Broken Bayonet bulb socket

I have an antique tube type radio (FM tuner) from 1947. It's a
"Pilotuner" model 601. It has a #47 bulb for the dial light. The socket
is one of the kinds that you squeeze the sides and it clamps into the
front dial plate. The bulb is a bayonet type, so there is a spring below
the bulb base.

Of all the years I've worked on old tube gear, I never had this happen.
I removed the bulb and the wire fell out the rear of the socket. I'm
sure finding a replacement socket wont be easy, so I'm trying to repair
this broken one. From what I see, that wire is soldered into the center
of the insulated piece below the bulb. (I think???). But getting a
soldering iron into that small hole along with a solder sucker to remove
the old solder seems to be a big challenge. Not to mention how much heat
that tiny insulated piece can handle. Taking it apart by the spring is
not an option since they pressed the metal inward and I wont even
attempt to mess with that.

Have any of you successfully repaired one of these?
Any suggestions or tips appreciated.

If nothing else, I suppose I can epoxy a plain socket to that clamp.

 

[John Robertson]

On 2019/04/09 4:26 p.m., tubeguy@myshop.com wrote:

I have an antique tube type radio (FM tuner) from 1947. It's a
"Pilotuner" model 601. It has a #47 bulb for the dial light. The socket
is one of the kinds that you squeeze the sides and it clamps into the
front dial plate. The bulb is a bayonet type, so there is a spring below
the bulb base.

Of all the years I've worked on old tube gear, I never had this happen.
I removed the bulb and the wire fell out the rear of the socket. I'm
sure finding a replacement socket wont be easy, so I'm trying to repair
this broken one. From what I see, that wire is soldered into the center
of the insulated piece below the bulb. (I think???). But getting a
soldering iron into that small hole along with a solder sucker to remove
the old solder seems to be a big challenge. Not to mention how much heat
that tiny insulated piece can handle. Taking it apart by the spring is
not an option since they pressed the metal inward and I wont even
attempt to mess with that.

Have any of you successfully repaired one of these?
Any suggestions or tips appreciated.

If nothing else, I suppose I can epoxy a plain socket to that clamp.

Those bayonet sockets are available from the antique radio web sites. Or
Nevada Surplus.

Don't you search first?

John :-#)#

--
(Please post followups or tech inquiries to the USENET newsgroup)
John's Jukes Ltd.
MOVED to #7 - 3979 Marine Way, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5J 5E3
(604)872-5757 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games)
www.flippers.com
"Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."

 

[Fox's Mercantile]

On 4/9/19 6:26 PM, tubeguy@myshop.com wrote:

From what I see, that wire is soldered into the center
of the insulated piece below the bulb. (I think???). But getting a
soldering iron into that small hole along with a solder sucker to remove
the old solder seems to be a big challenge. Not to mention how much heat
that tiny insulated piece can handle. Taking it apart by the spring is
not an option since they pressed the metal inward and I wont even
attempt to mess with that.

The "Plate" is phenolic with a brass eyelet. Soldering isn't going to
"melt" it.

Secondly it's NOT that far down the socket. What are you using an old
250 Watt American Beauty gutter iron?
Any recent iron with an 1/8" chisel tip shouldn't have any problem.



--
"I am a river to my people."
Jeff-1.0
WA6FWi
http:foxsmercantile.com

 

[Rheilly Phoull]

On 10/04/2019 11:01 am, Fox's Mercantile wrote:

On 4/9/19 6:26 PM, tubeguy@myshop.com wrote:
 From what I see, that wire is soldered into the center
of the insulated piece below the bulb. (I think???). But getting a
soldering iron into that small hole along with a solder sucker to remove
the old solder seems to be a big challenge. Not to mention how much heat
that tiny insulated piece can handle. Taking it apart by the spring is
not an option since they pressed the metal inward and I wont even
attempt to mess with that.

The "Plate" is phenolic with a brass eyelet. Soldering isn't going to
"melt" it.

Secondly it's NOT that far down the socket. What are you using an old
250 Watt American Beauty gutter iron?
Any recent iron with an 1/8" chisel tip shouldn't have any problem.



The 250watt sounds about right !!

 

[John Robertson]

On 2019/04/09 8:01 p.m., Fox's Mercantile wrote:

On 4/9/19 6:26 PM, tubeguy@myshop.com wrote:
 From what I see, that wire is soldered into the center
of the insulated piece below the bulb. (I think???). But getting a
soldering iron into that small hole along with a solder sucker to remove
the old solder seems to be a big challenge. Not to mention how much heat
that tiny insulated piece can handle. Taking it apart by the spring is
not an option since they pressed the metal inward and I wont even
attempt to mess with that.

The "Plate" is phenolic with a brass eyelet. Soldering isn't going to
"melt" it.

Secondly it's NOT that far down the socket. What are you using an old
250 Watt American Beauty gutter iron?
Any recent iron with an 1/8" chisel tip shouldn't have any problem.

In most cases the old style bayonet based sockets had enough slop that
you could push the wire through the base of the socket to raise the
contact disc (keeping the spring in place) out the top of the socket so
it could be soldered. One did not try to solder these deep in the socket.

John :-#)#
--
(Please post followups or tech inquiries to the USENET newsgroup)
John's Jukes Ltd.
MOVED to #7 - 3979 Marine Way, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5J 5E3
(604)872-5757 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games)
www.flippers.com
"Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."

 

[John-Del]

On Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at 11:02:02 PM UTC-4, Fox's Mercantile wrote:

Secondly it's NOT that far down the socket. What are you using an old
250 Watt American Beauty gutter iron?

Snob. My grandfather gave me his Wendell Willkie autograph model American Beauty gutter iron. My pride and joy.

 

[pfjw@aol.com]

On Wednesday, April 10, 2019 at 11:29:48 AM UTC-4, John-Del wrote:

> Snob. My grandfather gave me his Wendell Willkie autograph model American Beauty gutter iron. My pride and joy.

https://americanbeautytools.com/soldering-iron-3198/19/features

Lest you think these guys are kidding!

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

 

[Fox's Mercantile]

On 4/10/19 10:29 AM, John-Del wrote:

Snob. My grandfather gave me his Wendell Willkie autograph
model American Beauty gutter iron. My pride and joy.

I not only have an American Beauty 250 watt soldering iron, I
have the "idle base" for it with the thermostat.


--
"I am a river to my people."
Jeff-1.0
WA6FWi
http:foxsmercantile.com

 

[Peter Jason]

On Tue, 09 Apr 2019 18:26:50 -0500,
tubeguy@myshop.com wrote:

I have an antique tube type radio (FM tuner) from 1947. It's a
"Pilotuner" model 601. It has a #47 bulb for the dial light. The socket
is one of the kinds that you squeeze the sides and it clamps into the
front dial plate. The bulb is a bayonet type, so there is a spring below
the bulb base.

Of all the years I've worked on old tube gear, I never had this happen.
I removed the bulb and the wire fell out the rear of the socket. I'm
sure finding a replacement socket wont be easy, so I'm trying to repair
this broken one. From what I see, that wire is soldered into the center
of the insulated piece below the bulb. (I think???). But getting a
soldering iron into that small hole along with a solder sucker to remove
the old solder seems to be a big challenge. Not to mention how much heat
that tiny insulated piece can handle. Taking it apart by the spring is
not an option since they pressed the metal inward and I wont even
attempt to mess with that.

Have any of you successfully repaired one of these?
Any suggestions or tips appreciated.

If nothing else, I suppose I can epoxy a plain socket to that clamp.

Try....
http://www.s-lilley.co.uk/?q=products

 

[John-Del]

On Wednesday, April 10, 2019 at 11:50:52 AM UTC-4, Fox's Mercantile wrote:

On 4/10/19 10:29 AM, John-Del wrote:
Snob. My grandfather gave me his Wendell Willkie autograph
model American Beauty gutter iron. My pride and joy.

I not only have an American Beauty 250 watt soldering iron, I
have the "idle base" for it with the thermostat.

Observation withdrawn...