Two Simple and Not Very Technical Questions

[WA2OLZ]

As mentioned in an earlier thread, I have little to no practical technical skills when it comes to rebuilding boat anchors. Parts are starting to arrive for my recently acquired Globe Scout 40A so the process begins.Found a bad switch on the filament pot. Replaced it OK, although it was a bear to get to. That's also when I discovered sixty-year old solder really does not like to melt very easily. But, onto the two simple questions:

1. I bought 10W resistors to replace all of the originals. The first three I disconnected from the circuit measure within 5% of spec. Since they're tough to get to, I'm wondering if I could just leave the originals in place or is that asking for trouble?

2. The bearings for the shaft of the variable condensers were apparently lubed with some kind of yellow-brown lubricant. It must have been cheap stuff because it's more like yellow-brown crud now. One condenser has yellow-brown flakes falling off.  I reckon that stuff has to somehow be cleaned out (it's an open race) and replaced with some proper grease. What's the best way to clean them without removing them from the panel? Removing them from the panel would be a real b***h. Then, with what do I replace the lube?

No rush on this project, so it will take awhile, but it will be fun to resurrect the twin of my first-ever transmitter.

73,
Jack
WA2OLZ

[WQ9E]

Jack,

Are the resistors you are replacing 10 watt units?  10 watt rated resistors are most commonly wire wound types while lower power resistors in a unit that age are probably carbon composition. Wire wound units are inductive and should not be used to replace carbon if RF is flowing through them so be careful, bigger isn't always better.  Resistors can normally be checked in circuit without disconnecting either end, they tend to go up and not down in value.  Unless the resistor is shunted by something low resistance (i.e. a Q killing or loading resistor across a transformer or coil) then check it in circuit and if it doesn't read high call it good.

WD-40 is actually a pretty good and safe remover of crud and it doesn't leave anything behind (after evaporating) that will kill the new lube.  It is mostly kerosene with some light oil.  I have been using it to flush the National NPW drives for years and it does a great job of getting the old grease out.  With simple bearings you can put some paper towels around it to catch the debris and lightly blow them out with an air compressor.  But DON'T spin precision bearings with air as they can be damaged.  I use the same synthetic lube (Mobil) that I use for my tractor and truck grease fittings, seems to work well.

[WA2OLZ]

Thanks very much, Pete, for the great input. That's exactly what I needed to know.

The power resistors are wirewound so I should be OK there. Great news on using WD-40 and synth-lube. I have both and will be following your guidance.

Thanks again & 73
Jack
WA2OLZ

[WQ9E]

Hi Jack,

The wire wound resistors are fine unless they open up, otherwise they won't change value. 

Your Globe Scout 40A is a nice little rig, I have one that needs to make it to the restoration bench here.  I think the Globe Scouts are about the nicest looking of the small "entry level" rigs, some of the later WRL/Globe/Galaxy stuff had questionable cosmetics (in my opinion) like the Galaxy 300 but the early Scouts were  nice looking.  My first novice rig was almost a used Globe Scout 65 but a friend of my father's made us a great deal on a nice Valiant so it was many years later before I got my first WRL rig to restore- a Globe Champ 175.

[WA2OLZ]

I tend to agree - the 40 and 65 series were the 'sweet spot' for styling at WRL. Personal opinion, of course, but I think Leo drank a bit of the big fender fins and lots of chrome Kool-Aid that came along shortly thereafter. It's not that I wouldn't have enjoyed one but as a teenaged novice it took me a long time to come up with the $35.00 for a used Globe Scout 40A, plus $8.00 for shipping via Railway Express. I also have real nice 65B on the shelf I bought not too long ago. I had given up on finding a 40A and thought I would have to settle for it's bigger brother. No clue what I'll do with that now. As an aside, I know where 'my' original GS 40A is, but can't convince the current owner to let it go. I understand as it was his first novice rig after I had traded it in.

The Valiant was a great way for you to start. My fellow-ham friend in school had a Valiant his dad bought for him over at Harrison Radio in New York City. The funny thing is, there was no jealousy involved. I guess things were different then. Interestingly, when I decided I wanted to get back into AM I bought a beautifully restored Valiant, paid FAR too much for it and love to get on the air with it. It will be a bit strange to go back to 35 watts when I get the Scout on the air, but it'll be fun anyway!

Jack

[WQ9E]

The Valiant was a fun transmitter and it was the first piece of gear that I acquired when I got involved in vintage restoration.  I got my novice ticket in 1975 and VFO control was allowed but the power limit was 75 watts and it was difficult to keep the input power down to that level on 80 meters. I had to use far less than normal grid excitation but it was sufficient to check in to the Mississippi Slow Net which was the traffic net in the novice segment of 80.  My best novice DX with the Valiant was VQ9MI on 15 meters and that quickly became my favorite band.  I upgraded to general later that year and the following year the Valiant was replaced by a used Heathkit SB-102 and I built a SB-220 to go with it the following year.  I still have the 102 and 220 but my original Valiant is long gone.  Even though I got the SB-102 for SSB use it spent most of its time in the low end of the 20 meter CW segment and I upgraded quickly to Extra so I could go after some of the DX that hung out around 14.005 - 14.010

When using the Valiant I remember zapping myself a couple of times with the CW key since there was quite a high negative voltage on the keying line.  I instantly went from partially to fully awake a couple of times while trying to squeeze in a contact prior to school

[WBear2GCR]

Alcohol or other solvent will make the old lubriplate type grease that was typically used get soft and run... I like to flush these old bearing and sleeves fully and replace what was there with either silicone oil or silicone grease. Sometimes heavy synthetic gear oil or motor oil is also good since all of the above never gum up or thicken much.