Diddlesticks...

[AE1PT]

Diddlesticks, wands, alignment tools--once found everywhere seem to be as hard to find as a crank for a Model T...

The last of them I had twisted out last night on a stubborn slug. Poor little thing, I must have had it for 20 years. Now all this boatanchor gear lying about and nothing to adjust it with. No problem, I will just order a couple new sets online!

Right. :nono: Running through regular suppliers no dice. Finally I remembered that most of the ones I had at my shop 30 years ago were GC Electronics. Bingo! A lifetime supply is on its way to me.

Funny. I literally had a drawer full of these once. Even RS does not keep them in the store--and the ones they have are the ESG material that breaks when you look at them...

All the stuff for older practice is getting nearer to the unobtainable pile. I was really appalled this year in looking at just how many components and values of them--such as capacitors--are simply no longer to be found. Time marches on I guess...:-|

[NQ6U]

Parts suppliers used to give those things away much like businesses do with ballpoint pens. Now, people give you a blank stare when you ask for one. I think it's a matter of outlook; these days, the attitude seems to be "Realignment? Why bother? Just toss it out and buy a new one."

BTW, without resulting to Google, how many of you know what "GC" stands for?

General Cement

[XE1/N5AL]

I tried to buy an alignment tool at a Radio Shack many moons ago. They cost 69 cents, if I remember correctly. Anyway, as the clerk was about to ring up my mighty, sub-dollar purchase, another customer walked into the store to buy a color TV. The clerk dropped me like a hot potato and left me standing dumb-founded at the register: a dollar in one hand and the alignment tool in the other. Apparently, there was a lot of competition among the store salesmen and my guy didn't want to lose the commission from making a high-dollar sale.

[kb2vxa]

Diddle sticks are still around, trouble is there's very little left to diddle. Before you say it, THAT requires a different kind of diddle stick.

[WØTKX]

Parts Express has them too, direct, or via Amazon. When I get sticky slugs, sometimes it helps to heat the coil and form with a hair dryer or heat gun at a low setting. A little silicone spray for the really stubborn ones as well, but then you have to clean the mess.

[W2NAP]

i used to have a boat load of them... not sure where they ended up. but they aint around here anymore...

[NQ6U]

Parts Express has them too, direct, or via Amazon. When I get sticky slugs, sometimes it helps to heat the coil and form with a hair dryer or heat gun at a low setting. A little silicone spray for the really stubborn ones as well, but then you have to clean the mess.

Speaking of silicone spray, does anyone here know a source of a plastic-safe silicone lubricating oil that doesn't contain any petroleum products? The binary encoder that controls the VFO on my IC-736 is a bit sticky. The part is now unobtainable from any source other than a parts rig and the general consensus of the Yahoo group for that radio is that the best way to fix it is to use a an alcohol-based cleaner to dislodge any crud, then apply a very small amount of pure, low viscosity silicone oil. I've done the cleaning part, which helped quite a bit all by itself but, unfortunately, have come up empty in my search for the correct lubricant. Everything I've found online so far either has a petroleum based propellent/solvent or is only available in quantities of five gallons or more.

[K7SGJ]

Speaking of silicone spray, does anyone here know a source of a plastic-safe silicone lubricating oil that doesn't contain any petroleum products? The binary encoder that controls the VFO on my IC-736 is a bit sticky. The part is now unobtainable from any source other than a parts rig and the general consensus of the Yahoo group for that radio is that the best way to fix it is to use a an alcohol-based cleaner to dislodge any crud, then apply a very small amount of pure, low viscosity silicone oil. I've done the cleaning part, which helped quite a bit all by itself but, unfortunately, have come up empty in my search for the correct lubricant. Everything I've found online so far either has a petroleum based propellent/solvent or is only available in quantities of five gallons or more.

This is what I use for certain type clock parts and plastic parts affected petroleum products. I got it from a local copier sales/repair shop awhile back. If you can't find small quantities anywhere, and you want to try this, let me know and I'll find a small container of some kind and send you some. You may want to look up that unpronounceable ingredient on the bottle to insure it will work for your application. I generally apply it with a syringe and small needle that I get from the local feed store or vet supply.

7526

[NQ6U]

That's exactly the stuff I'm looking for. Someone is selling a pint bottle on eBay for $18 including shipping, that might be the way to go. Sure, I only need a single drop so it would be a lifetime supply but, hey, I've spent that much for lunch (although not recently).

[KC9ECI]

k-Tran tools?

[K7SGJ]

That's exactly the stuff I'm looking for. Someone is selling a pint bottle on eBay for $18 including shipping, that might be the way to go. Sure, I only need a single drop so it would be a lifetime supply but, hey, I've spent that much for lunch (although not recently).

It's great stuff. I had another bottle of it and it lasted me several years, but I use a fair amount of it in a year for many different applications. It does a very nice job on plastic and synthetic materials. Just be careful, as a little goes a long way. A pint for the average person would probably last a lifetime. Just store it in a cupboard, closet or someplace where it is dark and cool.

[AE1PT]

Parts suppliers used to give those things away much like businesses do with ballpoint pens.

Yeah buddy! Remember when most of the parts places had delivery--and a sales rep that would come to your shop to take inventory orders? Or the Sencore reps that were always stopping by to sell you their latest and greatest test thingy? All of these guys were good for a wand or two.

It's kind of sad and jarring to realize that what I did for a living for many years no longer exists in any kind of form like it once did. When I got out of it in 83, there were three local parts houses, and 9 large shops that also sold televisions. Now there are none there.

Sure, you still have the occasional hole in the wall, and a place that survives off regional warranty work--but really? The days are gone when I could take a truckload of trades to the flea market on the weekend and have $1000 or more in my pocket when I opened the doors on Tuesday morning. (I always was closed on Monday...) :-D

GC is still it as far as these tools are concerned. Here is the alignment tool catalog. I ordered the 18-530 kit, and a spare each of the hex drives.

http://www.gcelectronics.com/order/SubCatPDF/alignment%20tools%20Kits%20380-387.pdf

[NQ6U]

It's great stuff. I had another bottle of it and it lasted me several years, but I use a fair amount of it in a year for many different applications. It does a very nice job on plastic and synthetic materials. Just be careful, as a little goes a long way. A pint for the average person would probably last a lifetime. Just store it in a cupboard, closet or someplace where it is dark and cool.

I took the plunge and ordered a pint from the eBay supplier, I'm sure I'll find enough uses for the stuff to make it worthwhile. Thanks for the heads-up, Eddie.

[K7SGJ]

I took the plunge and ordered a pint from the eBay supplier, I'm sure I'll find enough uses for the stuff to make it worthwhile. Thanks for the heads-up, Eddie.

You bet Carl. Glad you found some. Youll find all kinds of uses for it. Try to minimize skin contact, too. I can't remember what it may do with long exposures, so I just wear disposable rubber gloves just to be safe. I'd hate like hell to have to have an addadictomy, or something like that.

[NQ6U]

Here is the alignment tool catalog. I ordered the 18-530 kit, and a spare each of the hex drives.

That's one of the weirder catalogs I've seen in some time. Pretty pictures but you can't even tell what kind of ends are on more than half of the tools by looking at them and the descriptions say nothing.

[AE1PT]

That's one of the weirder catalogs I've seen in some time. Pretty pictures but you can't even tell what kind of ends are on more than half of the tools by looking at them and the descriptions say nothing.

Yeah, the whole catalog is like that. Ordering is like something out of the 90s. Finding the order page involves entering the catalog number in product search, and then scanning down. Add an item quantity and then back up to where you were before or a new search. At the end it does not add the shipping cost. One specifies how it is to be shipped, but costs are computed at the time of shipment. WTF? I haven't seen anything like that in years. Bought a bottle of De Ox Id too. Not the Caig De Ox It...

I used to buy this shit by the quart from Leader Electronics (one of our big supply houses on the west coast of Florida back in the day) for my shop. Old shit, old school website... :lol: