From Scrap to Done - My Second HCCT

[Be_Zero_Be]

One of my other areas of interest is Model T Fords.
Ford and others made a tester for adjusting Model T ignition coils.
It is commonly refered to as a Hand Crank Coil Tester or HCCT.
I stumbled accross one on eBay at a reasonable price so I grabbed it.
I looks pretty bad but, as they say, it had good bones.

I restored the meters (I actually do this for these machines).
A friend that knows how to weld cast iron repaired the base for me.
I added the missing magneto coil ring and flywheel/magnet assembly.
Although not original for this manufacturer, I decided to motorize this unit.
The motor and switch are are the same as the ones used on the K.R. Wilson unit.
In that regard my motorization is "period correct".
The end result came out quite nice.

As found on eBay - Before & After repairs.



Finished Machine

 

[benmychree]

Very nice job! Right down to the twisted lampcord --- My first car was a cobbled up Model T, it got me to HS and back for a year until I graduated to a 1926 Dodge Brothers coupe---

 

[extropic]

That's fantastic.

I'd buy a ticket just to observe the process of restoring those gauges.
Maybe, rather than restoration, I should call it resurrection.

 

[FOMOGO]

Really nice job on that tester. Looks like it could do double duty, and be used to contact Flash Gorrdon to help save us from the corona virus. Which we all know, was most likely foisted on us by the evil Emperor Ming. No racial profiling intended. Cheers, Mike

 

[Be_Zero_Be]

One of the deciding factors for buy this unit was that the meters were actually in good shape.
The internal movements and coils are relatively easy to come by.
It's the Surface mount housings that are extremely hard to find.
They were fine.
I replaced the meter internals, made new scale cards, cut new glass and calibrated them.
They are as good as new.

 

[extropic]

One of the deciding factors for buy this unit was that the meters were actually in good shape.
The internal movements and coils are relatively easy to come by.
It's the Surface mount housings that are extremely hard to find.
They were fine.
I replaced the meter internals, made new scale cards, cut new glass and calibrated them.
They are as good as new.

The "as found" Amp gauge has a couple of dings in the bezel but the restored bezels look perfect. Did you massage those dings out or ???.

Regarding the scale cards, do you do the graphic arts yourself? What is the substrate for scale cards in the restored gauges?

 

[benmychree]

The frosting on the cake would have been to reproduce the nameplate.

 

[7milesup]

This is remarkable.

 

[Be_Zero_Be]

extropic,
I replaced the "dinged" rings with better ones.
When I run out of better ones I will work on these.
I will probably make a form, anneal the the ring and tap it out.
Then skin it with filler and sand to final shape and smoothness.

All of these gauges have a brass base plate for the scale cards.
Some are embossed, some are etched and some have a card glued to the brass base.
I scanned an original face card and cleaned it up with an editor.
I then printed it on photo paper and treated it with a UV protector.
Then glued it to the brass plate.

 

[extropic]

You make it sound easy enough, but I know it's not.
Thanks for the details and thanks again for posting your great project.