[Hallicrafters] Dial Cord -- Slip No More Forever

[Barry Hauser]

Hi there, Halli-stringers:

Yup -- I've found that to be the case -- you have to stretch the spring
to an extreme to maintain tension after the cord has stretched. Sometimes
the tension isn't evenly distributed all around -- there's some slack
that "spreads" when you first run the dial full travel the first few
times, then it slips again.  With some dial cord arrangements, it's not
easy to keep everything tight as you string it.  Don't make a double knot
or trim off the string on the spring end before you've cycled the tuning
a few times.  Keep tension on the free end as the single knot will
otherwise slip.  You'll find the spring has compressed -- so just pull up
more on the free end (some jiggle jaggle involved), cycle it again.  If
all is well, do the double knot.

Here's another tip:  In addition to checking drag and lubricating the
bearings, clean the tuning drive shaft with alcohol.  Check it to see
whether it has become too shiny looking or burnished from wear over the
years.  The part where the cord goes around a few turns is not supposed
to be slick.  This is especially likely with fibre or other non-metallic
shafts.

It can help to roughen up the area with a sharp tool or some abrasive
wrapped around a stick. Roughen or score parallel to the shaft, as if to
make microscopic 'teeth' in the shaft.  It doesn't take much.  This helps
compensate for the smoother nylon cord which is often slippery.

I think the cotton covered fly fishing line sounds like a good idea too.

Barry



On Fri, 22 Feb 2002 15:56:22 -0800 (PST) Glen Zook <gzook at yahoo.com>
writes:
> The "stretching" of dial cords is one reason that
> springs are normally part of the mechanism.  Whenever
> I have to restring a dial, I always make sure that the
> springs are not only in place, but that they put a lot
> of tension on the dial cord.  That way, when the dial
> cord stretches, the spring will take care of it.  If
> you install the spring such that it is not on the very
> end, but such that it is in the "middle" of a span,
> then the spring will "take up" twice as much stretch
> of the dial cord.  This is "akin" to mechanical
> advantage when using pullys.
> 
> Glen, K9STH