Removing Dials on Bush TR82 etc.

[Alvin]

As you can see from the pic my rare Bush ETR82 has a chip on the bottom front edge so I plan to swap the front with one from a TR82C which will obviously entail swapping over the dials - I've had these things fall out of their own accord but the ETR82 dial hasn't yielded to gentle pressure from behind and being somewhat reluctant to resort to brute force for fear of wrecking it I thought I'd better ask here for any tips before I go in with the sledgehammer!!

Alvin

[Darren-UK]

Maybe something here will be of use.

[Robert Darwent]

Originally Posted by soundmix100

...which will obviously entail swapping over the dials - I've had these things fall out of their own accord but the ETR82 dial hasn't yielded to gentle pressure from behind...

Hello Alvin,

I think you are referring to swapping over the actual red printed metal disk underneath rather than the clear perspex tuning dial if I've understood you correct?

I've done this several times with various TR82's and VTR103's but have fortunately not had to with my ETR82. As you say if you are lucky they sometimes are just about ready to fall out by themselves! However I've had a few stubborn ones and found a liberal squirt with WD40 using the thin straw attachment between the plastic and metal glued surfaces does the trick.

Do this through the cut-out from the rear of the front panel and make sure any excess WD40 doesn't run on the red printed side. Leave it a while and then press carefully from the back and the glue should have softened enough to start the metal disk lifting.

Take it easy though with this particular model, as you are well aware not one to make a mistake with!

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by rrdmpb

Hello Alvin,

I think you are referring to swapping over the actual red printed metal disk underneath rather than the clear perspex tuning dial if I've understood you correct?

Yes that's right, the large clear tuning knob on these sets is often referred to as the dial but in my book the tuning dial of any radio is the bit with the writing on it - I'll have a go with your WD40 suggestion and report back but first I have to find the plastic straw, I forever seem to lose them!!

Alvin

[Radio_Dave]

I'm not sure about the transistor versions, but my MB60, certainly, has a painted dial and I'm sure WD40 would dissolve the paint

It has been suggested, before, on this forum (sorry can't remember by who) to give the cabinet, behind the dial, a sharp tap with a hammer, to shock the dial off. I've only tried it twice, but it worked .

However, it's only going to work if the old glue is brittle, so if you've already squirted it with WD40, then I wouldn't bother trying now.

David

[Alvin]

Well that's an idea. I haven't tackled the ETR82 yet but had no luck shifting the dial off the TR82C front I want to use despite several applications of WD40 over 24 hours - maybe this dial dropped off in the past and was reattached using somewhat stronger glue than the original?

Alvin

[mickjjo]

Another tip for removing the TR82 printed dials is to put the front panel in a freezer, as mentioned in the first post here:-

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...hlight=freezer

Regards, Mick.

[Robert Darwent]

Hello Alvin,

Sorry to hear you're having problems with the glue still holding fast. It may well be that someone has re-glued your TR82C previously, because normally the original glue has gone so hard and brittle that the disks are often detaching themselves and a sharp tap as Dave suggested removes them completely in such circumstances.

I've done successfully what you are attempting a good few times and WD40 has always worked for me. BTW it won't immediately do any harm to the red printed side unless you leave it there of course! Its just a matter of being careful and mopping up any that does find its way to the front of the disk.

I've not heard of Mick's suggestion of freezing before so can't really comment if that method works or not. But I would have assumed it might work by making the old glue even harder and more brittle. However if someone's superglued the disk on in an earlier repair its not going to do much either!

Only other thing I can suggest which I once tried on a stubborn disk was to carefully push a very flat knife blade between the glued surfaces through the cut-out at the rear and slowly go around in a circular motion gently prising the glue apart. It has several dangers of course, but can be done without damaging anything if you don't rush things and don't use too much force. But I'd only recommend it if all else fails. Plus watch your fingers!

Good luck with it anyhow.

[Alvin]

Well I tried WD40, I tried teasing it with a knife, I tried tapping with a hammer then finally bunged it in the freezer for a few hours following which gentle pressure from behind caused the dial to give a little on one side so I pushed a bit harder and this happened!!

Alvin

[Robert Darwent]

Originally Posted by soundmix100

...so I pushed a bit harder and this happened!!

Oh dear Alvin ! You've had really bad luck there, usually the dial's are not that stubborn to remove. I've never had the misfortune to come across one as bad as that one...yet!

Well all's not lost. If you can remove the missing piece from the back of the dial and superglue it back into place it will be completely out of sight when you replace the dial on top of it. It won't be visible from inside the case when you've replaced the chassis back into it either.

Don't let it put you off carrying out the dial removal on another Bush portable though. Next time it will probably turn out to be a good deal easier to do, normally they are ready to fall off by themselves with only a little persuasion. I can only think that someone else has glued that dial back on relatively recently with a modern adhesive!

Kind regards

[jbraes]

The service sheet recommends using "a rubber suction pad sink cleaner". In other words, a plumbers plunger. In theory, this should give an even and straight pull on the dial.

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by jbraes

The service sheet recommends using "a rubber suction pad sink cleaner". In other words, a plumbers plunger. In theory, this should give an even and straight pull on the dial.

If you'd read the thread through properly before replying you would have seen my question was about how to remove the printed red dial not the clear outer tuning control.....

Alvin

[paulsherwin]

Just as a side comment, people should be very careful when regluing the dials to the case. The print on the front seems to be easily damaged by various glue chemicals, as I found out the hard way. It's very important all the glue stays on the back of the dial even when it has been pushed back in place.

This is true of many printed metal tuning dials from the 50s, not only Bush ones.

Paul