[Milsurplus] A question of Value

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

Orange drops (and the maroon variants made by competitors) were designed 
for use on PC boards in the last few years of tube TV sets.  They are almost 
always a poor mechanical choice for repairs in older gear.  When you install 
them in place of an axial lead unit, you usually break the coating when you 
straighten out the leads by bending them 90 degrees.  And even if you don't, 
the resultant repair looks sloppy.  Due to experience I've also learned to 
consider their presence a warning to make sure they're the right value and 
not incorrectly connected.  Or evidence of wierd modifications that work 
poorly or not at all.  Mostly I use axial lead metallized polypropylene, either 
tubular or flat depending upon what I'm replacing.  The tubular ones are 
usually convenient drop-ins in oil-filled rectangular or bathtub capacitors.  I 
also hate the orange color.  But it does make possible mods easy to spot.  
:-)

In a message dated 12/19/2010 5:05:27 PM Central Standard Time, 
mark.k3msb at gmail.com writes: 
> On Sat, Dec 18, 2010 at 10:06 PM, <WA5CAB at cs.com> wrote:
> >> (1) If
>> the original components were missing and it was full of orange drops, it
>> would automatically be considered a parts set.
>> 
> 
> Interesting comment.   Most radios I recap I'm planning on using on a 
> regular basis; I am not hesitant at all about doing a complete "orange drop" 
> recap.   
> 
> Over the past several years though I've been carefully saving the original 
> components for each radio recapped with "OD Disease" so as to be available 
> in the future should I or someone else care to take the time to restuff 
> and use the 
> 
> 

Robert & Susan Downs - Houston
wa5cab dot com (Web Store)
MVPA 9480