[Hallicrafters] Cleaning dials

[Ian]

If you have the dial removed from an old piece of radio gear consider taking
a scan of it if you have a flatbed scanner.  We should all have scanners
since they're, after rebate, frequently available for well less than $25.
It's cheap insurance to save an image that can be lost forever.

Or if necessary set up your digital camera, if you have one, on a tripod and
take a good close up.

>From the scan or image adjusted to 1:1 the dial can be brought back from the
dead if necessary by some creative work with a photo manipulation program
(Photoshop, Corel, etc.) and with a color printer that can make
transparencies a pretty good copy can be created.

Of course if you have the talent and tools to do silk screens you're even
further ahead or you can pay to have a silk screen made.  It's been 55 years
since I've done silk screening but even then I don't remember it being all
that difficult if you had a good image to start with.

Maybe the group should start a "dial image bank" consisting of at least 300
dpi images of dials contributed by members of the group.

Happy Holidays --- like it or not!
Ian, K6SDE

-----Original Message-----
From: hallicrafters-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:hallicrafters-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of john
Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2005 9:46 AM
To: hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Hallicrafters] Cleaning dials

One hint:  DON'T


If you DON'T clean them:  The worst that can happen is that you might have 
an old-looking dial, appropriate for an old radio. Each time you use the 
radio, you'll be reminded of its age.

If you DO clean them:  You're likely to have a very clean blank place where 
your dial used to be. Each time you use the radio, you'll be reminded that 
you were warned not to clean dial scales, and like a bonehead, you ignored 
that advice. :-)

Merry Christmas!
John K5MO