Best way to stuff capacitor ?

[Refugee]

That little stand was knocked up from a bag of brackets that cost about £1 from the flea market.
The wax capacitor sits on the top of the chassis in a clip and the modern yellow replacement would have looked out of place.
I just put the cardboard tube back with the new part inside. The leads keep it in there hidden.

[Radio Fixer]

Personally I don't get silicon anywhere near my radio stuff. If you intend to do any cabinet refinishing its a nightmare and even traces of it give 'fish eyes'. These look just like that, little holes that the cellulose lacquer forms around silicon specs.

But if this is of no concern to you then I imagine it would be OK but perhaps messy. Epoxy coloured with cocoa works well and most of us have that around. Or just epoxy and paint it with model paints. It dosent take large amount of the 5 min stuff as you only put a plug in the end say 6mm deep.

Gary

[pwdrive]

Always wondered this - is the wax on these old paper caps just pure bees wax, paraffin wax, or something more subtle?

If it's bees wax, I've kilos of that!

Petroleum wax maybe, not sure, but there are different types for sealing the capacitors, some stuff is a bit "thin" other stuff is "stiff" the stiff stuff was and still is used from old capacitors to secure screws on to a screwdriver blade for positioning the screw into awkward places. Always had a few lumps of that stuff in the tool box when I was an R&TV service tech.

Lawrence.

[Yorkie]

Thanks for everyones input , have extracted the innards , what do you think re using black silicone sealant to seal the ends once the capacitor is fitted ?
regards, tim.

Not a good idea in my view. There are many types of silicone sealant but if you sniff it and it takes your breath away that is the acetic acid used as a curing agent. Not good, I think, around wires. The reason I used so called 'Plastic metal' two-part epoxy is that it sets solid, looks like pitch and holds the wires of the cap firmly, whereas silicone sealant would offer no structural support to the wires, and I don't think it would make a very secure seal.

Just my thoughts.

[pwdrive]

You could use some of the original pitch to seal the ends, put some heat insulation in first to cover the new capacitor, cardboard or whatever, melt the original pitch and pour in for that authentic look.

Lawrence.

[tim.54]

   
   
   
   
Capacitors arrived yesterday , would have liked to have used epoxy as suggested but due to the size opted for glue sticks . also replaced the very flimsy original terminals with something a bit stronger . had to legthen one of the capacitor wires .then painted. will fit it back tonight . 2 more of these and about 9 smaller ones !
regards , tim.

[Radio Fixer]

That's a neat job Tim. I like the use of the solder tags. And the glue gun is quick and neat. David made a good point in that you need a medium that supports the new wires or tags and silicon wouldn't have done that very well.

I take it you built the new cap out with tissue and masking tape and didn't fill all the space with glue? That's what I did when I went the epoxy way. I had been to the US and there you can buy large tubes of the stuff for next to nothing so bought a few home.

Gary

[Nick]

One tiny point - when fixing solder tags to capacitors etc, normally a crimp connector is used as if you solder the solder tag to the cap, seal the tube, then solder the tag to something else in the radio, the internal (tag to capacitor) joint may melt and break or become dry etc.

It would be good to make a mechanical connection between the tag & capacitor as a backup, else you might be digging out those wires again

[Alan Douglas]

Don't forget to leave a note that the capacitors have been restuffed; otherwise the next owner (or you!) would never know.

[Radio Fixer]

If too late you can always clip on a small pair of forceps close to the cap, as a heat shunt, and then using a 60W iron make a very quick solder joint. Of course the wax may melt !

Gary