1950s Magnificent Magnavox HI-FI Console issues

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by WISCOJIM

Thirty seconds with a file is a lot of work?

Also I am really confused about what you said about any of those three switches would work. Are you looking at them size-wise only? All three are distinctly different in their applications and functionality.

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I'm used to metal working and filing a flat on the shaft, will take a bit longer than that. It depends what the shaft materal is, steel, aluminum or brass.
I'm a bit older than many of you and have the tools to perform, these tasks.

[Captainclock]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

I'm used to metal working and filing a flat on the shaft, will take a bit longer than that. It depends what the shaft materal is, steel, aluminum or brass.
I'm a bit older than many of you and have the tools to perform, these tasks.

That's my point, and that wiscojim doesn't seem to understand about me, I'm only 27 years old, and I haven't done a whole lot of metal working at all in my life with files or grinders and I don't have any files or grinders and with me being on disability and not currently having a job (except what little work I get doing repair work for people with vintage electronics) I don't get that that much money to buy stuff like a $200 bench grinder or a $150 set of files. I'm lucky to of even been able to of gotten the tools I have right now that I use which were given to me by relatives for Christmas gifts, or I had bought for a real good price at Aldi or Radio Shack, or even got from my Grandfather when passed away. I just want you guys to know that I'm just trying to do my best with what I have to work with and what knowledge and experience I have gained over the past 15 years of working on these things, just be thankful that I'm one of the very few millenials that's even got an interest in these antique and vintage radios and record players at all because to be honest most people in my age group (as attested to by many of the posts on here) would rather just chuck these old radios out than try to figure out what they are or how they work, let alone try to fix them! The mindset of the millenials is that if it doesn't have a way to hookup an ipod to it or if it doesn't have FM Stereo then its garbage.

[Captainclock]

Originally Posted by WISCOJIM

Thirty seconds with a file is a lot of work?

Also I am really confused about what you said about any of those three switches would work. Are you looking at them size-wise only? All three are distinctly different in their applications and functionality.

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I've not really done any metal work before and I kind of doubt it would take only 30 seconds especially when I have zero metal working experience.

As for those three switches I mentioned and linked to, I said that they might be possibilities because they are the same general style of switch as what's in this radio right now as far as having the 12 lug solder connections on a little wafer board is what I meant and also I believe that they could also be adjusted to do any set of fixed positions kind of like how the original switch was where they had adjusted some stops inside the switch to make it so it only went to the 4 positions that were needed for the tone control application that it was being used for.

[Electronic M]

Depending on the shaft metal and the file that is a 3-25 minute task.

You are seriously intimidated by not knowing how to use a metal file?....Seriously, would a screwdriver or saw intimidate you?....Cause a file is just as simple. I'm 24, there have always been tools laying around in my house, and I can't think of ONE that was too intimidating to just pick up and try to figure out and use on zero experience. And trust me files are not noisy.

You go to fleas, and presumably other second hand shopping.....I expect you could find a decent used file for 50 cents reasonably quickly if you keep your eyes open.

No money is a lousy excuse for letting a project overwhelm you....I've had times where I could not afford to buy caps, and needed to improvise with parts pulled from BPC TVs and dead CFLs, and had to sell at swap meets to get money to buy new sets, parts, and tools. Making gold out of dirt is an essential skill of restoration, and often that means stretching your dollar, material resources, tools and most of all your mind (to come up with better ways of doing so).

[Captainclock]

Originally Posted by Electronic M

Depending on the shaft metal and the file that is a 3-25 minute task.

You are seriously intimidated by not knowing how to use a metal file?....Seriously, would a screwdriver or saw intimidate you?....Cause a file is just as simple. I'm 24, there have always been tools laying around in my house, and I can't think of ONE that was too intimidating to just pick up and try to figure out and use on zero experience. And trust me files are not noisy.

You go to fleas, and presumably other second hand shopping.....I expect you could find a decent used file for 50 cents reasonably quickly if you keep your eyes open.

No money is a lousy excuse for letting a project overwhelm you....I've had times where I could not afford to buy caps, and needed to improvise with parts pulled from BPC TVs and dead CFLs, and had to sell at swap meets to get money to buy new sets, parts, and tools. Making gold out of dirt is an essential skill of restoration, and often that means stretching your dollar, material resources, tools and most of all your mind (to come up with better ways of doing so).

one of the flea markets I go to (which is where one of my customers that I repair some record players for him works and owns the shop) has a booth with nothing but tools in it and has hundreds of files in his booth for sale and I thought about buying a few files from him, but I wasn't sure what sizes I should get because I didn't want to get any files that were going to be too big or too small for what they would be used for. Plus I think he was a little overpriced, because he had a single file that was used and in kind of rough condition for $15...

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Captainclock

one of the flea markets I go to (which is where one of my customers that I repair some record players for him works and owns the shop) has a booth with nothing but tools in it and has hundreds of files in his booth for sale and I thought about buying a few files from him, but I wasn't sure what sizes I should get because I didn't want to get any files that were going to be too big or too small for what they would be used for. Plus I think he was a little overpriced, because he had a single file that was used and in kind of rough condition for $15...

When I go to estate sales, I always look at the tools in the garage or workshop. Many times, there is a box of old files or other items, but because I've a 50 year accumulation of those items, I seldom buy them.
For an estate, garage or yard sale, the first items most men look at are tools and it promotes attendance.
Someone stated: when advertising for a sale, always mention TOOLS, even if all you have is a rusty shovel.

[Captainclock]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

When I go to estate sales, I always look at the tools in the garage or workshop. Many times, there is a box of old files or other items, but because I've a 50 year accumulation of those items, I seldom buy them.
For an estate, garage or yard sale, the first items most men look at are tools and it promotes attendance.
Someone stated: when advertising for a sale, always mention TOOLS, even if all you have is a rusty shovel.

That would make sense but of course I don't get a newspaper at my place so I can't easily look for estate sales near me and when I would go out garage saling most of the garage sales I would go to usually just have kids toys or clothes or adult clothing or random knicknacks I have yet to go to a garage sale that had a decent selection of decent hand tools for sale.

[Electronic M]

Originally Posted by Captainclock

That would make sense but of course I don't get a newspaper at my place so I can't easily look for estate sales near me and when I would go out garage saling most of the garage sales I would go to usually just have kids toys or clothes or adult clothing or random knicknacks I have yet to go to a garage sale that had a decent selection of decent hand tools for sale.

estatesales.net I believe is the site some here use.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Captainclock

That would make sense but of course I don't get a newspaper at my place so I can't easily look for estate sales near me and when I would go out garage saling most of the garage sales I would go to usually just have kids toys or clothes or adult clothing or random knicknacks I have yet to go to a garage sale that had a decent selection of decent hand tools for sale.

I don't get a newspaper at my place, either.
I look up the newspaper online and look at the "for sale" ads. There they have the estate sales and garage sales listed. There's also "Craigs List".
I look at the Community newspapers, that come free in the mail.
As you said, most garage sales are dissapointing. I, a lot of times, just drive by when all I see are clothes racks and bric-a-brac.

[consoleguy67]

Is there really a reason for this thread to start running away like this? If he says he can't afford to buy the tools, let it be. Obviously, he's doing the best he can with the resources he has. Let's just all try to help one another the best we can. That's what this site is supposed to be about.

[Captainclock]

Originally Posted by consoleguy67

Is there really a reason for this thread to start running away like this? If he says he can't afford to buy the tools, let it be. Obviously, he's doing the best he can with the resources he has. Let's just all try to help one another the best we can. That's what this site is supposed to be about.

Thank you, finally a voice of reason!

Its not that I couldn't use a file (I've used one before at my parents place when I still lived there with them because my dad owns a couple of files) its just trying to figure out what size of file to use and trying to make sure I don't take off too much metal and ruin the knob in the process. I know I could go to a flea market to get some files, in fact there's a booth at the one flea market where one of my customers works at that has hundreds of files for sale in his booth but the intimidating part is like I said trying to find the right size of file for the task, I don't want to get too big of a file and end up taking too much metal off of the control's shaft and then ruin it and I don't want to get too small of one either and take too little metal off and then not have the knob fit at all.

[WISCOJIM]

Originally Posted by consoleguy67

Let's just all try to help one another the best we can. That's what this site is supposed to be about.

That's funny, I thought the advice I gave was to help him out: "You should really learn sometime how to use basic hand tools. You'll be amazed how much money you can save in a lifetime by learning basic tool skills and investing in a very modest number of tools.

You at age 27 have a tremendous resource that us older guys didn't have. You-tube can quickly and easily show you how to do most anything."

I'm exiting this thread now, I have more important things to do. The Green Bay Packers game is on!

.

[Captainclock]

Originally Posted by WISCOJIM

That's funny, I thought the advice I gave was to help him out: "You should really learn sometime how to use basic hand tools. You'll be amazed how much money you can save in a lifetime by learning basic tool skills and investing in a very modest number of tools.

You at age 27 have a tremendous resource that us older guys didn't have. You-tube can quickly and easily show you how to do most anything."

I'm exiting this thread now, I have more important things to do. The Green Bay Packers game is on!

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Good luck with that endevour, last I checked the packers sucked eggs.

Also last I checked when you commented on one of my other threads I had posted the one about the old sony tv I had found at the goodwill dropbox, you weren't the least bit helpful in that thread, if anything you were being a troll, which I don't like internet trolls because they're just a pain in the arse.

Also I never said I wouldn't eventually invest in some files but right now I can't also if you would of paid attention to my posting I had just posted you would of seen that I had said that I was intimidated by trying to figure out what size of file to get rather than just the use of it, because as you know mr. expert files come in all different shapes and sizes and you have to get the right one for the task you need to do and if you get the wrong one then you have the potential to ruin your projects.

Now can we please get this thread back on topic!?

[Electronic M]

A file can't be physically too large. It can have too course or too fine of cutting surface.
Your best bet is to get one 1/2"-1" wide by 6-10" long rectangular file with cutting grooves shallower and closer spaced than mechanical pencil lead on down.

Bring a penny or some small piece of metal and ask to try it out. You should get a feel for what you need based on how fast it grinds the sample metal down, how smooth it feels, and how smooth the metal is afterwards....If you have done business with the seller before perhaps you could borrow it from him.

As for how much to remove use the old knob shaft as a guide...Once you have removed almost enough gently try to fit the knob, if too snug remove a bit more, check fit, and repeat till you have it. It is hard to screw up if you pay attention.
All of this should not be hard for you to figure out.
Also make sure you know which way it's going to be installed, and at what position on the shaft's rotation the flat needs to be (so the knob pointer lines up)...That should not be hard for you to figure out.

[Captainclock]

Originally Posted by Electronic M

A file can't be physically too large. It can have too course or too fine of cutting surface.
Your best bet is to get one 1/2"-1" wide by 6-10" long rectangular file with cutting grooves shallower and closer spaced than mechanical pencil lead on down.

Bring a penny or some small piece of metal and ask to try it out. You should get a feel for what you need based on how fast it grinds the sample metal down, how smooth it feels, and how smooth the metal is afterwards....If you have done business with the seller before perhaps you could borrow it from him.

As for how much to remove use the old knob shaft as a guide...Once you have removed almost enough gently try to fit the knob, if too snug remove a bit more, check fit, and repeat till you have it. It is hard to screw up if you pay attention.
All of this should not be hard for you to figure out.
Also make sure you know which way it's going to be installed, and at what position on the shaft's rotation the flat needs to be (so the knob pointer lines up)...That should not be hard for you to figure out.

OK, I'll keep that in mind when I go back there again (I'm currently working on an old Silvertone stereo suitcase record player for the owner of the flea market in question) and no I haven't done any business with the booth owner before and I've never actually seen him there before so I don't know if I would be able to borrow a file from him or not.

I did get an offer from someone on audio karma where they said that they had the guts from a similar console that they could get me the parts from so hopefully I could just get the control from him and maybe the knob from the turntable as well from him. Although the only problem is that I had sent him a private message on there, like he told me to, and I haven't heard back from him yet and this was on tuesday of this past week, so I don't know if he was maybe just too busy or something.