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Old 29-04-19, 00:02
David Dunlop David Dunlop is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Winnipeg, MB
Posts: 3,384
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The biggest chunk of work on the 52-Set Main Receiver this weekend involved, three separate, but interconnected tasks, with a small extra one tossed in for good measure.

The collective objective was to finish off replacing all rusted or damaged components and hardware on the lower front panel, and the items being attended to were the Voltmeter, Holders ,Lamp, Loudspeaker and lower right Mounting Bracket.

The Voltmeter needed to be replaced with the one from the spare receiver as it has a cracked Lucite face and I need to send it off to be repaired. The original three mounting screws are also badly rusted. Rusted screws and a needed cleaning were needed with the Holders, Lamp and rusted hardware again with the Loudspeaker. Both the lower mounting bracket and its two screws were rusted and to be replaced.

Accessing the hardware for the Holders, Lamp and Loudspeaker is very bad, unless the Voltmeter is removed from the panel, and that is the primary reason all three bits of work were combined. The Voltmeter on the 52-Set, however, has its own challenges. Unlike the 19-Set, the hardware for the 52-Set Voltmeter does not screw directly into the front panel assembly. It has its own independent hex nuts behind the panel to contend with. Before you start that, however, it is a good idea to remove the two meter leads from their terminals at the back of the meter, while the meter is still secure.

I found the best way of getting the meter hardware off was to jamb a fingertip against the back of the hex nut to hold it in place while you unscrew and remove the mounting screw. 6BA screws and hex nuts were very likely the original hardware. I found one of these top dead centre. The other two were 4-40 items. Once the screw was out of its hex nut, I moved the nut along the back of the panel to a point where I could capture it with a small shop magnet.

Once you have removed the three hardware sets, you can give the meter a little nudge from the rear so you can grasp the front rim and slide it out of the panel. He aware, the fit is snug and I found the years of dirt accumulation on the top of the back of the meter was sufficient to bind the meter. But you can wiggle it free.

The thought of reinstalling the meter was a daunting one until I bounced the topic off Jacques Fortin. He suggested gluing the hex nuts in place first. Brilliant ,and I modified that by using clear nail polish instead. I reinstalled the good hardware, but slightly loose initially. It is extremely important to ensure the flats of the hex nuts are lined up perpendicular to the circumference of the meter opening in the panel. Looking directly into the meter opening, the hex nuts must be completely invisible, otherwise the body of the meter will hang up on them. And if you have glued them in place…

Once I had the hardware set up correctly, I applied the nail polish to the outer edges of the hex nuts, making very sure to keep the polish away from the screw threads at all costs. Then give it a full 24 hours to cure before carefully removing the screws. Insert the meter back into the panel and replace the screws. Again, at this point do not try forcing the screws into the hex nuts, You may push the nuts off the back of the panel. Let the threads on each find each other. If you want, cafefully jamb a fingertip back onto the backs of each nut until the screw is all the way through, for a little extra insurance. Once all three screws are installed, reattached the meter leads to the rear terminals and you are good to go.

While the meter in out, I used the extra space to replace the top two Loudspeaker screws. Kept a finger on the hex nuts at all times. While removing the old screw and installing the new ones. The lower two can easily be reached from the bottom of the chassis and for this, just lay the receiver on it’s left side. Same goes for the lower right side mounting bracket hardware.

The two photos are of the new meter hardware curing in place and of the Main Set Receiver with all its new and improved bits. It has come a very long way in the past year.

David
Attached Thumbnails
WS No .52 Voltmeter Hardware.JPG   WS No. 52 Main Set Receiver Completed Panel.JPG  

Last edited by David Dunlop; 29-04-19 at 03:09.
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