Wireless Set No. 52 Canadian - Project

[David Dunlop]

Hello Chris.

I do have a couple of penetrating oils on hand but have chosen the 3 in 1 because it is milder than the others. The paint work on the PA TUNE Dial is in good shape, though the rim needs some TLC to clear surface rust. I just don’t know how well the paints will hold up to anything too strong in the way of petroleum based products, for extended periods of time.

My game plan is to try and avoid powering the knob free at once. I hope to load the puller with just enough tension to apply strain to the sticky bit between the knob and dial and then let it sit a while under load. Hopefully as the crud softens a bit, the knob will move up the shaft and the puller will fall free. I will have padding on the front panel of the Sender in anticipation of this. The concept worked for me years ago on a larger scale when I had to free a stuck timing gear on the front of an old CMP Chev 216 engine. Took a few days but eventually found the puller on the shop floor one morning and the offending gear finally in a removable mood.

Those are the cards I hope to play, but I have yet to see what’s in the crud’s hand.

David

[David Dunlop]

Shifting back to this sub-project while I await arrival of the small gear puller I ordered, I have now been able to file the diameter of the black insulator assembly such that when trimmed to ¾-inch, it just fits nicely into the brass sleeve.

I ended up using a fine-toothed wide flat file to trim down the insulator in my drill press. I could not get enough even pressure on the side of the insulator with the fine grit sand paper. It took a while, but worked quite nicely in the end.

The test fit looks really good and I now just have to trim back the insulator until I arrive at the inner core part of the pin. That should give me just over one half inch of the 7 mm cable inside the brass sleeve when everything gets soldered in place.

Just have to make a second one now.


David

[David Dunlop]

And then there were two.

Now to sit down and sort out the next steps.


David

[David Dunlop]

The small gear puller I had ordered from Princess arrived this afternoon from Brandon. Interesting that it shipped last week but took three business days this week to make the tracked run into Winnipeg.

In any event, it is now set up on the PA TUNE Drive Knob and under load. As you can see, the front panel of the Sender has been covered with heavy cloth and I added a C-Clamp to the jaws of the puller to add another level of protection to everything, should the knob suddenly break free when I am not around.

The plan is to run the puller screw down one quarter turn each half day for the next little while and see how it goes.

May The Force Be With Me!


David

[Bob Carriere]

....from a hair dryer...... or a larger paint removing electric gun....... but you need to be careful as it may damage the paint finish....... or the tip of a soldering gun directly to the center pin where it is stuck???

Bob C.

[David Dunlop]

Hi Bob.

Not yet, but it is likely next on my possibilities list. It will also motivate me to actually go out and finally purchase a heat gun. Not sure if its creeping old age, but my lovely wife’s ‘Stink Eye’ is starting to have an effect on me whenever I borrow her hair dryer for projects.

And, truth be told, I have some bits of paint on the Sender panel that have cracked and lifted a bit. I am pretty sure if I attempted simply pressing it back flat to wick some glue under it and rescue the pieces, the bits would crack free. I am thinking a careful application of heat would soften the paint enough to allow it to be pressed back flat as a first step. Then let it cool and wick the glue under it.

David

[David Dunlop]

Progress!

Went down and checked the PA TUNE Dial this morning and the dial disc is now free from the knob and a bit of the bottom shoulder of the knob is visible. The dial free wheels and I can rock it side to side +/- 1 mm.

David