- Joined
- Oct 20, 2014
- Messages
- 495
Hi All,
I have an old Federal .0001 DTI that I'm working on. It has been in my Kennedy for quite a long time, and was so gunked up it was useless. You could barely see the dial through the plastic, and it didn't hardly move at all.
I disassembled it, and have been cleaning it up with rubbing alcohol and soapy water, Q-tips and toothpicks. Surprisingly simple device, but very precision.
The dial reads 0-4-0, with 0 at 12 o'clock, and 4 at 6 o'clock. I started cleaning the dial face at the 4, as it's the least important of the numbers. I quick found that alcohol did remove the grime, but also started to remove the paint. I switched back to soapy water, which takes longer and more effort, but isn't nearly as harsh. The tic marks are still visible, but there's a ring of grime around the entire face. Looks like it got doused regularly with cutting oil, or dropped into a bucket of the stuff.
Somewhere I have a tiny bottle of watch oil, which I'll use to lubricate everything. It's a 7 jewel movement, and at present everything at least moves freely.
I'll get it back together tonight, and check that it does function.
Then I have a favor. Would a list member please let me mail this to them, so they can compare it to a known working DTI? I'll handle postage both ways. I don't have any other measuring devices capable of measuring that fine.
If it works, and it's accurate, it saves me from buying another one. If it doesn't work, I haven't really lost anything, as it didn't work before. Yeah, a new one is only about $50 for an import, but my hobby budget is stretched paper thin right now. Hopefully getting my SB9A soon, and have to build a bench for it.
Thanks!
I have an old Federal .0001 DTI that I'm working on. It has been in my Kennedy for quite a long time, and was so gunked up it was useless. You could barely see the dial through the plastic, and it didn't hardly move at all.
I disassembled it, and have been cleaning it up with rubbing alcohol and soapy water, Q-tips and toothpicks. Surprisingly simple device, but very precision.
The dial reads 0-4-0, with 0 at 12 o'clock, and 4 at 6 o'clock. I started cleaning the dial face at the 4, as it's the least important of the numbers. I quick found that alcohol did remove the grime, but also started to remove the paint. I switched back to soapy water, which takes longer and more effort, but isn't nearly as harsh. The tic marks are still visible, but there's a ring of grime around the entire face. Looks like it got doused regularly with cutting oil, or dropped into a bucket of the stuff.
Somewhere I have a tiny bottle of watch oil, which I'll use to lubricate everything. It's a 7 jewel movement, and at present everything at least moves freely.
I'll get it back together tonight, and check that it does function.
Then I have a favor. Would a list member please let me mail this to them, so they can compare it to a known working DTI? I'll handle postage both ways. I don't have any other measuring devices capable of measuring that fine.
If it works, and it's accurate, it saves me from buying another one. If it doesn't work, I haven't really lost anything, as it didn't work before. Yeah, a new one is only about $50 for an import, but my hobby budget is stretched paper thin right now. Hopefully getting my SB9A soon, and have to build a bench for it.
Thanks!