rewiring Avo two panel tester

[AlanBeckett]

In the absence of Thinners, and little opportunity to get any, I decided I'd try Meths. I believe I've read somewhere that the Base is held on with Shellac and Woodflour so it was worth a try. I soaked it overnight and that loosened it OK. After that I sucked out the Pins, did some more soaking, and managed to prise it off with some more heating. Unfortunately I managed to break off one of the Wires up in the Pinch
I'll keep the rest for the minute. As a minimum I've got a proper Top Cap I can use.

The next step is to solder a length of my Cable to it. Helpfully the Pins are numbered inside the Base so even I'll be hard pressed to get it wrong

Alan

       

[Radio Fixer]

Progressing Alan.

Gary

[pwdrive]

This apparently was the standard RCA recipe for basing cement, yealding 200lbs, enough for a lot of valves....

Coarse marble flour 170 lb.
Orange flake shellac 19-1/2 lb.
Durite phenolic resin LR275-2 7-1/2 lb.
Medium-color (grade G) rosin 3-1/4 lb.
Denatured alcohol 9 liters
Malachite Green aniline dye 10 g.

Lawrence.

[AlanBeckett]

I fear I'll have some trouble reproducing that to hold the Cable in

Alan

[AlanBeckett]

So, let there be a Plug.
Actually, all I've done is turned up a Plug to fit the Base. That will give the Cable and the Base some support and Strain Relief. The Base itself seems incredibly flimsy in retrospect - I managed to crack it
So, I need to solder the Wires in and fit it properly.

Alan

       

[AlanBeckett]

Back on the Job at last.
Stripped and Tinned one end of the Cable.
Poked them in to the Pins - not a job I'd want to do every day.
Soldered the ends.
Snipped the Wires off and smoothed up.
Dripped some Wax into the Body to provide some Strain Relief.
Fitted the Nylon Plug - had to shorten it a tad.
Araldited the Plug in.
Tested it - seems OK.

So, now all I need to do is take the Tester to bits again and persuade Rob to tell me where to put the Wires

Alan

                       

[Radio Fixer]

Worked out OK Alan.

A lot easier than swapping valve bases by the way ! I do this as I wont have adaptors in my radios and for eye tubes the mechanics wont allow it.

Gary

[AlanBeckett]

It was a bit silly really as I could have taken the old Plug to bits and started with that. However, it's more interesting this way and I get to play more

Alan

[pwdrive]

You will be testing valves soon Alan.

Lawrence.

[AlanBeckett]

Yes, I've got plenty of old Valves I can play with

Alan