What plastic alignment tool do you use on cobras such as 148dx ?

[kevin rea]

hi guys,
I was just working on a couple of cobras,
I have quite an assortment of alignment tools, but I cannot find one that exactly fits the type in the cobra 148dx.
I have one that is very close, but it has just enough play in it that if I turn too many times, it will chip out the top of the carbon insert.
Is there an exact tool you use for this for a perfect fit or, do you take one that is close and sand it down, file it down to make it fit.
If so, which tool do you choose for this ?
and, what do you use to take it down in size ?
If I could get your exact tool make/model, it would be helpful.
These are the only cans I have that have this problem., all other cans I have perfect fitting tools for.
thanks for you info,
Kevin Rea
K6REA
Lancaster, Calif. USA

 

[loosecannon]

i buy plastic tuning tools from Tektronix for use in tuning their test equipment, and then file them down to the size i need for various radios.

here is a link to what they look like, but i don't think they are easy to find anymore.
https://www.qservice.tv/vpasp/shopexd.asp?id=8260

I have a bunch of them but at some point im going to have to find something else to use.

Many techs are fans of the ceramic tuning tools, but i don't like the idea of using a tool that is harder than the ferrite slug itself.
i would rather my tool lose that battle over cracking the slug made of unobtanium.

best bet is to find some plastic tuning tools that are close, and get a set of small files in order to customize them to what you are working on.
LC

 

[sp5it]

Knife, wooden toothpick and you have it.

 

[kopcicle]

 

[Robb]

Just do not use metal (jeweler screwdrivers are very bad), as this will easily crack the brittle ceramic cores.
Plastic, nylon, or wood give a little bit and therefore keeps these cores from breaking!

 

[ForestRunner98]

My set of plastic alignment tools has a few with a metal tip. Is that ok to use? I have been using the plastic tip ones.

 

[kevin rea]

You don't want metal because it's too hard, and you will knock off the top of the carbon insert or crack it..

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

I thought that was the noise toy removal tool. Looks like it has many uses.

 

[Eldorado828]

I use the blue handle ceramic tip that are readily available in a kit of various sizes. Search tv alignment tools and you'll find many different flavors

 

[nomadradio]

The nominal width of the slot in the tuning slug is 1.5 mm. The plastic type "9440" tool sold for years by G-C fits just fine, and will protect the slug by shearing off the tip if you overtorque a sticky slug.

We use ceramic versions from chinabay. They don't break very often, but this creates the risk of chipping the brittle slot with too much torque.

But those are the two tradeoffs. A slug that can break your tool, or a tool that can fracture the slug.

73

 

[kevin rea]

i use the ceramic also, but it cracks the carbon insert in the cobra 148 coils

 

[kevin rea]

so would that be the gc tool AS9440 ?
kevin

 

[nomadradio]

Don't remember the prefix letters "AS" on the package, but the four digits are right.

73