Beolit 707 dial cord - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Colinaps · 28th Mar 2019, 10:37 pm

Evening chaps,

Has anyone here ever restrung a Beolit 707 without bloodshed or tantrums?

If so, how?

If only there was a way to hold tension on that wee spring and release it once everything's in place!

Otherwise the set is working well after doing the diode mod to the mains/batt switch, washing the tuning cap contacts out with deoxit and leaving it open for a few weeks to dry.

Cheers,

Colin.

alanworland · 28th Mar 2019, 11:57 pm

Not on a 707 but I have restrung others holding cord where required with masking tape.
Just have a swear box handy!

Alan

Colinaps · 29th Mar 2019, 1:07 am

The swear-box is full!

Had it almost right till I realised I'd wound the thing the wrong way round.
Fortunately I have about a mile of sea-dacron to play with when the original gets frayed to death...

Colin.

tri-comp · 29th Mar 2019, 12:01 pm

I spend a good deal of my first year as an apprentice learning how to restring old valve radioes and newer transistor radioes.
It was the priviledge of older tech's to refuse such simple and uninteresting work.
Lots of times I had to make do w/o any drawings or other help as it didn't really matter how long it took.
I suppose that says something about how apprentices were paid during their first year of studying

BUT, you can't beat the experience that comes from

and re-doing, and re-doing, and re-doing .....

rgds,

/Torben

Studio263 · 29th Mar 2019, 12:50 pm

Take the metal scale plate off first (a few screws), then its easy. There is a diagram of what goes where in the little diagram sheet inside the set, cord drives don't come much easier to do that these.

It is easier to tension the spring if you lace the cord around one of the pins that holds the pulleys rather than the pulley itself - I use the one most distant from the drum. Then, when its all in place, just derail the cord off the pin and back onto the pulley (like how the gears change on a racing bike) and the spring will pull up nicely. Don't go too mad though, or the peg inside the drum which holds the spring will snap off.

la-jetee · 27th Aug 2019, 9:31 am

Hi, Studio 623! Thanks for your good advice. I have the little fold-out sheet in the envelope with circuit diagrams etc on it, but it has no details about the dial cord. Have you any hints or tips? How long should the cord be? Or do you cut it to length after you've wound it round the drum? Is it obvious which way to wind it and at which end of its travel the tuning shaft should be? Questions, questions! Thanks.

28th Mar 2019, 10:37 pm	#1
Colinaps Pentode Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Roxburghshire, UK. Posts: 196	Beolit 707 dial cord Evening chaps, Has anyone here ever restrung a Beolit 707 without bloodshed or tantrums? If so, how? If only there was a way to hold tension on that wee spring and release it once everything's in place! Otherwise the set is working well after doing the diode mod to the mains/batt switch, washing the tuning cap contacts out with deoxit and leaving it open for a few weeks to dry. Cheers, Colin.

28th Mar 2019, 11:57 pm	#2
alanworland Heptode Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Southend, Essex, UK. Posts: 803	Re: Beolit 707 dial cord Not on a 707 but I have restrung others holding cord where required with masking tape. Just have a swear box handy! Alan

29th Mar 2019, 1:07 am	#3
Colinaps Pentode Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Roxburghshire, UK. Posts: 196	Re: Beolit 707 dial cord The swear-box is full! Had it almost right till I realised I'd wound the thing the wrong way round. Fortunately I have about a mile of sea-dacron to play with when the original gets frayed to death... Colin.

29th Mar 2019, 12:01 pm	#4
tri-comp Heptode Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Aalborg, Denmark Posts: 903	Re: Beolit 707 dial cord I spend a good deal of my first year as an apprentice learning how to restring old valve radioes and newer transistor radioes. It was the priviledge of older tech's to refuse such simple and uninteresting work. Lots of times I had to make do w/o any drawings or other help as it didn't really matter how long it took. I suppose that says something about how apprentices were paid during their first year of studying BUT, you can't beat the experience that comes from and re-doing, and re-doing, and re-doing ..... rgds, /Torben

29th Mar 2019, 12:50 pm	#5
Studio263 Octode Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hampshire, UK. Posts: 1,578	Re: Beolit 707 dial cord Take the metal scale plate off first (a few screws), then its easy. There is a diagram of what goes where in the little diagram sheet inside the set, cord drives don't come much easier to do that these. It is easier to tension the spring if you lace the cord around one of the pins that holds the pulleys rather than the pulley itself - I use the one most distant from the drum. Then, when its all in place, just derail the cord off the pin and back onto the pulley (like how the gears change on a racing bike) and the spring will pull up nicely. Don't go too mad though, or the peg inside the drum which holds the spring will snap off.

27th Aug 2019, 9:31 am	#6
la-jetee Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Bath and North East Somerset, UK. Posts: 6	Re: Beolit 707 dial cord Hi, Studio 623! Thanks for your good advice. I have the little fold-out sheet in the envelope with circuit diagrams etc on it, but it has no details about the dial cord. Have you any hints or tips? How long should the cord be? Or do you cut it to length after you've wound it round the drum? Is it obvious which way to wind it and at which end of its travel the tuning shaft should be? Questions, questions! Thanks. Attached Thumbnails