One of the things I have collecting parts for, is a set of generator switchboards to go with two or three of the generators that I have accumulated over the years,ready for the day when I need a load for an engine.
While a lot of meters come fairly easily, the other parts are not so available, and we are considering getting a mould made for the manufacture of ceramic fuseholders in the old style. Fortunately we can get pottery products quite cheaply, and glazing etc is not a problem. There are many different styles in existence so we have settled on two types, one from a Lister switchboard and one from another unnamed source.
The meters that I got today are damaged, but repairable. The vendor had them laying in the grass with some other junk, and both glasses had been broken, with the shards laying inside and against the movement and needle. Having sorted a suitable price out, I took the broken bits out there and then to save any further damage, and packed them away into a plastic bag with tissue paper around them.
The meters were dismantled when I got home earlier, and the various bits of dead flies, grass and glass taken out. Both movements had dirt in them and the needle stops were bent, but after half an hour they were both free and working OK. The scales were cleaned up and scanned for reference and thern replaced. I shall need new scales on both of them, and the name of Leslie Hartridge & Co will need to be taken off. They are both 75mV sensitivity so standard shunts can be used, one of the two is a centre-zero meter so could be useful on a battery setup to show charge and discharge in/out of the batteries.
The broken glasses provided sufficient shape for a template to be made for new glasses, and the retainers were still in place so no problem about holding the new glasses in place.
I shall check their calibration against our digital meters at work, but in my experience the larger meters hold up very well over time, rarely being more than
1 or 2 percent out. The older cast iron casings are eminently restorable, the larger the better, but even the small Lister cast-iron meters can be resuscitated with a bit of care, and even a new movement implant is possible while retaining the old appearance.Got to find a clockmaker now to cut me the new glasses....
Peter
-- Peter & Rita Forbes snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk Engine pages for preservation info: