[Hallicrafters] Hallicrafters Dial Stringing Tips

[wa1kbq at aol.com]

The trick with dial string is to stay away from the cheap Chinese 
imposter stuff sold for dial string today. If you want to see a good 
high quality string look at dial string National installed in the 
Thirties. Most National string is still as good as it was 70 years ago. 
If I needed to replace a string I would probably try to find NOS 
General Cement of the correct size but I would cut and hang the needed 
length from a weight for a while first to pre-stretch it. The springs 
are designed to store enough tension to allow for temperature and 
humidity changes along with some expected stretching. In addition to 
dial string springs some Hallicrafters have tuner drive trains with 
spring loaded split gears which need to be disassembled for cleaning. 
SX-88's in particular often have flat spotted ball bearings after 55 
years of exposure combined with dried out lube. I have found it is 
easier to synchronize the gears first and install the springs 
afterwards but I slip a piece or wire through the spring in case the 
first attempt results in the spring flying across the room before I get 
it properly in place.

Regards, Greg