Calibrated dial knob repair

I recently bought an old Eico 955 In circuit capacitor tester. It worked right away, but I am going to recap it. But there is a problem. The Calibrated dial knob wont clamp to the shaft. Someone apparently over tightened the set screw and cracked the part that fits around the 1/4" shaft. Someone also must have glued it, then broke it again. That only makes gluing it again a worse option because the old glue is gooped all over the pieces, so they wont fit together properly anymore.

Finding a replacement is likely not an option. Knob Part number - Eico 89678

How would you fix this?

I do have one thought. To carefully grind away the entire center part of that knob with a dremyl tool. Then take a new smallish knob with a set screw and drill out the 1/4" hole thru to the face of that knob, and use JB Weld to glue that new knob inside the old one. Of course the set screw has to line up with the original set screw hole. (there is room for a small knob inside). I might even have a solid aluminum knob that will fit in there, but I have to find them....

However, grinding out that center will be tricky and time consuming, since the new knob needs to be centered very precisely.

Reply to
tubeguy
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The knobs all look different, the number of shaft configurations is very limited...

Reply to
John-Del

Not hardly. Even at it's best, it was only +/- 10%

I would suggest grinding out the crack and old glue, then repairing the original knob with JB Weld. Allow 24 hours for it to set up correctly.

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Reply to
Fox's Mercantile

A few questions:

  1. Which knob?

  1. What part of the knob is cracked? Is it the plastic part or the brass center insert? I haven't seen too many knobs without this brass insert as threading the plastic doesn't last very long on small diameter knobs.

I'll assume it's the brass insert. These are very much the same for all similar sized knobs that use a 1/4" dia shaft. I've actually done what you're proposing. I used a lathe to insure that everything was centered. Instead of trying to totally drill out the brass insert, I used a smaller drill (or end mill) that left a thin brass annular ring. I removed that with a pair of pliers.

The replacement brass insert was provided by a random knob from my collection. I inserted a 1/4" steel rod into the knob, gouged two grooves 180 degrees apart in the plastic (being careful to NOT hit the brass insert), and split open the knob.

Since both the plastic knobs and brass inserts were knurled, there was no way these were going to fit together without some modification. After some careful measurement, I put the original knob back into the lathe, and enlarged the hole slightly so that the new brass insert would fit. I then roughed up the plastic with sandpaper to give the glue something to grab onto. I stuffed a grease covered steel (not brass) screw into the set screw hole, smeared the brass insert with epoxy, and let it harden. The nylon screw was easily removed, but if there has been some difficulty, I could easily have removed it with a little brute force.

Good luck.

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Jeff Liebermann     jeffl@cruzio.com 
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Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

A lathe and some aluminum to make a metal fitting, and some creative hollowing-out of the old knob, can fix it. Old plastic with cracks and glue just won't be a part of the solution (it needn't look like the original, IMHO).

If the shaft is fully round, consider a lock fitting as used on old trimpots: the knob can grab that shaft like a collet, but still come off with the right wrenches.

Reply to
whit3rd

The CALIBRATED one with numbers on it.

No brass parts, the set screw is in plastic, part of the piece that fits on the 1/4" shaft is broken away (opposite set screw).

Like I said, there is no brass in it. not the best quality knob in my opinion..... even if it is 50 years old.........

Reply to
tubeguy

This recently posted video might give you some ideas on what can be done:

Cloning Vintage Knobs (10:45)

I'm really impressed with his results. The list of materials in the video description section. If you want to go cheap, try Automotive Bondo and some mold release (or just some grease).

Drivel: The Kidney stones are finally gone after six weeks and three laser lithotripsy surgeries. Not much pain and no complexications. I win.

--
Jeff Liebermann     jeffl@cruzio.com 
150 Felker St #D    http://www.LearnByDestroying.com 
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Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

Wow, sorry to hear you were afflicted with those bastards. I've had them several times and had one lithotripsy as did my wife (we're fertile I guess). I passed a 6mm stone about three months ago.

Glad you're feeling better; drink more water and don't drink tea!

Reply to
John-Del

Medicine has progressed considerably since I had my last stone 10 years ago. These days, the doctors insert a stent (plastic tube) between the bladder and the affected kidney. This takes the back pressure off the kidney and therefore eliminated most of the pain. It was rather painful for about 2 days, until they inserted the stents (one for each kidney). However, there were some problems breaking up the stones with the laser and extracting the resulting rubble.

Water yes, but your advice about tea is wrong. Most stones are calcium oxalate. Prior to a few years ago, the recommendation was a low oxalate diet and low calcium diet. Tea has variable amounts of oxalate content depending on type. Same with many plant based foods (kale, spinach, etc). However, the main problem is not oxalates, but rather calcium. Reducing calcium intake is VERY difficult. I also have heart problems. Finding a diet that is suitable for both is difficult or impossible.

Today, the game plan of the year has changed. Instead of reducing calcium input, calcium rich foods are recommended to reduce kidney stone production. The idea is to have the calcium bind with the oxalates in the foods BEFORE the mix gets to the kidneys, where it gets precipitated as stones. These need to be in the diet, not pills, and need to have the calcium and oxalate foods eaten at the same time. For example, adding cheese to the salad.

"Oxalate content and calcium binding capacity of tea and herbal teas."

What go me was probably high fructose corn syrup, which is beginning to appear as a cause of kidney stone production: "The Not-so-Sweet Side of Fructose" "Fructose consumption and the risk of kidney stones" This was probably my problem as I had increased my consumption of soda pop over the last 10 years (when I had a previous stone). Oops. I'm still reading through the literature on the how this allegedly works, so please do not treat this rant and gospel.

--
Jeff Liebermann     jeffl@cruzio.com 
150 Felker St #D    http://www.LearnByDestroying.com 
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Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

e:

I was given the same info by the urologist, but I've found out that just ab out everyone I spoke to about kidney stones were all big tea drinkers. Whi le tea may not have any calcium oxalate, it may cause some sort of unknown reaction that will somehow foment something in the body that creates stones .

I switched to green tea (black tea is supposedly worse as are dark sodas), have just one cup at night during the winter, and chase it with a glass of water right before bed.

Reply to
John-Del

I doubt that the doctors have any idea about what to drink.

I am 68 and have drank Southern Black sweet tea as almost my only drink when I can get it. Never had a stone.

Fellow at work is a few years younger and he does not drink soft drinks. He has stones all the time.

Reply to
Ralph Mowery

Cutting to the chase, our younger cat (5-year old Maine Coon mix, 18 pounds , 7 ounces) nearly died of kidney stones (Struvite stones). We have had th e two of them on Royal Canin SO since then (2 years now). Comes as wet or d ry - and it seems to work. Might be a consideration.... ;-)>

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Plenty of Taurine!

It seems to help them keep their weight "good" as well. The big guy (at 21 pounds) has no bladder or kidney issues, but he gained weight on Meow Mix. Back down to a (relatively) svelte 21 pounds now, from 24 at peak. He can s till jump to the top of the refrigerator from a standing start.

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

Reply to
peterwieck33

t about everyone I spoke to about kidney stones were all big tea drinkers. While tea may not have any calcium oxalate, it may cause some sort of unkn own reaction that will somehow foment something in the body that creates st ones.

s), have just one cup at night during the winter, and chase it with a glass of water right before bed.

But we're talking about restrictions for folks who have a propensity to dev elop stones. People who have had one will usually get dozens or more in the ir lifetime.

Some people have to watch their sugar and carbs like a hawk. My A1C last c heckup was 5.0. I can eat sugar all day long and not worry about diabetes, and I'm 61 years old. Those (like my wife) whose A1C is higher have to wa tch their carbs and are given certain diet restrictions.

So we're not saying that a certain food or drink will give you stones, we'r e saying that those folks who are susceptible to kidney stones have specifi c foods and drink on their moderation list.

Reply to
John-Del

evelop stones. People who have had one will usually get dozens or more in t heir lifetime.

I worked with a woman in her 20s that started getting stones when she was 1

  1. Her Doc put her on, must have been, 20 types of diets, and 30 types of s upplements of one sort or another.

What finally worked reasonably well was a diet that included a fair amount of lemon or lime juice and one (1) 12-ounce beer each evening. So she had s ome Corona with her lime juice. Her Doc pretty much took the position that every person is different, and every person needs to find what works, whic h will not be the same as what works for someone else.

Reply to
peterwieck33

works for someone else.

Just like most drugs. What may work well for many may kill some.

I think it is funny in a way where the drug may cause constipation or give you the squirts, sleep or no sleep, and many other oppoists.

It is really difficult for me to even think of a drug that says it may cause death. If I was almost dead, I would probably give it a try as a last resort.

Reply to
Ralph Mowery

unt of lemon or lime juice and one (1) 12-ounce beer each evening. So she h ad some Corona with her lime juice. Her Doc pretty much took the position that every person is different, and every person needs to find what works, which will not be the same as what

I have been told that drinking 1 Miller Lite per day is a preventative for stones as well. I have heard this from a doctor as well as from 2 individ uals that had stones previously.

Reply to
dansabrservices

Popeye, the untold story.

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"I am a river to my people." 
Jeff-1.0 
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Reply to
Fox's Mercantile

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