Cambion 435-3808 Turret Swage Press -- Missing Compression Spring.

[SoulFetish]

I scored this Cambion bench top terminal swage press for free a couple of weeks back. It was totally out of the blue, I ran into someone trying to sell or get rid of some boxes filled will assorted components. This press was part of it, along with thousands of turret terminals (but not one of them was a through hole turret. All solid. Who uses solid turrets?!!). In any case, I took the press because 'hell yeah I'll use this thing. This will make for quick work of terminating high quality boards and free up my drill press for drilling stuff.
It was missing the Compression Spring, and I've been trying to locate the part. Unfortunately, it looks like it will probably have to be a special order through a Cambion Dist. and the bullshit that comes along with trying to get a "single" part from any of them.
But, I'm pretty sure I can use a appropriately rated load bearing spring, provided I can find one matching the dimensions. So, I put it out any you who may have any advice or experience using bench top presses and spring dies. Lets talk specs.

Here is the datasheet for the Press I have:

[g1]

Am I mistaken, or is the function of the spring only to return the handle to the 'up' position?
If so, it shouldn't matter much, whatever fits.

[Enzo]

With four distribs and a tech rep in your state, did you directly contact, preferably by phone, any of them or is the BS assumed? Since you already have the part number, if a Newark sales rep can;t order it for you, I might contact the sales rep and ask who can source repair parts for you.


And I have to agree with g1's assessment.

[SoulFetish]

With four distribs and a tech rep in your state, did you directly contact, preferably by phone, any of them or is the BS assumed? Since you already have the part number, if a Newark sales rep can;t order it for you, I might contact the sales rep and ask who can source repair parts for you.


And I have to agree with g1's assessment.

So, Enzo, are you telling me that if I got off my ass and did a little homework, I would know there are some folks right by me who may be able to help?
Okay, fair enough.. i did not know that Cambion had any reps here, but I'm usually on top of those things (I keep trying to get Cornell-Dublier to let me in and tour thier place)
So, I haven't contacted any them directly in this case. I've just been on some of the distributor websites.
I've probably become a little jaded, but if my past experience dealing with some of the distributors in this state, then even if I were the new starting center fielder of the Boston Red Sox and they couldn't give a shit.
But, I don't have anything to loose by giving the sales rep a call. Worst thing that happens is I still don't have a spring.

From what I've been able to find out, G1 is probably right (for the most part). I can tell you that not all springs are the same though. I found one which I pulled from something else to put in there, and is not going to hold up long in this application. But, I could probably swing by a Grainger and see if they have any stock I can try. As long as the tension is within reason, it will probably be okay.

[Enzo]

And you know who else has springs? Home Depot and Lowes. (and many good hardware store) In the section with all the pull out drawers full of machine screws and other odd hardware.

but if my past experience dealing with

yeah well, if I relied on past experience, I'd not have a wife right now. Oh wait, that can be taken more than one way. I meant if I relied on my long legacy of failing to connect with women, I would never have connected with the one I have had the last 30 years. The one willing to listen to my jokes, and even gets them. if only she'd laugh at them too... Reliance on past experience makes things self-fulfilling prophecies.

Some suppliers are wholesalers, and are not set up or for that matter interested in selling one part to some guy. Newark is a retailer. In fairness, sometimes they have line minimums with their suppliers, and so they couldn;t order one spring from the OEM, though they could add it to their next minimum order. We face minimum orders all the time though companies like Mouser have done away with them. But large suppliers can have line minimums, meaning each item on your order has to be a minimum amount. So even if I order $1000 of stuff, if I have a $100 line minimum, I can't add two transistors to it, I'd still have to order $100 of that transistor.


To be honest, for all I knew you might have already done those things I suggested.

[J M Fahey]

Try the original part first, which should be easy to get, worst case you would get it through some authorized distributor but I wouldn´t be surprised at them sending one straight to you.

In a case like me, 8000 miles away, I´d just visit some well stocked hardware shop, they often have some display panel with a couple dozen pre-made springs of various types, which they sell for outrageous prices, meaning charging $10 for what costs $1 at the factory ... I can live with that if I just need a one-off

Also visit car parts suppliers, they have tons of springs of all kinds.

In either case, you´ll most probably get a too long one and chop excess with a grinding wheel.

That´s what I do when I need lighter or stronger springs for my guns, even if I had the original one available .... by definition I need a different one

[SoulFetish]

And you know who else has springs? Home Depot and Lowes. (and many good hardware store) In the section with all the pull out drawers full of machine screws and other odd hardware.

Ah... Enzo, Home Depot does not have springs in the pull out drawers where they keep the machine screws.

They have 'em over by the hinges and door hardware, it turns out!!



I think this will work just fine going forward. That may be the first time Home Depot actually had a piece of hardware I was looking for (that wasn't a 10/32 machine screw). To think I was going to bust your balls for mentioning Home Depot and Lowes in the same sentence with "many good hardware store". But you were right the whole time. Man, you sharp as a tack Enzo, I may have to start listening to you from time to time.

Oh yeah. I have to admitt, I was a little surprised when you said they had four distributors and a sales person in my state. I think I now know why Cambion has that kind of presence in my Massachusetts.

[Enzo]

Then I am about to write Home Depot a nasty letter. I thought they'd be by the plastic hole plugs and cotter pins.