[AMRadio] Steel chassis

[Donald Chester]

One more  what you thought would be a common everyday item for ever, now "no
longer made".

The selection of available manufactured goods is dwindling faster than
genetic diversity in commercially produced agricultural and garden seeds. Or
should I say drying up faster than manufacturing jobs in the USA.

I suggest you look in the older ARRL and west coast Radio Handbooks,
preferably pre-WWII. I recall articles that explain in detail how to
fabricate things like steel chassis bases and cabinets using simple hand and
small power tools. Sheet metal was bent by sandwiching each side of the
crease between two pieces of hardwood, clamping it down with C-clamps,
chucking in a vice,  and bending  the fold using a hammer, spanner or
adjustable wrench. 

Looks like we are going more and more back to the beginning when hams had to
fabricate everything out of what was available. If the old timers  were able
to do it, no reason why we can't do it as well.

Of course I am assuming you can still buy c-clamps and sheet metal. No
guarantee how long those will  remain available, either.

Last time I hit that dead end was when I found I could purchase only a very
limited variety of wirewound resistors, with an even more limited selection
of wattages and  power ratings. Luckily I was able to find what I needed by
digging deeper into my junk box collection.

I guess that's what is meant when someone sanctimoniously advises you to
"adapt to the 21st century".


Don k4kyv