Wireless Set No. 52 Canadian - Project

[David Dunlop]

My initial thought with these four Knobs was to pull them off the Main Set Receiver to restore their luminous paint indicator marks, as per what I had done for the five Knobs, Phenolic, Pointer, but then I realized each of these four Knobs are held in place with two grub screws mounted 90 degrees from each other and that was an awful lot of fiddling with Bristo Wrenches.

Closer inspection further convinced me to leave these four Knobs in place when it became clear the marker spots on the front of each knob were actually drilled into the knob, as per the similar indicator marks on the caste zinc Handles No. 72. With the receiver out of the Carriers No. 4 and on its back on the work desk to remove the two KNOBS, Metal No. C1 for restoration, along with the HANDLES, No. 80, these knobs were in the perfect position to be worked on as well.

Only one of the four Knobs still had luminous paint at the bottom of its hole. The other three held basically just dirt. A 1/16-inch drill bit was the perfect size for cleaning up three of the holes. Twirling it back and forth in the holes with ones fingers worked a treat! The fourth and last hole, not so much. That sized bit was ever so slightly too large.

When I go around to putting a mirror behind the last Knob and comparing it to the other three, I finally noticed some casting marks on it, which were different from the marks on the other three knobs. Probably two different makers involved in production. So out came a large darning needle and with a little careful poking, all the dirt was successfully removed from this knob,

The two attached photos show the holes in the face of two of the knobs prior to any work being done. The second photo is the same two knobs after cleaning up the marker holes and adding in a drop of flat white base paint with a toothpick. As the paint dries this afternoon, it draws down into the hole and by later this evening I can follow up with small drops of the neutral luminous green paint to finish these four Knobs.


David