Another POSSIBLE substitute for drive cord - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

ukcol · 9th May 2015, 11:18 am

I bought from Boyes yesterday, from the crafts section, some Black Bead Thonging. It is available in 4 yard lengths and is 1mm in diameter. It looks like it may be suitable for use as drive cord but I haven't got an immediate requirement for any and so haven't been able to try it out, hence the "POSSIBLE" in the thread title. At £1.49 I thought it was worth getting some for stock.

Refugee · 9th May 2015, 12:24 pm

I have used necklace cord with success even on Phillips sets with all the complication. Is that the same stuff?

ukcol · 9th May 2015, 1:58 pm

I suspect it is; they call it Bead Thonging but I believe it is for necklace making.

I did BTW, a crude test with a round screw-driver blade and it seems to have plenty a grip.

Refugee · 11th May 2015, 5:24 am

It is quite waxy and has good adhesion to steel and can be twiddled to form a point for feeding through Phillips tuner flexy tubes.

murphy512 · 2nd Dec 2015, 12:17 am

I have used some 1mm Roman blind cord on a Ferguson 208U and it appears to work very well.
It comes in a 20 m length and was only a couple of pounds.

Skywave · 2nd Dec 2015, 2:11 pm

On a couple of occasions I've used plastic thread intended for making cableforms. It's reasonably stretchy and does give a reasonable grip on the drum and tuning spindle.

Al.

telstar · 2nd Dec 2015, 3:12 pm

Hi. Another good substitute for cable drive (used in Philips & Mullard radios) is cord used by the building industry (made by Draper). It is thick enough for the job, and it works very well. My Mullard MAS281 required its cursor drive replacing, and after fiddling about with replacement cable and thinner drive cords (the latter did not work as it was too thin for the cursor plates to grip it).
Cheers
Mike

FrankB · 7th Dec 2015, 11:02 pm

Cod line aka Cuttyhunk, works fantastic for thicker dial cords.
I still have 2 full reels of it on the Halibut reels my father had.

TrevorG3VLF · 7th Dec 2015, 11:54 pm

I have some pretty orange cord which I use for guy rope for my mast.
It is 1.6mm diameter and consists of 3 x 3 strands, 0.3mm diameter. I have used a single strand of this for a dial cord.

If you wish to have some, let me know either your address or telephone number and how much you want.

joebog1 · 8th Dec 2015, 6:39 am

I have seen a few posts here re: Dial Cord.
If you have trouble getting hold of it, I can do an order from my supplier for you
by "you" a larger order of maybe 5 or 10 rolls is better for me as it costs $16.50 for freight from Sydney to me.
Its very high quality, and I havent had any drama with fitting it.
It fits into the "medium" thickness category. Air mail from Australia to Britain costs a few bucks ( maybe $20)

If you need some I can organise it for you

Joe

joebog1 · 8th Dec 2015, 6:50 am

I maybe should have added:
I have 3 types of dial cord; two of which are like me old

BUT to give you an idea of size here goes
Thick dial cord = .8mm diameter
Medium is the 100 mtr roll I offered to get if needed it measures .65 mm dia.
Thin = .4mm dia
I measured these cords with my Helios dial guage!!. So the measurements are pretty accurate.

Joe

Heatercathodeshort · 8th Dec 2015, 10:07 pm

I have used the strengthening cord from stripped out rubber mains cable and non kink iron flexes. Pull it over a candle before fitting. It works a treat! John.

Andrew B · 16th Feb 2016, 5:53 pm

I use thread designed for stitching leather, it does have a preparation (wax?) on it, but it's very strong and grips well.

Oldcodger · 16th Feb 2016, 10:48 pm

Andrew- from memory for leather work, it's not beeswax, but one which is water resistant. but if it's the same thickness as used in the shoemaking trade, I'd think it's a bit heavy. I've found that at around 12m , the strip cord in 8w telephone cable works well .

marconi_pete · 18th Feb 2016, 12:57 am

I've used Fishing line for replacing radio dial cords in the past with success. comes in different breaking strengths and thicknesses too. Well worth having some in the toolbox.

Thanks,
Peter

mark pirate · 18th Feb 2016, 9:47 am

I have been using cord from a kiddies kite for the last few years, it is the correct diameter, grips well and does not stretch. It also looks identical to the original

I have re-strung quite a few sets with it, and still have loads left. Certainly well worth keeping an eye out for!

Mark

9th May 2015, 11:18 am	#1
ukcol Rest in Peace Join Date: May 2003 Location: Harlaxton, Lincolnshire, UK. Posts: 3,944	Another POSSIBLE substitute for drive cord I bought from Boyes yesterday, from the crafts section, some Black Bead Thonging. It is available in 4 yard lengths and is 1mm in diameter. It looks like it may be suitable for use as drive cord but I haven't got an immediate requirement for any and so haven't been able to try it out, hence the "POSSIBLE" in the thread title. At £1.49 I thought it was worth getting some for stock.

9th May 2015, 12:24 pm	#2
Refugee Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK. Posts: 5,553	Re: Another POSSIBLE substitute for drive cord I have used necklace cord with success even on Phillips sets with all the complication. Is that the same stuff?

9th May 2015, 1:58 pm	#3
ukcol Rest in Peace Join Date: May 2003 Location: Harlaxton, Lincolnshire, UK. Posts: 3,944	Re: Another POSSIBLE substitute for drive cord I suspect it is; they call it Bead Thonging but I believe it is for necklace making. I did BTW, a crude test with a round screw-driver blade and it seems to have plenty a grip.

11th May 2015, 5:24 am	#4
Refugee Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK. Posts: 5,553	Re: Another POSSIBLE substitute for drive cord It is quite waxy and has good adhesion to steel and can be twiddled to form a point for feeding through Phillips tuner flexy tubes.

2nd Dec 2015, 12:17 am	#5
murphy512 Pentode Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: London, UK. Posts: 122	Re: Another POSSIBLE substitute for drive cord I have used some 1mm Roman blind cord on a Ferguson 208U and it appears to work very well. It comes in a 20 m length and was only a couple of pounds. Attached Thumbnails

2nd Dec 2015, 2:11 pm	#6
Skywave Rest in Peace Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chard, South Somerset, UK. Posts: 7,457	Re: Another POSSIBLE substitute for drive cord On a couple of occasions I've used plastic thread intended for making cableforms. It's reasonably stretchy and does give a reasonable grip on the drum and tuning spindle. Al.

2nd Dec 2015, 3:12 pm	#7
telstar Octode Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 1,592	Re: Another POSSIBLE substitute for drive cord Hi. Another good substitute for cable drive (used in Philips & Mullard radios) is cord used by the building industry (made by Draper). It is thick enough for the job, and it works very well. My Mullard MAS281 required its cursor drive replacing, and after fiddling about with replacement cable and thinner drive cords (the latter did not work as it was too thin for the cursor plates to grip it). Cheers Mike

7th Dec 2015, 11:02 pm	#8
FrankB Heptode Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Olympia, Washington, USA. Posts: 664	Re: Another POSSIBLE substitute for drive cord Cod line aka Cuttyhunk, works fantastic for thicker dial cords. I still have 2 full reels of it on the Halibut reels my father had.

7th Dec 2015, 11:54 pm	#9
TrevorG3VLF Rest in Peace Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Matlock, Derbyshire, UK. Posts: 1,378	Re: Another POSSIBLE substitute for drive cord I have some pretty orange cord which I use for guy rope for my mast. It is 1.6mm diameter and consists of 3 x 3 strands, 0.3mm diameter. I have used a single strand of this for a dial cord. If you wish to have some, let me know either your address or telephone number and how much you want.

8th Dec 2015, 6:39 am	#10
joebog1 Banned Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Mareeba, North Queensland, Australia Posts: 2,704	Re: Another POSSIBLE substitute for drive cord I have seen a few posts here re: Dial Cord. If you have trouble getting hold of it, I can do an order from my supplier for you by "you" a larger order of maybe 5 or 10 rolls is better for me as it costs $16.50 for freight from Sydney to me. Its very high quality, and I havent had any drama with fitting it. It fits into the "medium" thickness category. Air mail from Australia to Britain costs a few bucks ( maybe $20) If you need some I can organise it for you Joe Attached Thumbnails

8th Dec 2015, 6:50 am	#11
joebog1 Banned Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Mareeba, North Queensland, Australia Posts: 2,704	Re: Another POSSIBLE substitute for drive cord I maybe should have added: I have 3 types of dial cord; two of which are like me old BUT to give you an idea of size here goes Thick dial cord = .8mm diameter Medium is the 100 mtr roll I offered to get if needed it measures .65 mm dia. Thin = .4mm dia I measured these cords with my Helios dial guage!!. So the measurements are pretty accurate. Joe Attached Thumbnails

8th Dec 2015, 10:07 pm	#12
Heatercathodeshort Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING. Posts: 9,147	Re: Another POSSIBLE substitute for drive cord I have used the strengthening cord from stripped out rubber mains cable and non kink iron flexes. Pull it over a candle before fitting. It works a treat! John.

16th Feb 2016, 5:53 pm	#13
Andrew B Heptode Join Date: May 2015 Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 512	Re: Another POSSIBLE substitute for drive cord I use thread designed for stitching leather, it does have a preparation (wax?) on it, but it's very strong and grips well. __________________ worried about the electrons entering the circuit and the smoke leaving Andrew

16th Feb 2016, 10:48 pm	#14
Oldcodger Nonode Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: West Midlands, UK. Posts: 2,181	Re: Another POSSIBLE substitute for drive cord Andrew- from memory for leather work, it's not beeswax, but one which is water resistant. but if it's the same thickness as used in the shoemaking trade, I'd think it's a bit heavy. I've found that at around 12m , the strip cord in 8w telephone cable works well .

18th Feb 2016, 12:57 am	#15
marconi_pete Hexode Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: London, UK. Posts: 347	Re: Another POSSIBLE substitute for drive cord I've used Fishing line for replacing radio dial cords in the past with success. comes in different breaking strengths and thicknesses too. Well worth having some in the toolbox. Thanks, Peter

18th Feb 2016, 9:47 am	#16
mark pirate Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK Posts: 5,185	Re: Another POSSIBLE substitute for drive cord I have been using cord from a kiddies kite for the last few years, it is the correct diameter, grips well and does not stretch. It also looks identical to the original I have re-strung quite a few sets with it, and still have loads left. Certainly well worth keeping an eye out for! Mark Attached Thumbnails