27-07-2011, 07:54 PM
Personally, unless it's a very quick repair, I always make a cradle from scrap timber in which I mount the chassis upside down so that ther valves are protected and the chassis can be on the bench, where I can work on it, and if need be, view it through my magnifying 'anglepoise' style lamp.
I've attached a pic of a Stella 105U mounted is a cradle that took no more than half an hour to make, but needed several hours of work to restore, with nine caps needed replacement. I've seen people balancing chassis upside down on bits of wood, with the valves still in, which is inviting problems. First task - remove the valves - last task when the set is restored and as far as can be, is tested - put them back in, but I know that this is sometimes overlooked, and apart from risking damage to the valves, the vale pins act as a heat shunt if you're soldering/ unsoldering to tags on the valve base. (The observant will notice in the pic that the valves are still in the radio - they didn't stay in - that was just while I tested the continuity of the heater chain).
Just my thoughts.
David.
I've attached a pic of a Stella 105U mounted is a cradle that took no more than half an hour to make, but needed several hours of work to restore, with nine caps needed replacement. I've seen people balancing chassis upside down on bits of wood, with the valves still in, which is inviting problems. First task - remove the valves - last task when the set is restored and as far as can be, is tested - put them back in, but I know that this is sometimes overlooked, and apart from risking damage to the valves, the vale pins act as a heat shunt if you're soldering/ unsoldering to tags on the valve base. (The observant will notice in the pic that the valves are still in the radio - they didn't stay in - that was just while I tested the continuity of the heater chain).
Just my thoughts.
David.
