[Milsurplus] Naval radio experts: captive screws and other mysteries

[mikea]

On Wed, May 11, 2005 at 02:20:38PM -0400, Todd, KA1KAQ wrote:
> I've heard this bemoaned on the list before: getting those $#@%&*!
> panel screws free of their little holders on old Navy receivers and
> the like. So I'm asking for the secret.
> 
> This last weekend at the Hosstraders hamfest I was able to pick up a
> R-649 Coast Guard LF receiver to use as a parts donor for my later A
> model. It's a restorable radio, but with all of the tubes missing and
> the need for a facelift, my plan is to use the parts from it to
> restore mine. No major surgery required, so it may still rise again
> later.
> 
> It has the nice chrome plated screws with the knurled heads, most of
> them anyway (missing 3). Mine has none, so obviously a swap is in
> order unless someone knows where to get duplicate screws. I have no
> idea what the thread is, other than it's a lot smaller than I
> expected. Those little round clips on the back look mighty miserable
> to remove, doesn't appear to be any way to get them off without
> trashing them.
> 
> Also curious about the secret behind those gray rubber-coated toggle
> switches. How in the heck does one get the rubber off to change a
> switch? Do they make replacement rubbers?
> 
> Best part is that it came with the knobs needed to repair the damaged
> ones on mine, as well as the terminal strips for power and audio,
> removed from the back. The rails are still mounted on the unhacked
> cabinet too, just need to find those big shock-type mounts - Berry
> mounts?

Captive screws generally (in my experience) just unscrew from the bit that
holds 'em captive; you may have to get a C or E clip off first, but that
just requires needlenose pliers to pull 'em off, or a pointy thing to pop
'em off. New C or E clips are available at (some) hardware stores, and
usually at most fastener houses; J&E Fastener in Oklahoma City has just
about everything.

You _can_ buy new captive screws; I don't see any in
the Mouser catalog, which rather surprises me, but a
Google search yields lots of hits, the first one being
<http://www.accuratescrew.com/Site-Map/Catalog-Pages.aspx?cb=1#Captive-Screws>.

In my experience, again, the rubber boot peels off the switch, and there
are a nut and washer to hold it to the panel -- most of the time. Sometimes
there's a pair of screws through the front panel into the front of the
switch body, but that's less common.

For Barry shock mounts, try 
<www.surplussales.com/Cab-RacksHardware/shockmount.html>.
They may have switches, rubber boots for the switches, and captive screws
for your rig, too.

-- 
Mike Andrews, W5EGO
mikea at mikea.ath.cx
Tired old sysadmin