Centralab rotary switch kit

[WB6VHE]

Greetings fellow AM'ers!

I have recently come into possession of a kit made by Centralab for constructing your
own rotary switches.  The kit contains hundreds of parts:  contacts, wafers, rivets of
various sizes, spacers, etc., as well as several small tool steel "anvils" (for lack of a better,or
correct, description).  My problem is that I cannot figure out what should go where,
especially with respect to the various size rivets, and how to actually attach the rivets
to the contacts/wafers.  Does anyone have, or know where I can get, some info on this?
A set of instructions/manual would be just the ticket.  This kit has the potential to be
a tremendous resource for me as a homebrewer, but as it stands I cannot use it!

Thanks, and 73!

[WA1GFZ]

Very cool kit. I saw one about 30 years ago. Get some switches and see how the rivets are peened over. Also have seen rivits soldered to assure good electrical contact. I suppose the hardest thing is to not over do it with the rivets. The kit I saw just had many bins of various type of switch elements.

[WB6VHE]

Thanks for the reply; sounds like the same kit I have.  There are dozens of small vials filled with parts.
I experimented with the rivets last night, and it looks like a tool is necessary to get them to fold over
properly.  I tried using a center punch to first expand the rivet and then a flat punch to smash it down,
but the results were less than great.  Maybe I can make a tool.  I bet there was an instruction sheet
with this kit.  Maybe one will turn up!  Until then, I'll try and wing it.  I did use the kit to build up
a shorting-type rotary switch from two already riveted wafers off another switch I had, using parts from
the kit, and that worked FB.

[Jim, W5JO]

Google W5JI who lives here in the Sulphur, OK area.  I think he has a kit like that and maybe the instructions.  There is a special took for forming those rivets and if you didn't get it, that is a shame. 

My wife bought some kind of rivet kit to put eyelets in fabric from a shop such as Hobby Lobby.  I don't know if they would have a tool to fit those size rivets, but it might be worth a try.

JIm/W5JI has his email on QRZ so you can email him.