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Old 8th Feb 2018, 10:07 pm   #9
Phil G4SPZ
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Bewdley, Worcestershire, UK.
Posts: 4,735
Default Re: 'Record' Bond Tester (1944 and 1957)

Thanks to Sam and everyone for your interest. "Pretty" is an interesting description, Mark, although over the years I have moved from actively disliking Bakelite to positively admiring it. This unit is certainly a big, solid, heavy and beautifully-moulded lump of Bakelite, or bodacious as Dave so aptly described it, and it's obvious that a great deal of time and effort went into its design, no doubt paid for by its military contract price tag! Judging by the serial numbers of my two examples, at least 6,000 were probably made. I've e-mailed Record Electrical Associates twice now asking for any historical information, but they haven't replied as yet.

Andy, you could well be right about A.P. meaning "Admiralty Pattern" although I've been unable to find AP 19744 when searching for Admiralty reference numbers. The naval air service suggestion is a good one. I have an ex-RAF friend who runs a squadron association and he tells me that amongst their membership they have several ex-RAF aircraft fitters who may remember these units in service, so I'm waiting for his response. I've seen several pictures of the Evershed & Vignoles wood-cased bonding tester, which suggests that many more of these have survived than the Bakelite-cased Record equivalents. I would put money on the fact that the movements are identical, and probably made by E&V anyway.

Kevin, I think "Ducter" is or was a registered trademark of Megger Limited. I've seen it spelled "Ductor" too, and the term seems to be used generically for any very-low-reading ohmmeter, whether made by Megger or any other manufacturer.

Thanks again.
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