Missing rubber feet - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Audio1950 · 12th May 2010, 10:37 pm

It's often difficult to get matching rubber feet for the base of radios and record players, or in my case gramophones, so I tried making my own. It worked! The replacements are a bit harder than the originals, but they look good.
Get a lump of Plasticine (must be genuine "Plasticine"-explanation coming up), and push one of the original feet into it, (grease the original first), remove, and then mix up some quick setting Araldite, with just a tiny amount of acrylic artists colour, which you can get from any hobby shop, in a squeezy bottle. If you add to much colour, it won't set properly. I found dipping a cocktail stick into the paint couple of times picked up enough to give a good dense colour. Drop the Araldite into the mould, and very gently stir to get rid of air bubbles, and then when set, after about half an hour, place on a baking tray in a warm oven (about 100 deg C) for about an hour. If you have't used Genuine "Plasticine", you will have a pool of molton gunk on the other half's best baking tray, and you're in trouble. The real stuff will stay in one piece, and can be easily removed, leaving you with a pretty good copy of the original foot, which can be cleaned up with white spirit. If you have no original to go by, you can always make them to your own design by using wooden dowelling, washers etc, and a bit of imagination to make the mould. When finished, they can be drilled and sanded. I found that the slow setting Araldite gave a really hard , glossy finish to the feet, whereas the rapid stuff gave a slightly rubbery and duller finish. I usually make about ten at a time, because they do sometimes get air bubbles and a couple have to be discarded from every batch.

Barry

Radio_Dave · 13th May 2010, 3:03 pm

Nice idea! I wonder if that black silicone sealant/mastic stuff would work?

Audio1950 · 13th May 2010, 5:32 pm

No, Dave, it doesn't, as any weight on it causes it to flatten out competely.

Barry

chipp1968 · 15th May 2010, 11:15 pm

You can buy rubber feet in places like B&Q.
Any pics of your work?

Audio1950 · 16th May 2010, 2:17 pm

The only ones I've seen for sale are the ones with a countersink in the base to fit with a screw. The ones I made are held captive by a metal corner shield, and therefore needed to be plain, and only slightly domed, with a larger circumference where they are held by the shield. Impossible to buy! The ones I made are now installed on the gramophone I made them for, but the next lot I do, I'll photograph and post.

Barry

chipp1968 · 18th May 2010, 8:40 am

Ah i see. Im surprised araldite is strong enough .Presumably the baking process does something to it?

Audio1950 · 18th May 2010, 10:03 am

When the Araldite is still in the mould, yes, it's quite rubbery, but if not baked, will flatten if sustained weight is put on it. After the baking, and while still warm from the oven, it gradually hardens to the consistency of plastic. As I said, when completely set, it can be sanded, filed and drilled. If you need the sort of feet that hammer in with an integral pin, these can be put into the Araldite whilst still liquid, and held with a piece of Plasticine. When completely set, the finished feet are strong enough to withstand light hammer blows. Again, the feet are harder than the originals, but they serve their purpose, and look convincing enough for me!
Barry

12th May 2010, 10:37 pm	#1
Audio1950 Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Whittlesey, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 3,763	Missing rubber feet It's often difficult to get matching rubber feet for the base of radios and record players, or in my case gramophones, so I tried making my own. It worked! The replacements are a bit harder than the originals, but they look good. Get a lump of Plasticine (must be genuine "Plasticine"-explanation coming up), and push one of the original feet into it, (grease the original first), remove, and then mix up some quick setting Araldite, with just a tiny amount of acrylic artists colour, which you can get from any hobby shop, in a squeezy bottle. If you add to much colour, it won't set properly. I found dipping a cocktail stick into the paint couple of times picked up enough to give a good dense colour. Drop the Araldite into the mould, and very gently stir to get rid of air bubbles, and then when set, after about half an hour, place on a baking tray in a warm oven (about 100 deg C) for about an hour. If you have't used Genuine "Plasticine", you will have a pool of molton gunk on the other half's best baking tray, and you're in trouble. The real stuff will stay in one piece, and can be easily removed, leaving you with a pretty good copy of the original foot, which can be cleaned up with white spirit. If you have no original to go by, you can always make them to your own design by using wooden dowelling, washers etc, and a bit of imagination to make the mould. When finished, they can be drilled and sanded. I found that the slow setting Araldite gave a really hard , glossy finish to the feet, whereas the rapid stuff gave a slightly rubbery and duller finish. I usually make about ten at a time, because they do sometimes get air bubbles and a couple have to be discarded from every batch. Barry Last edited by Station X; 15th May 2010 at 8:10 am. Reason: Temperature corrected.

13th May 2010, 3:03 pm	#2
Radio_Dave Nonode Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 2,543	Re: Missing rubber feet Nice idea! I wonder if that black silicone sealant/mastic stuff would work?

13th May 2010, 5:32 pm	#3
Audio1950 Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Whittlesey, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 3,763	Re: Missing rubber feet No, Dave, it doesn't, as any weight on it causes it to flatten out competely. Barry

15th May 2010, 11:15 pm	#4
chipp1968 Rest in Peace Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Somerset, UK. Posts: 2,356	Re: Missing rubber feet You can buy rubber feet in places like B&Q. Any pics of your work?

16th May 2010, 2:17 pm	#5
Audio1950 Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Whittlesey, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 3,763	Re: Missing rubber feet The only ones I've seen for sale are the ones with a countersink in the base to fit with a screw. The ones I made are held captive by a metal corner shield, and therefore needed to be plain, and only slightly domed, with a larger circumference where they are held by the shield. Impossible to buy! The ones I made are now installed on the gramophone I made them for, but the next lot I do, I'll photograph and post. Barry

18th May 2010, 8:40 am	#6
chipp1968 Rest in Peace Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Somerset, UK. Posts: 2,356	Re: Missing rubber feet Ah i see. Im surprised araldite is strong enough .Presumably the baking process does something to it?

18th May 2010, 10:03 am	#7
Audio1950 Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Whittlesey, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 3,763	Re: Missing rubber feet When the Araldite is still in the mould, yes, it's quite rubbery, but if not baked, will flatten if sustained weight is put on it. After the baking, and while still warm from the oven, it gradually hardens to the consistency of plastic. As I said, when completely set, it can be sanded, filed and drilled. If you need the sort of feet that hammer in with an integral pin, these can be put into the Araldite whilst still liquid, and held with a piece of Plasticine. When completely set, the finished feet are strong enough to withstand light hammer blows. Again, the feet are harder than the originals, but they serve their purpose, and look convincing enough for me! Barry