[ARC5] ARC 5 AGC problem solved

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

Ahhh...  I mostly quit playing with Command Sets back in the 80's but knew 
that the closure technique was the same as other caps and the vibrators that 
I've done a fair number of recently.  But I'll bet that the cans in the Command 
Sets are plated brass.  Which workhardens.  And annealing would likely destroy 
the mica disk.  Sorry for the forgetfulness.  Why did you decide to part them 
off in the middle instead of right at the rolled lip?

In a message dated 6/16/2005 3:49:58 PM Central Daylight Time, 
arc5 at ix.netcom.com writes: 
> >... Close the cutters and rock them 
> >toward the outside of the cap can.  Work around the lip several times until 
> 
> >the lip is standing up straight.  pull the disk out.  Repair the unit.  
> Seat the 
> >disk back down inside the lip and using a small shop hammer, work around 
> the 
> >lip tapping it back down agains the disk.
> 
> When I tried this, I found the alloy from which the cans are made
> was brittle and cracked all around the perimeter when lifting it up.
> What got tapped back down looked like hell; really cheesy.
> Perhaps it was my tools.
> I also never found a good, clean way to cut out the mica on top.
> I could get it done and, with patience, get it back looking OK,
> but only about half the time.
> 
> In my most recent experiments, I used a copper tubing cutter,
> like the ones used for copper pluming.  It neatly cuts open
> the can about 2/3rds of the way up the can.  Flipped the can open,
> cleaned-out the old gunk and the solder holes, installed the new
> caps and put it back together using a thin bead of steel-filled,
> grey epoxy.  Those looked pretty good, but it's been awhile
> 

Robert & Susan Downs - Houston
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