Henry 2K band switch problem

[David Thompson]

I recently got a second Henry 2K RF Deck that is an improvement over my
older version as it has the separate 80 and 75 positions on the band switch.

The problem is my new band switch is very stiff and won't turn without great
effort. In the original Henry 2K series the band switch in the center of
the front panel uses metal dial string to turn three different switches.

Does anyone have an idea of how to loosen this up? My old deck has a broken
hub but was never too difficult to switch.

73 Dave K4JRB

[Scott Dorsey]

David Thompson <thom...@mindspring.com> wrote:
>The problem is my new band switch is very stiff and won't turn without great
>effort. In the original Henry 2K series the band switch in the center of
>the front panel uses metal dial string to turn three different switches.
>
>Does anyone have an idea of how to loosen this up? My old deck has a broken
>hub but was never too difficult to switch.

Have you tried Cailube?

You may want to try a light turbine oil on the sleeve the shaft passes
through, once you have cleaned the whole thing up with Cailube.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[David Thompson]

Scott,

Where do you get cailube? Is it lithium based?
73 Dave K4JRB

"Scott Dorsey" <klu...@panix.com> wrote in message
news:hg44i8$4ri$1...@panix2.panix.com...

[Scott Dorsey]

David Thompson <thom...@mindspring.com> wrote:
>
>Where do you get cailube? Is it lithium based?

Calube is a contact cleaner with a small amount of lubricant in it. It is
made by Caig Labs. I buy it from a local electronics retailer, Cain
Electronics, but you can probably get it from MCM or Parts Express or
Digi-Key.

It's probably just oleic acid in with some petroleum... it leaves behind
a light film on contacts that is mildly reducing and keeps contacts clean,
while also providing a small amount of lubrication. It's really a cleaning
product that happens to lubricate a little rather than a serious lubricating
oil.

Lithium salt-based greases are going to be way too thick for the mechanism
you're dealing with, unless you see something that is already greased. Stick
with the light machine oil on the dial string pulleys and shafts.

[David Thompson]

Great, I can probably get it from Ack Electronics in Atlanta. I have a
light lube spray that soaks in and does not gummy up like WD-40 does. Its
called pre-lube 6.

73 Dave K4JRB

[Scott Dorsey]

Ack are really good folks, they were always a huge help to me when I was a
starving student at W4AQL. I'm glad to hear they are still around. The thing
about Cailube is that it is a contact cleaner... it reduces corrosion and
it's okay at high voltages.

With the lube spray, be careful with it because it may not be okay to get on
the contacts themselves. If it's something like Superlube by Loctite, it's
also pretty thick once it dries and you may want a lighter oil than that.

Ace Hardware will carry Zoom-Spout Oil which is a light machine oil that
will work really well on the pulleys and the shaft. Or ask Ack if they
have a "10W turbine oil" or an "ISO 32 turbine oil." It's thicker than
sewing machine oil but thinner than medium machine oil.

[David Thompson]

Great Scott,

I will check on your recommendations. Tommy Ack retired several years ago
and suddenly became a SK. Another family member runs Ack now but he is not
a ham. I knew Ack W4ECI who actually started Ack in Birmingham in 1946. He
has been a SK for a long time.

Guess you knew Sandy W4RU (ex WA4ABY) became a SK recently. I hear from
Dave K0DI
from time to time. I gave a talk to the club in the early 1990's on
contests and log checking. It was still mostly hand checking even that late
although
we were already defining uniques, busts, and not in log.

Thanks for the help.

73 Dave K4JRB