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Old 13th Sep 2012, 1:03 pm   #1
wireful3
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Default Dial drives

Are there any basic books on design of dial drives? I am thinking of something like the basic books on electricity that cover Ohm's Law?

When I get a set with a broken cord, tangled at the bottom of the case. I use trial and error. What I don't do is keep notes on what I did, usually because I have so many attempts, I can't remember which nearly worked and which failed miserably. Once it is working I quit while I am winning and don't touch anything.

There are some things that happen often :- dial turning the wrong way, not covering the full range of the dial or capacitor, working one way but unwinding the cord so it does not work turning back.

With circular dials it I can see it as pulleys connected by a belt. Going to a linear scale from here is also fairly obvious. What throws me is when the belt is fixed to the capacitor wheel with a spring and makes more than one turn round the wheel. I would like to get to a stage where I can avoid the common silly things.

I did find a USA site with a great number of examples of drives for specific sets. Occasionally I have recognised a similar arrangement to mine but it is hard to search them all.
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Old 13th Sep 2012, 10:20 pm   #2
mickjjo
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Default Re: Dial drives

There is a good article on dial cord drives in Radio Constructor magazine, April 1971, part of the "In Your Workshop" series with Dick and Smithy. Available here:-

http://vintageradio.me.uk/radconnav/1971/apr71-1.htm

Very well written as usual.

Regards, Mick.
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Old 13th Sep 2012, 10:42 pm   #3
greenstar
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Default Re: Dial drives

There's a djvu book on the web link I recently posted 'Sam's Dial Cord Diagrams'. Not sure how good it is.
http://www.tuberadio.it/docs.htm
Tony

Last edited by greenstar; 13th Sep 2012 at 10:43 pm. Reason: link
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Old 14th Sep 2012, 9:45 am   #4
wireful3
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Default Re: Dial drives

Mick and Tony, Many thanks for your replies. I think the Sam's Dial Drives was the one I found. It is a very comprehensive set of diagrams. If there is one for the set in question it is very easy to follow. I just found it laborious searching for a specific set. I got the feeling also that there were few European sets. The "Your Workshop" piece is the sort of thing I was looking for as there are explanations as to why things happen and it will give some direction to my flounderings.

I don't mind the electronics problems. The mechanical bits often frustrate me. Apart from the dial drives there are so often silly things like :- How do I get the chassis out, where are all the securing screws, and how on earth did anyone get a spanner on that nut? There is also the principle I have found, that there is always one bolt that is rusted and seized. Usually the last one.

Regards
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Old 14th Sep 2012, 10:02 am   #5
lesmw0sec
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Default Re: Dial drives

I seem to recall that "Wireless & Electrical Trader" or similar, used to include a diagram of the dial drive when publishing service info. for a particular set. I am sure that some avid collector must have some of these stashed away in a dusty corner!

Les.
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Old 14th Sep 2012, 10:03 am   #6
lesmw0sec
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Default Re: Dial drives

Quote:
Originally Posted by mickjjo View Post
There is a good article on dial cord drives in Radio Constructor magazine, April 1971, part of the "In Your Workshop" series with Dick and Smithy. Available here:-

http://vintageradio.me.uk/radconnav/1971/apr71-1.htm

Very well written as usual.

Regards, Mick.
I remember that one of the D & S "punishments" for a cock-up, was a weeks compulsory dial-drives!
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Old 14th Sep 2012, 11:28 am   #7
wireful3
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Default Re: Dial drives

Very fitting!
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