dial cord issues

[hermitcrab]

the 977 I tried to restring the dial as per the sams using the standard .08 cord it just slips , when I took the set apart a found one end of the cord with the spring attached to the standard size cord but then it transitions into larger cord... whether this was from the factory or done after is the question .. the cord guides are large like they are made for the thick cord , but can't imagine that thick cord wrapped around twice on itself on bottom of the dial indicator where it looks like a race track ... guess I will have to ask Gary if he has any insight on this one ...

[William]

I find it amusing, and puzzling how they came up with all the gyrations that make up the travel of a dial cord. Everyone is different, and to me everyone is overly complicated and bizarre. My guess, Gary will have an answer.

Bill

[TC Chris]

From your photo, it looks like somebody had to do a dial cord repair and only had some string at hand so they tied the string to the useful remains of the original cord.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

I agree with Chris. That looks like regular old string, instead of dial cord. Probably why it slips.

[hermitcrab]

Yes...it was a repair , I spoke to Gary and he confirmed that all VM products used the .028 sized cord ... since I only have about 3 feet left , i will have to order some... this tuner takes about 5 to 6 feet by itself...

[electra225]

I have an old Bendix radio that, no matter what I do, the dial cord slips. I have it tight as a fiddle string, but it still slips. I cheated and wrapped one round of masking tape on the shaft. No more slip. I'm not sure I'd admit this in public, but sometimes you have to resort to cheating to make this old stuff work. Dial string repair is not one of my favorite tasks, I suspect I'm not alone. I wish you all the best getting your dial string going properly.

[hermitcrab]

Agreed , I have restrung some of the easiest radios and they also slipped , if you ever done a philco cathedral , can't get any more simpler than those and I still needed to put some rubber renew or violin rosin on the cord to prevent slippage .... this is just the first job this set needs done... this has a great cabinet , but the set was abused and needs more work , this was definitely one of VM low buck models ... the build quality is just not there like on earlier models... the bean counters must have begun the takeover in 1967 ...

[William]

There were high end models by VM during that time period, but they all had huge cabinets and were very costly. Your model 977 sold for $329.00. Model 1081 sold for $775.00 and model 1089 sold for $875.00. Both were from 1967 too.

Bill

[TC Chris]

At least strung dials have work-arounds. My Stromberg-Carlson 125H has one of those edge-driven circular dials that depends on friction of two bronze discs with the circular dial pinched between them--you hope. If the pinch gives up, there's no easy work-around. On strung dials, it sometimes helps to size the cord so the tension spring applies more tension. Most of those sets offered multiple anchor points for the spring to accommodate more or less tension.

Chris Campbell

[hermitcrab]

Here is one issue this set had , and the reason I think the dial cords wouldn't work correctly... the tuning shaft itself was so worn and wowed out where it goes though the chassis that I had to JB weld a nut with a inner diameter hole just large enough to support the shaft ... before this fix ...the tuning shaft could wobble up to a 1/4 inch in any direction .... also working on the preamp is going to be a pain ... that board is held on to the chassis only by the twist tabs on the pot/controls ... no center nuts.... so I risk breaking those tabs just to recap the preamp board... another reason for my cheaply made statement...basically this radio is just a step above a portable sized am/fm radio chassis in a console IMO ... with it's single transistor output on each channel I would guess it produces 3-5 watts max...I will keep you updated on the progress

[electra225]

That is a rather ingenious repair that should work well. I'm a bit surprised that VM built something that appears to be rather "breakdownable". VM equipment is typically well-built. Good luck with the restoration. And thanks for sharing.

[William]

Nice job, Elton. As much as I hate to admit it, VM went cheap along with everyone else in the late 60's and beyond. As I mentioned in another post in this discussion, their higher end stuff of this time period was still topnotch. I'm always looking for VM tube stuff and one would think it would be everywhere since they were built here in Michigan. Not so! As far as VM consoles go, I have two. The one you picked up for me and another one that I actually found here in Hart. Good luck with you project.

Bill

[Firedome]

V-M was like everyone else, basically profit driven. Even Fisher started cutting corners in a major way beginning around 1964. I had one of V-M's best models, about a 1962, pp 6BQ5, separate amp and preamp, 2 cabinets, one with just speakers. iirc. Cabinets were of nice quality fruit-wood construction, the electronics just so-so, the output trans were nothing special, all in all fairly middle of the road.

[hermitcrab]

Nice job, Elton. As much as I hate to admit it, VM went cheap along with everyone else in the late 60's and beyond. As I mentioned in another post in this discussion, their higher end stuff of this time period was still topnotch. I'm always looking for VM tube stuff and one would think it would be everywhere since they were built here in Michigan. Not so! As far as VM consoles go, I have two. The one you picked up for me and another one that I actually found here in Hart. Good luck with you project.

Bill

Gotta agree with you there ... for being made in michigan, it sure seems like not many remained in the state...Seeing VM's main effort was turntables or changers , it was natural for them to make portable record players.... maybe the consoles started out as a whim or a limited thing?... this one I picked up is the first one I have found within 100 miles of my house, once in awhile you'll find one in the detroit area ... I wonder if Gary would have any actual console production numbers?

[William]

There are two VM consoles in your neck of the woods for sale right now. Both on eBay and both overpriced.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/353812012205?h ... R-TwldnhYA

https://www.ebay.com/itm/133798089928?h ... R5Dcn9nhYA

The console in the first link I would love to have, but for more like 50 bucks instead of $675.00.

Bill