How does everyon “retention” Noval tube sockets?

[olddawg]

I know everyone has their little “secrets”. I’m not a huge fan of unnecessarily replacing tube sockets... especially in point to point rats nests. I always seem to have that ONE intermittent socket in an old amp in which the tube only works when it is not plugged all the way in. Sometimes... if it hasn’t been previously molested I can tighten up the inserts using a dissection/dental probe or something. There should be an easier way? A couple of times I’ve just stuck a thick, high temp “O” Ring under the tube. Yeah.. a cludge.. but on my own amp or someone needs to use it in an hour I’ve done it. I seem to remember stuff laying around a shop from “old TV days”... a thing like a test point socket adapter. It had slightly thicker pins in the bottom and a standard base on the top.

[Enzo]

It is a one way street, but old timers used to put just the very tip of the tube pins in a socket, then twist it just a hair, enough to cant all the pins to one side slightly. Now when pushed into the socket, the slightly angled pins press against the sides of the socket pins making better contact with a loose pin. Unfortunately this does then the spread pins ever so slightly as well. SO there is no going back.

I use a sharp point myself, always seems to work. Dental explorer, O-ring pick from auto parts store, or even a large safety pin bent open. Those are real sharp and hard metal.

I just gave my old 9 and 7 pin test adaptors to a friend a week ago.

[SoulFetish]

Well, here's how I do it; I take a good size steel need and epoxy it sticking out of the tip of a dowel or chopstick. Then I work it gently between the socket pin and the Phenolic/Ceramic. With enough of the needle securely in place I use it to leverage one side of the pin away from the wall. You can almost pivot the tip and work the side of the needle carefully around in a half circle to close the gap in the center. Here are the things to be mindful of: The pin has to be small enough gauge to fit between them, but large enough to stay relatively rigid and not to kink the top edge of the socket pin. If you go SLOW you minimize the risk of damaging the pin and should be able to get it in one pass. I rarely have to work both sides and have had a lot of success with this. I hope my explanation made sense and can be of some help.

[Leo_Gnardo]

I hope my explanation made sense and can be of some help.

Gets my vote! Imma hafta make me a SoulFetish tube socket harpoon.

[The Dude]

I use that method, also. I use a very small jeweler's screwdriver.

Edit: It should probably be mentioned that capacitors should be discharged before retensioning sockets. You don't want to be holding a metal tool with your fingers and get plate voltage.

[Justin Thomas]

Edit: It should probably be mentioned that capacitors should be discharged before retensioning sockets. You don't want to be holding a metal tool with your fingers and get plate voltage.

Not knowing what newbies may be watching, I <REALLY> want to make a wisecrack here, but I won't. Because just cuz I've been there doesn't mean I want anyone else to visit THAT land, too...

Jusrin

[g1]

I use the method SoulFetish outlined.
The attached pic is the tool I use. It works great. I'm not sure what it's called. Before 'protoboards' came around, the had little boards that had many horizontal coil springs embedded. Each spring had maybe 10 coils. You could spread the coils and stick a component leg in there. Then another component into different coil of same spring.
You would stick this probe in the spring as a spreader, stick the component leg in there, then remove the probe and the spring would close on the component. I'm hoping some older than I will know what those coil spring breadboards were called.

[Tom Phillips]

... I'm hoping some older than I will know what those coil spring breadboards were called.

Wow g1. That really brings back memories. I'd expect those experimenter boards we called by many different names. I still have one which I just dug out for a photo session.

Mine looks like this



It came in a tutorial kit with the following manual.



and below is the section of the manual identifying it simple as a "Spring Connector Board."


Cheers,
Tom

[g1]

That's the idea. The one's I saw actually had the springs horizontal and embedded into the plastic base, in rectangular cut-outs so the springs could move around a bit. Thus the tool being required.
But that name gave me what I needed, here's one somebody made, and a link to an article for building them.
https://makezine.com/projects/make-39/springboard/

[g1]

Now does anyone know the name of that probe in post #7 and where you would get them?

[Enzo]

The #7 probe looks like the pins we used in dissection in biology. Those are called
"teasing needles" among other possible names. Google that for lots of hits.

If you google "dissecting tools" you will also find them, usually within kits of basic tools for dissecting.

If you have a local university, they might sell dissecting tools along with biology texts at the book store.


Large size safety pins when bent open have a similar hard sharp point. You could cut off the tip, and glue it into a dowell like someone already suggested.

I have some of those from my old microscope kit from 60 years ago.

The tool I like is my OTC O-ring seal pick, I bought at an auto parts store once 45 years ago or so. Still have it. This exactly:
https://www.amazon.com/OTC-7103-Ring.../dp/B000LDENPY


Mine only:
https://www.amazon.com/OTC-7312-Ring.../dp/B000P70QPW

I mainly use the upper one in the pair, though the lower one is a spring puller. The upper one has one pointed end, the other end is bent in a question mark, but what does not show is that near the end of that curve on the outside is a small notch, so you can stretch a spring with the hook and it won't slide on off.

Harbor Freight and others have sets of pointed picks like these:
https://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-6943-P...DC5T8H2H2SF4CV

https://www.harborfreight.com/catalo...nk%2Cf&q=picks

https://www.harborfreight.com/4-piec...set-66836.html


I remember those old spring boards like Tom's, Radio Shack used to sell electronic kits that used them. Those 20 in 1 or 50 in 1 kits.

[g1]

Thanks Enzo, 'teasing needle' is exactly what I was looking for.

[olddawg]

I had always just used the tip on my multimeter lead probe. Turns out for me the insulated sowing needle approach worked well this time. The trick has always been to tweek it JUST enough and no more.

[mhuss]

I use that orange handle Harbor Freight set - for $2 you can just replace it when it gets tired/bent.