[ARC5] Tuning Cable Question

[Kenneth G. Gordon]

On 3 Jun 2014 at 13:33, Todd, KA1KAQ wrote:

> On Tue, Jun 3, 2014 at 1:26 PM, Mike Hanz <aaf-radio-1 at aafradio.org> wrote:
> 
>   On new sheaths, the spirals are lubricated and you can push and pull the
> > thing to get it to shorten and lengthen quite a bit.
> >
> 
> I've got a set of 5 short cables that appear to have gone through some kind of
> depot re-furb according to the yellow tag on them. They appear to have been
> packed with grease then had the ends taped up I guess to keep them supple (if
> you can even apply that word to steel cables) until needed.

I have had several of the MC-215 (?) cables here, all with those yellow tags 
on them, three of which I recently sold to be used in the restoration of a P-40. 

The cables had been stored for many years, and still had the grease and 
wrappings on the ends.

After thoroughly cleaning them, and after "breaking" the inter-stitial corrosion 
between the "wraps" by very carefully bending them back and forth over their 
whole length, they then "stretched" easily to accommodate the length of the 
center drive-cable.

As I bent them, gently, back and forth after cleaning and lubing them, I could 
distinctly hear minor "cracks" and "pops" as the corrosion released.

For lube, I used Tri-Flow "dirty-bicycle-chain" lube.

I then tested them on a 3-receiver control box with three receivers, and they 
all worked flawlessly and fit perfectly.

Ken W7EKB