[Hallicrafters] On a Method of Restringing a Dial

[Bill Gerhold]

On the splash page of this site I make note of my first dial restringing and
how great it went.  However, what I didn't mention how great it went after I
figured out how to do it with my fat little fingers and unsteady hand.  Here
is the method I used with great success.

Of course, a print of the string route really, really helps.  If you don't
have this then well, you have my sympathies.  Since I had the drawing, it
was simply a matter of following the routing letters "A-I".  That is, start
at "A" and finish at "I".  The finish part was for me, the hard part.  Since
I have had tremors, it was not possible for me to maintain the string tight
while at the same time tieing a knot at "I".  After a few tries, I came back
another day with a better idea and it was hanging on my perf board wall.

"CLAMPING FORCEPS".  I have had these little clamping forceps for years and
only used the rarely for holding things.  However, with the little jaws on
these things were perfect for the job at hand.  After restringing and ending
up at "I" again, I placed one small loop through the spring and held it
while with the other hand, clamped the string right at the spring tensioner.
Then, with (2) other forceps, one a 45 degree bend in it, I was like a
surgeon suturing up a wound.  I made (2) loops and knots, cut the cord,
placed nail polish on the knots and removed the clamping forcep.  PERFECT!

This may seem obvious to others, but it took me time to figure it out since
fine work with my hands is really a challenge.

K2WH