Wireless Set No. 52 Canadian - Project

[David Dunlop]

I just noticed this variation this afternoon.

The first photo attached was taken from the 52-Set Manual, so it was very likely taken sometime in 1943 from an early (pre) production Carriers No. 4. Notice the bottom of the mounting rails at the side of the Carriers for the Coils, Aerial Tuning to be fitted The end is cut back at an angle upwards where it sits just in front of the hole for the Mounting Clamp to be installed. Improved access perhaps?

The second photo is the same rails on my Carriers No. 4. It has straight cut 90-degree ends.

Does this mean there might be early and late production versions of these mounting rails for the Coils, Aerial Tuning?

Another possibility is the angled cut never made it into production. Same reason applying in either case: Production Line efficiency and streamlining removed a step deemed unnecessary.

David

[David Dunlop]

It has been a while since I last worked this little sub-project, but I need to get back to it now since I will be needing a completed replica of this particular Connector soon enough. It helps the Receiver and Sender communicate with one another and it will have to be ready to go when I get the Main Set Receiver fully up and running.

By means of a recap, I last worked this sub-topic back on Page 16, Post #476 of this thread.

Note to Self: It would be a good idea to keep a ‘topic log’ handy so even I can readily find information I might need to refer back to at a later date.

When I left off this work, the central pin assemblies just filled the brass sleeves, so there was no room at all to insert any HT Cable. First new step was to trim the black insulation back to just ¼-inch in length and trim it square. This will now allow one half inch of cable to fit into the sleeve

The next step will be to trim one end of the HT Cable I nave to expose enough of the central, braided copper core wire to pass completely out the end of the central pin when the cable is fully seated in the sleeve. This should work out to be about 1-1/2 inches. I will also need to pick up a small assortment of yellow heat shrink tubing and replenish my stocks of black heat shrink. The plan is for this first end of the Connector to be the insulated end located at the Receiver, and this end also bears the yellow ID Sleeve for the Connector.

David

[David Dunlop]

I was able to move forward on both the Reno and this sub-project today.

The sub-project was broken down into three steps, the first step was the one completed today, and for a variety of reasons it was the most important as it put a number of assembly theories for this LEADS to the test. All have passed so far.

The first thing was to measure off 1-1/2 inches back from one end of my piece of 7mm rubber sheathed, braided copper core HT Cable, and tape that point off. This is the start of the process to get that measured length of the central copper core exposed to pass through the tip assembly of the LEADS.

Once measured off, I used a thin. Blade cutter to slice through the outer rubber sheath of the cable at the edge of the tape. I then made a longitudinal cut from the circumference cut at the tape to the end of the cable and peeled off the rubber sheath to expose the inner insulation.

I was lucky the inner insulation was a soft clear plastic product that when cut into carefully, the insulation could be carefully bent at the cut and it would slowly split by itself to the inner copper core. I removed the insulation in two sections as shown to make it easier to slide the insulation off the copper core. As I removed the second section of insulation, I slowly twisted the insulation in the direction of the stranding on the copper core to tighten up the core wires as much as possible. I wanted to do this so it would all easily clear the pin assembly as it passed through it.

The next step was to insert this end of the cable all the way into the pin terminal I had fabricated.

David

[David Dunlop]

Once the cable was in the pin terminal assembly, I pulled it all snug with my fingers and then bend the copper core 90 degrees over the tip of the pin to secure the cable at the inner end of the pin terminal assembly. The pin is a nicely rolled tube and I made certain the core was bend 180 degrees away from this rolled seam. I wanted to take advantage of that seam for solder to wick down the full length of the pin to ensure a solid bond between the copper core wire and the inner wall of the pin. You can see that slot facing the camera in the first photo.

I then placed a small ring of solder round the base of the pin at the front end of the sleeve with the cable held vertically in a small bench vice. My plan was to use a propane torch for the soldering rather than an iron, to avoid any lateral load on the pin from holding an iron to it to heat the pin. I did not want the pin ending up on an angle. I also had to ensure the base of the pin was firmly soldered to the metal sleeve assembly for maximum pin stability. This would also make the pin terminal ‘hot’ electrically, just like the originals were.

When I heated the tip of the pin with the propane torch, I could watch the small solder ring at the base, as soon as it melted, I could remove the flame from the pin and add solder to the tip of the pin to secure the copper wire core inside it. I could also then go back and add more solder to the base joint, if necessary. It worked out pretty slick.

Once the pin had cooled, I snipped off the excess copper wire core from the tip of the pin and filed down any excess solder from the pin and base of the terminal assembly.

The final part of this work was sorting out the insulating sheath to be applied over the Pin Terminal Assembly, as per the original. Once the insulating sheath is applied to this end, by default, it becomes the Receiver end of this LEADS Assembly, as it will no longer fit through the eye screws along the top front of the three 52-Set Components in the Carriers No. 4. The manual makes note that the Operator must always insert this cable, exposed Pin Terminal first, from the Receiver side of the setup. The illustrations and photos in the 52-Set manuals are not that detailed for this information, but I had a similar Aerial Lead for my 19-Set I used for reference. I also had a section of the right, thick walled heat shrink tubing that just slipped over the Pin Terminal Sleeve. Once cut to a suitable length, slipped into place and given a shot from a heat gun, I was done.

This Sub Project will continue.

David

[David Dunlop]

As mentioned in Post #543, there are three main parts to this Sub-Project. The first part, now completed, was to fabricate the Receiver end of the LEADS, as it was the most complex.

The second part will be to add an Identification Sleeve to the LEADS.

From what I have seen from available photographs, this sleeve is between one and two inches in length (closer to the two end) and in most instances is yellow in colour with black lettering. A few photos suggest there might also be a version out there with a brown resin impregnated sleeve. The yellow one, I think, is early production as the illustrations in the manuals show it with “ No. C7” just legible. The 1948 Update to the Master Parts List shows this illustration but notes the wording on it is early production and should be ignored.

The challenge I have encountered with this ID Sleeve is getting the right size of sleeve in yellow. A 9/32-inch Inside Diameter just slides nicely over the 7mm HT cable for the LEADS. I have been able to source thin wall heat shrink tubing locally in that size, but only in black. I like the idea of the thin wall heat shrink since the actual location of this sleeve in photographs varies from right up against the Receiver Pin Terminal on the LEADS to nearly at the right side partition wall on the Carriers No. 4, between the Receiver and Supply Unit. It is possible it was a lose sleeve in the first place based on the photos, so I would not have to heat it in place. This offers a second bonus. Thin wall heat shrink tubing tends to be much more flexible in its unheated state than post heating, so it would have added flexibility for the large curve the LEADS makes from the Receiver AE Terminal around to the first hole it encounters in the Receiver/ Supply Unit partition on the Carriers No. 4.

So the game plan for the sleeve is to find an appropriate shade of yellow spray paint, cut an appropriate length of black 9/32-inch ID heat shrink tubing and paint it. Once cured, it will slide easily enough onto the open end of the 7mm cable I am working with and I can move it up to the Finished Receiver Pin Terminal end. I can then take my time looking for appropriate black lettering to add to the ID Sleeve,

Once the ID Sleeve is finished and on the cable, I can measure out the correct length of cable to finish this Sub-Project and add the Sender Pin Terminal Assembly to it. The 9/32-inch ID of the heat shrink is too narrow to fit over the 8mm OD Pin Terminal Sleeve, so the heat shrink tube has to be slide in place before the cable can be fully completed at both ends.

I will keep you posted.

David

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

As mentioned in Post #543, there are three main parts to this Sub-Project. The first part, now completed, was to fabricate the Receiver end of the LEADS, as it was the most complex.

The second part will be to add an Identification Sleeve to the LEADS.

From what I have seen from available photographs, this sleeve is between one and two inches in length (closer to the two end) and in most instances is yellow in colour with black lettering. A few photos suggest there might also be a version out there with a brown resin impregnated sleeve. The yellow one, I think, is early production as the illustrations in the manuals show it with “ No. C7” just legible. The 1948 Update to the Master Parts List shows this illustration but notes the wording on it is early production and should be ignored.

The challenge I have encountered with this ID Sleeve is getting the right size of sleeve in yellow. A 9/32-inch Inside Diameter just slides nicely over the 7mm HT cable for the LEADS. I have been able to source thin wall heat shrink tubing locally in that size, but only in black.

David

Um, not wishing to rain on your parade but heat-shrink tubing is a fairly recent invention and definitely post-WW2. (From the patents it looks like a mid-1950s development at the earliest.)

The WS19 (etc.) connectors I've seen have used printed & varnished cambric sleeving, metal tab-fastened ID labels, and printed rubber tubing (usually yellow or pink), plus pasted-on paper labels for fairly early stuff not expected to be exposed to the elements. Printed (shrink-on?) plastic sleeving is mainly seen on later Larkspur and Clansman cabling.

The expandable rubber sleeving is Hellerman/Tyton and there are various hand tools for applying it (as labels or number sleeves) to cables. I bought some of the yellow variety but am not sure it's small enough for the P11 cable used for aerial leads.

I'll see if I can get a photograph of the leads included with the "Dummy Aerial No.2 & No.3" set I have, which I think will use the same construction as the WS52 aerial lead. (The pin connectors on the ends are nickel-plated turned brass and uninsulated apart from a black rubber sleeve covering the cable joint to the connector.)

Best regards (and probably apologies for not posting this earlier),
Chris.

(The 'salmon pink' rubber sleeving tended to be used on internal equipment wiring and connecting cables for test equipment - the latter probably as a distinguishing mark to prevent it leaving the workshop with the repaired kit.)

[David Dunlop]

Good Evening, Chris, and thanks for your comments. No rain felt here at all actually. We do have showers forecast for the day and a high of 8 degrees, but with 80% of our snow gone yesterday, I am not complaining at all!

I think I looked into that Hellerman/Tyton product a year or so back, though I am not sure why. I believe it was to do with some C42 Set cables I was considering making at the time. I ended up solving that problem by selling the set. Won’t be happening THIS time round, however.

If I am correct in my recollections, there were some rather colourful nicknames floating about for the tool required to apply those H/T rubber sleeves and the tools were a tad pricy for the very limited use I would get from one.

For this particular 52-Set cable, my first priority was to find the right cable type and get the finished length correct. Next, get as close to the original look as I could, based on the current availability of required parts. If I still smoked, I would say I would like to get close AND have the cigar! If I can figure out the length of required sleeve and a colour of yellow reasonably close to the rubber originals, I will be a happy camper.

Lettering to go on the sleeve is another matter at the moment. I have yet to see close up details of any surviving such Leads and the images to date only show one small line “NO. C7” out of an as yet unknown number of lines.

You are spot on with the number of versions of identification for cables during the war. I can also add to that list you posted with the 19-Set cable included in the last photo I posted. It is simply stamped with silver paint on the black rubber sleeve on each end lug with the cable ZA Number. Nothing else at all. Very cryptic and without a VAOS Reference at hand, quite a challenge to identify.

Enjoy you evening, Chris, and thanks again!

David

[David Dunlop]

I took some measurements off the Illustration in the Parts Manual and a photo of the complete set in the Operators Manual and dusted off my Proportional Algebra from High School this morning.

From the Illustration, I got a length for the ID Sleeve tucked up against the Pin Terminal Sleeve of 1.20 inches.

From the Photo of the ID Sleeve a bit way up the Leads from the Pin Terminal, I get a measurement of 2.0 inches long for the ID Sleeve. The more I look at these two options, the more I think the differences reflect two, distinct types of ID Sleeves.

Chris.

Based on the typical tool used to apply the H/T style rubber sleeves on electrical wiring, is there a limit as to where on a piece of wire the tool can actually apply it? Most, if not all I have ever seen, have been at, or very close to the end of a wire, overlapping an end fitting, or butted directly against the end of same. So, if these rubber sleeve hand tools have a limited reach, I am thinking this might be the type of ID Sleeve that was on the Leads in the Illustration. In turn, the ID Sleeve in the Photo, is more likely a free moving type of sleeve of a differing type.

Be nice to find some original surviving Leads to study.

David

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

1-5/8". There is one in captivity...

[Chris Suslowicz]

Hi David,

Well, I've fished out the bag(s) of yellow sleeving - one continuous 5-metre length and a bag of "umpteen" (100) by 25mm sleeves, the set of 'bodkin' sleeving tools, a Larkspur aerial pigtail and the bottle of "Hellerine" lube.

The "MJ8" bodkin takes the pigtail (which I assume is P11 cable) and I can slide a 25mm sleeve over it well enough - 50mm might be harder work to get it off the bodkin - probably needs a polish as there's a bit of surface spotting, and more Hellerine might help. I'm not sure the prongs on the pliers are long enough for much more than 25mm, and they're not immediately to hand anyway. (Also, the tool itself may not be strong enough to expand a 2-inch length of the sleeve unless it was softened by heating first.)

Printing on the sleeve is going to need some suitable ink (craft shop or a company that prints on rubber) and probably metal type - though I've seen one-off cables with handwritten labels and a protective layer of varnish (probably applied later).

Wording will probably be "CONN. SINGLE No. C7" or similar followed by the stores code. I've got "Leads, Aerial No.9" somewhere, spelled in full!

I'll see what I can dig up, it might be an interesting project.

Best regards,
Chris.

[David Dunlop]

Hello Bruce.

Now that is nicely in the middle isn’t it. Good to know one has survived. If you get a chance, can you post some photos? It will give me something to think about during the next phase in the Reno.

Chris.

If you are pulling night shifts again, don’t stay up too late with this stuff.

David

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Here you go...

[Chris Suslowicz]

Bah! Didn't find the aerial lead; I must have moved it to a different box in the 3-D Chinese sliding tile puzzle. Though I did find a box of surprisingly chunky cables, which it turns out are battery cables for the Switchboard, Charging, No.5 (presumably useless because they live in the Stowage unless you need to remove the set from the vehicle for use as a ground station with charging set).

Oh well... might get an early night for a change.

Chris.

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker

Here you go...

Ah, what do the ends look like, please?

The exact length would help (for possible forgery purposes) too.

(Not that I have a WS52 nor am I likely to get one!)



Best regards,
Chris.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Chris Suslowicz

Bah! Didn't find the aerial lead; I must have moved it to a different box in the 3-D Chinese sliding tile puzzle. Though I did find a box of surprisingly chunky cables, which it turns out are battery cables for the Switchboard, Charging, No.5 (presumably useless because they live in the Stowage unless you need to remove the set from the vehicle for use as a ground station with charging set).

Oh well... might get an early night for a change.

Chris.

Ah, but that is precisely what happens in a Chev HUW wireless van. Everything is quick release. When in the van the chorehorse runs through a permanently mounted switch box with a knife switch that, thrown one way, charges battery pair one, leaving battery pair two to power the 19 set. Throw the other way and the reverse occurs. A Switchboard, Charging No.5 is mounted to the underside of the wireless table. When the table, batteries and chorehorse are removed to work remotely those cables would then attach the switchboard to the batteries and chorehorse.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Chris Suslowicz

Ah, what do the ends look like, please?

The exact length would help (for possible forgery purposes) too.

(Not that I have a WS52 nor am I likely to get one!)



Best regards,
Chris.

Metal ends are 1/2" at 5/16" diameter and 9/16" at 1/8" diameter (1-1/16" total, and both ends are the same). Cable is 1/4" diameter 23-3/8" long between the backs of the metal end plugs, so overall cable length tip to metal tip is 23-3/8" plus 1-1/16" plus the other 1-1/16" or 25-1/2" tip to tip.

[David Dunlop]

Fantastic Pictures, Bruce. Thanks for posting with the specs!

Beats me what the original material was the ID Sleeve s fabricated from. It certainly does not look like the typical woven fabric, resin impregnated stuff one usually sees. The Sleeve you have looks very smooth with a consistent solid colour throughout it.

The only cables I have on hand with yellow ID Sleeves that still have a look and feel of rubber or soft 'plastic' are on a pair of CPP-2 output cables and a late issue 19-Set Black Rubber 12-Pin Connector Cable from Set to Control Box.

A 19-Set 3-Lead Battery Cable on Hand has one single cable yellow sleeve and a double wide yellow sleeve on it where the material is hard and 'plastic' feeling.

Two other yellow ID Sleeves are on the Headgear Type 10's I plan to use with the 52-Set eventually, Photo attached. They are 1.25 inches in length, just slide up and down the cable are still pliable but feel more to the 'plastic side of things than rubber.

I think I need to do some more thinking now.

Cheers for now,

David

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Dave, it's a rubber or synthetic rubber. Pretty soft, slightly mottled and with a joint molded seam throughout its length. I'd almost suggest modern coax cable although it would be a little too hard and not as flexible. The tag is smooth, glossy, plasticky and brown exterior and underneath. Whether it was originally yellow and faded (more GD tobacco?) I'd need a time machine to confirm.

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker

Metal ends are 1/2" at 5/16" diameter and 9/16" at 1/8" diameter (1-1/16" total, and both ends are the same). Cable is 1/4" diameter 23-3/8" long between the backs of the metal end plugs, so overall cable length tip to metal tip is 23-3/8" plus 1-1/16" plus the other 1-1/16" or 25-1/2" tip to tip.

Aha! those metal tips are virtually identical to the ones on the Aerials, Dummy, No.2 & No.3 lead set, apart from those having black rubber sleeves over the cable to tip junction. (They fit into the slotted screw terminals as used on field telephones D Mk. V, L, J, F, etc. so were presumably a standard item.)

I can't break up the cable set I have (6 different leads, 2 with the screw-on spade connectors and 4 with different sizes of plug pin to simulate Aerial Rods B, and F, I think), but if I can get any more of the tips I will see about making a cable or two up. The lead is the standard Cable, Electric, P11 used all over the place for aerial feeder - usually black rubber covered.

Best regards,
Chris.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Chris Suslowicz

Though I did find a box of surprisingly chunky cables, which it turns out are battery cables for the Switchboard, Charging, No.5 (presumably useless because they live in the Stowage unless you need to remove the set from the vehicle for use as a ground station with charging set).

Oh well... might get an early night for a change.

Chris.

Chris. could you post a picture of those battery cables for the Switchboard, Charging, No.5? They would most certainly be part of my HUW's kit. and I'd like to see what they entail. That is after a good night's sleep of course....

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

Fantastic Pictures, Bruce. Thanks for posting with the specs!

Beats me what the original material was the ID Sleeve s fabricated from. It certainly does not look like the typical woven fabric, resin impregnated stuff one usually sees. The Sleeve you have looks very smooth with a consistent solid colour throughout it.

The only cables I have on hand with yellow ID Sleeves that still have a look and feel of rubber or soft 'plastic' are on a pair of CPP-2 output cables and a late issue 19-Set Black Rubber 12-Pin Connector Cable from Set to Control Box.

A 19-Set 3-Lead Battery Cable on Hand has one single cable yellow sleeve and a double wide yellow sleeve on it where the material is hard and 'plastic' feeling.

Two other yellow ID Sleeves are on the Headgear Type 10's I plan to use with the 52-Set eventually, Photo attached. They are 1.25 inches in length, just slide up and down the cable are still pliable but feel more to the 'plastic side of things than rubber.


David

The current (1980-onwards) cable ID sleeves are pre-printed plastic, non heat-shrink and slipped on (I think).

Larkspur-era were rubber of some (Hellerman) type, probably going back to the 1940s or 1950s.

WW2 version were the pre-printed cambric (Giant Systoflex) varnish impregnated to render it water/rot-proof. Later versions appear to be paper (for cheapness) and various other thin plastic tubing/sleeving, or stamped and paint-filled metal tags (as with the ZA.3141/2/3 WS19 aerial coax feeders)

I will, at some unspecified point in the future (Do Not Ask!) finally manage to hit the Post Office when there is no queue out of the door. At that point (assuming mail to Canada is working) I'll mail you some goodies: chain-link insulators, a length of P11 cable, and an assortment of sleeving. (If I actually have a spare sleeving tool, you'll get that and a small bottle of Hellerine lubricant so you can roll your own.)

Bear in mind I have not been to the Post Office since before Christmas, and I will need to fill out customs forms for just about everything.

Best regards,
Chris.

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker

Chris. could you post a picture of those battery cables for the Switchboard, Charging, No.5? They would most certainly be part of my HUW's kit. and I'd like to see what they entail. That is after a good night's sleep of course....

They are _extremely_ heavy, with a slotted lug at the battery end and a ring lug at the switchboard. I have a mix of UK and Canadian types, and also the battery linking cables (Connector, Single, No.3).

Cables are thick rubber (about 0.75 inch diameter) or fabric-jacketed (about 0.5 inch) and Connector, Single, Nos. 24 and 24A-D. (Without going to look.)

I will need one set for my charging switchboard, but the others will be available at a reasonable cost - shipping is likely to be the killer, they are definitely not lightweight.

Best regards,
Chris. (So much for getting a early night for a change.)

[David Dunlop]

Hello again, Chris.

I understand completely regarding the mails. Best the items in question stay put with you for the time being where they are safe and sound. There is little, if any, international air mail going anywhere these days. It is a service totally dependant on available space on commercial airline flights and with that service almost curtailed, it has dragged air mail down with it. We just received notification 10 days ago about an air mail parcel finally arriving at the Canada Customs Depot in Toronto. It was mailed from Barnsley, Yorkshire first week of December. I have another parcel mailed from Perth Australia mid November that has yet to get here.

Thanks again for all your assistance.

Now get some sleep!

David

[Chris Suslowicz]

Going to sleep right away, Sir!



(falls into bed)

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

[David Dunlop]

Thinking about the ID Sleeve today, and the possible options for this Leads Assembly, my first decision was the easy one: going with the actual length of the sleeve from Bruce Parkers surviving example.

Another consideration was the markings on the sleeve. Bruce’s example confirmed them as well, right down to the size and font. My thought process for the markings had leaned towards pre-printed ‘Letterset’ style. 30 or 40 years ago, the odds of actually finding a matching font would have been excellent. Off the shelf today, not so much. I do have a few sets tucked away somewhere and will have to see if one is sized appropriately to work. That the font will not be a match to the original is fine with me. I am more concerned about fabricating a perfect working cable as close to specs as possible, without wanting to make it a perfect fake. 75 years from now, if this 52-Set is still around and in one piece, it will be nice to know that close inspection will reveal the replications and the care taken to make them.

I have now also decided to make this ID Sleeve yellow in colour. I agree with Bruce’s comments that his original very likely was yellow when made but age has not been kind to it. And that makes sense. Wartime was full of unexpected supply shortages, everywhere. It would not surprise me in the least that multiple manufacturers were involved in making these sleeves and they could have had to switch formulas for their production to maintain delivery obligations, Changes to formulas may not have altered the look of a product initially, but could very likely have impacted expected ‘life in use’ of the item.

So, next step is to find a suitable yellow colour paint for this ID Sleeve and see what happens.

Thanks yet again, Bruce.

David

[David Dunlop]

This little Sub Project has come together rather well, so far.

With the measurements Bruce posted from his surviving Leads, Aerial 25-3/4 inch, I cut a matching length from the heat shrink tubing I had available that just slides over the 7mm HT cable used in the Leads.

With access to shops once again, I checked available yellow paints in the local Canadian Tire Store and lucked into one remaining can of Rust-Oleum ‘Painter’s Touch’, gloss enamel that was a good match to the yellow ID sleeves on my CPP-2 cables. This paint is Stock Number N1945830 and is called SUN YELLOW. All of the other yellows I looked at were too much to the orange part of the spectrum, or the cream section.

The next thing I had to do was paint the sleeve I had ready to go and set it aside to cure. In the meantime, I measured out the length of cable I would need to finish this Leads Assembly off at the Sender Pin Terminal end, hopefully maintaining the required 25-3/4 inch length between the end faces of the two Pin Terminal Sleeves. With the working length of cable ready to go, I could then slide the painted and cured ID Sleeve up the cable from the free end to within about an inch of the insulated Receiver Pin Terminal end. Hopefully it will end up located and looking somewhat like the Leads does in the manual when finally installed.

With the ID Sleeve in place near the Receiver end of the Leads, I was then able to install the Pin Terminal assembly over the Sender end of the Leads. The Pin Terminal Sleeve at this end needed to be carefully crazy glued in place on the cable to prevent it from possibly twisting about and perhaps eventually cracking the inner copper wire core of the HT cable. So it was glue on and the copper core wire pulled 90 degrees over the end of the pin to snug it all down. The cable was then set aside 24 hours for the glue to fully cure.

This morning, I did the soldering at the Sender Pin Terminal end of the Leads and cleaned up and excess solder. Final measurement of this Leads ended up at just a stink over 25- 11/16 inches. I can live with that.

I have found just one black Letterset font in my stash that might work for the printing on the ID Sleeve. I will have to do some comparisons this weekend between the outer circumference of the sleeve I have used and the height of the font and see if I can get the required number of lines to fit in.

David

[David Dunlop]

The Leads is all jigged up now and ready to see if 50+ year old Letterset will still work on a soft squishy substrate.

David

[David Dunlop]

When I found the sheet of Letraset I was looking for, I found the original Sales Slip still in the bag. 1976 at a cost of $18.12 for one 10” x 14” sheet. The sheet holds four full sets of upper and lower case fonts, with numerals and an assortment of punctuation. Purchased at a local, long since gone, drafting supply shop.

The lettering is definitely more challenging to work with these days. It has a tendency to lift off the backing too easily, and shatter a bit more than I would have liked. Trying to apply it to a soft material did not help, but as I progressed, I began to like the tatty look quite a bit.

I definitely have to give the lettering a protective topcoat now. I have a jar of yellowing clear nail polish I want to test. Not sure, but I suspect the acetone in the polish will not be kind to the lettering. I will see what happens with the test.

David

[David Dunlop]

My suspicions about using the old nail polish as a clear top coat for the lettering on the Leads, Aerial 25-3/4 inch ID Sleeve were correct. As per the first photo attached, the lettering smeared instantly with the first stroke of the brush across them.

I went to Plan B, a can of satin finish clear acrylic Urethane, I had on hand to see what it would do with the lettering, being water based. This top coat worked a treat, as per the second photo, so that is what I used yesterday on the ID Sleeve.

David

[David Dunlop]

Here is the finished Leads Sub-Project finally, temporarily installed on the 52-Set, along with a comparison photograph from the Working Instructions manual.

I have no idea when the last time was that this 52-Set had one of these Leads fitted, but it sure feels great to have one ready to go now.

David