into a glass,
and applied it to the cord and the tuning shaft with a camel's hair
brush. That was three months ago and the tuning has been fine ever
since with no slippage. The belt dressing is the type used to spray on
automotive v-belts.



One of the tricks Grundig and Telefunken used to employ, rather than
the usual dial cord (which brings to the project it's own unique set of
obstacles), was steel wire. It doesn't fray, has limited stretch, and if
the wheels are clean, doesn't slip, either. It needs to be tensioned
with a hefty spring, but in the absence of dial cord, which is getting
difficult to find these days, steel wire is a good alternative.

I've restrung the dial on my S 53A using steel wire instead of dial
cord, with exceptional results.

"D Peter Maus" wrote in message
...


One of the tricks Grundig and Telefunken used to employ, rather than
the usual dial cord (which brings to the project it's own unique set of
obstacles), was steel wire. It doesn't fray, has limited stretch, and if
the wheels are clean, doesn't slip, either. It needs to be tensioned
with a hefty spring, but in the absence of dial cord, which is getting
difficult to find these days, steel wire is a good alternative.


Bob's Antique Radios now has dial cord:

http://www.radioantiques.com/supplies.html

I haven't tried Bob's dial cord although I did order some other stuff a
couple of months ago. I got my current supply of dial cord from Antique
Electronics Supply and/or Ocean State Electronics. As far as I know, both
sources still have dial cord.

I used to have an old fishing reel with some line which was
indistinguishable from the dial cord Hallicrafters used in the forties and
fifties. I assume it was silk core with a black cotton braid.
Hallicrafters suggested "18 lb. test" dial cord as a replacement back then.
The modern fiberglass core cord ought to be at least as good. One of the
regulars at rec.antiques.radio+phono recommends dacron fishing line as dial
cord. I'd be a bit leery of pure nylon cord, as I've heard it will stretch
out more over time than other cords, although I've never tried it.


I've restrung the dial on my S 53A using steel wire instead of dial
cord, with exceptional results.

Half wire and half cord, like the Grundigs, with a tension spring in the
middle?

Frank Dresser

Frank Dresser wrote:
"D Peter Maus" wrote in message
...

One of the tricks Grundig and Telefunken used to employ, rather than
the usual dial cord (which brings to the project it's own unique set of
obstacles), was steel wire. It doesn't fray, has limited stretch, and if
the wheels are clean, doesn't slip, either. It needs to be tensioned
with a hefty spring, but in the absence of dial cord, which is getting
difficult to find these days, steel wire is a good alternative.


Bob's Antique Radios now has dial cord:

http://www.radioantiques.com/supplies.html

I haven't tried Bob's dial cord although I did order some other stuff a
couple of months ago. I got my current supply of dial cord from Antique
Electronics Supply and/or Ocean State Electronics. As far as I know, both
sources still have dial cord.

I used to have an old fishing reel with some line which was
indistinguishable from the dial cord Hallicrafters used in the forties and
fifties. I assume it was silk core with a black cotton braid.
Hallicrafters suggested "18 lb. test" dial cord as a replacement back then.
The modern fiberglass core cord ought to be at least as good. One of the
regulars at rec.antiques.radio+phono recommends dacron fishing line as dial
cord. I'd be a bit leery of pure nylon cord, as I've heard it will stretch
out more over time than other cords, although I've never tried it.


I've restrung the dial on my S 53A using steel wire instead of dial
cord, with exceptional results.

Half wire and half cord, like the Grundigs, with a tension spring in the
middle?

Frank Dresser



Actually, all wire, no cord. Tension spring on the wheel at the
tuning cap.

Works like a Champ.

I once read somewhere that rosin,(resin?) like the kind people use to
rosin their violin bows works good on dial strings.I never have tried it
though.I do own some old,old musical instruments and some rosin.
cuhulin

On 12 Feb 2006 12:33:16 -0800, "ve3..." wrote:

I had several old sw radios that worked fine except that the dial cord
was slipping. Very annoying. But replacement cord is hard to find and
can be tricky to replace. The problem is that the cord and tuning shaft
became highly polished over the years and there wasn't much friction
left. I got a can of "Gunk" Belt Dressing, sprayed some into a glass,
and applied it to the cord and the tuning shaft with a camel's hair
brush. That was three months ago and the tuning has been fine ever
since with no slippage. The belt dressing is the type used to spray on
automotive v-belts.

wax

"ve3..." wrote in message
oups.com...

I got a can of "Gunk" Belt Dressing, sprayed some into a glass,
and applied it to the cord and the tuning shaft with a camel's hair
brush. That was three months ago and the tuning has been fine ever
since with no slippage. The belt dressing is the type used to spray on
automotive v-belts.

My National NC-140 has an aluminum disk that originally had a coating on the
outer edge that was supposed to ride inside a grove on another disk. The
coating had worn off and it was slipping. I applied the same belt dressing
that you used to the outer edge of the worn disk about 10 years ago and it
is still working as it should today. RM~

PS, I keep a can of that stuff around, use it on table saw, belt
sander,drill press, air comp and etc., it's great stuff but never apply it
to a notched automotive belt, my son learned the hard way.