Grundig TK 35 Carrying Handle Repair

[DMcMahon]

The left hand side of the carrying handle on my TK 35 Reel to Reel is broken, the metal piece of the strap is sheared off.

Has anybody ever done a successful repair on similar ? the recorder is pretty heavy at 15kg so any repair needs to be strong.

Best solution would be a replacement handle, but this one is longer than other similar handles.

David

Edit Update - Carrying Strap is better description rather than carrying handle.

[DMcMahon]

It looks like some of my other old TKs (such as TK 20, TK 30 etc) have the same type/size carrying strap handle, most look intact and reasonable condition. Quite possibly one of these can be used as a donor for the TK 35 because at least one of the other machines is destined to be a spares machine.

David

[Silicon]

I have often wondered if the type of woven nylon straps used for rucksacks, etc could be used to replace the steel strip.

The ends of the nylon fibres would have to be sealed by heat/flame.
It may be possible to open up a hole on the nylon strap (for mounting bolts) with a pointed bradawl.

[Uncle Bulgaria]

I'd unscrew the caps at both ends (or however they come off) and cut a new steel piece to match, or weld the two broken bits back together. Equally, I'm sure Silicon's idea of a piece of strap or webbing would work. It depends on how well you can get it to look original, if that's your objective.

[DMcMahon]

Thankyou Silicon and Uncle Bulgaria for the suggestions.

I do not know how easy/practical it is to extract a broken steel strap from the plastic strap handle and then insert a new steel piece, also do not know where to get a suitable springy strap metal piece. Will have to remove the chassis from the case to be able to get to the strap securing bolts to remove the strap and see if the broken piece will pull out and see how it interfaces to the metal end caps.

I have just taken the TK 35 (plus many others) to an offsite rental storage location as part of an ongoing slow attempt to stop my house disappearing under a huge amount of equipment and accessories.

David

[Uncle Bulgaria]

From previous experience with similar sorts of handles, I'd surmise that there's a screw inside that will allow the whole cap to come off, and from your photos I'd also guess the strip just slides into the handle surround. If this is so, sliding it out and using it as a templet should suffice. If it's spring steel, then strips of varying sizes are available for a few pounds on eBay. Alternatively, it could be cut from an old saw with some decent snips?

[DMcMahon]

Tin snips is a tool I have often thought I should buy, now I have a reason to purchase some.

David

[DMcMahon]

Took some more gear to rental storage and after removing the chassis from the TK 35 box tried to remove the strap handle but could not budge it, so took the box back home.

After some struggling managed to remove the strap by a combination of levering and hitting a block of wood against the long securing stud.

After unfolding the edges of the end cap was able to pull the metal strap out of the outer strap surround and also push it back in.

Subtly different from the Grundig straps in this linked Thread because impossible to remove (in-situ) the end caps off the strap because both ends of the end cap are folded over the mounting piece (not that it would have helped).

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=185357

No access to any welding facility so will look to make a replacement strap. I have just recently thrown away some rusty saws, think they would have been too thick.

Dimensions of the metal strap piece is 15mm x 235mm x 0.55mm

David

[cliff2903]

Metal strapping used for wrapping pallets would seem ideal, scrounge a piece from a local builders yard or warehouse

[Phil__G]

You could try Roberts, one of their radio straps might match

[stevehertz]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bulgaria

I'd unscrew the caps at both ends (or however they come off) and cut a new steel piece to match, or weld the two broken bits back together. Equally, I'm sure Silicon's idea of a piece of strap or webbing would work. It depends on how well you can get it to look original, if that's your objective.

That load strip will be something like high tensile steel and as such may not be easy to weld, and not suitable for replacing with a mild steel strip.

[Uncle Bulgaria]

Yes, when it's that thin it'll be tricky too! Perhaps TIG and tempering afterwards would be possible? It looks as though it's failed at the bend, or close to it. Corrosion, or work hardening? Unlikely if its spring steel or similar. Perhaps cutting a new one from any thin steel would do the trick for the amount of use it's likely to have.

There are similar handles available for a few pounds for flight cases. Here's an example. Perhaps one can be found the right length and any holes adjusted to the relevant fixing dimensions, then fitted by sliding it out of the new handle and into the old grip?

Some of that strapping sounds like a good first experiment! At the end of the day, even if it's not the original formulation, it'll still be a piece of metal supporting the handle which will be better than no metal.

[Uncle Bulgaria]

Might this be of use for spares?

[DMcMahon]

Yes thankyou, well spotted.

David

[Welsh Anorak]

If that doesn't work out I do have a TK35 for spares - the handle looks OK on it.

[DMcMahon]

OK Glyn, I will see how I get on with the strap handle from whiskas

David