Hi all, has anyone tried the fix for Wico EK mags involving a piezo electric generator, from a fire or cooker ??? Will be giving it a test on an empty shell i have lying around. Also does anyone know of a good repairer of these mags at a fair price, I have two to do !!! I have put some pics up on webshots of the International LA, it was sold on sight, didn`t even make a show !! ;-)
Chuck Balyeat shows how he does it at
-- Dave Croft Warrington England
Hi Martin, EK's are the simplest mags I've worked on. There really isn't that much to them. What is wrong with the magnetos you have?
Rob
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Rob Skinner La Habra, California
Martin,
Rob's input from the US reminded me that you can get nearly all of the bits you need for EKs (coils, points condensers, casings etc) from either Hit and Miss
I've used Starbolt and been pleased with their service. Hit and Miss I've had some difficulty with, I suspect because they rather overzealously filter email and a lot of overseas mails get zapped. I have no complaints other than that. In the end I got stuff from them by ringing an order in.
You mentioned modern reliability. Being a Luddite, I feel that a mag which was made in the twenties and still works (like the EK on my Bamford 2hp) is an example of real reliability :-). I can't see a piezo electric system still being operational 80 years from now.
HTH Arthur G
need for EKs (coils, points condensers,
Starbolt have a stand at Portland, see our picture of their stand at:
some difficulty with, I suspect because
I have no complaints other than that.
We'll be over there in August if anything not too large needs bringing back.
Peter
Peter
-- Peter A Forbes Prepair Ltd, Luton, UK snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk
Hi Rob, one of them has a very weak spark that I think is non existent under compression, the other has no spark at all and the magnets feel alot weaker than the one with a spark. I am an engineer by trade, I don`t mind playing with things to see how they operate etc. but am I right in saying you need good magnetism on these things. There being no definitive test for this, how do you know if they are right, as far as magnetism goes. I feel I would be alot happier rebuilding the mags, with all new parts, coils points etc, if they were both re-magnetised. This way I feel you would be starting with something that is basically right and when rebuilt should produce a good spark.
Cheers, MartinH
Martin,
before you do anything too expensive with EK mags, the gap on the points is quite critical. This and a new condenser was all that was required to make a 1929 EK run perfectly for me. I think I've got a note of the gap some where at home. If I can find it I'll post it.
Regards, Arthur G
quite critical. This and a new condenser
got a note of the gap some where at
I have the manual at home, Arthur, if you can't find it I'll copy the details to Martin.
Peter
-- Peter A Forbes Prepair Ltd, Luton, UK snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk
Thanks Peter, saves me rooting through my ?filing system. I'm a little short of time at present, with lambs arriving.
quite critical. This and a new condenser
I've got a note of the gap some where at
Turn up some wooden bungs on your new lathe and plug the hole the lambs keep appearing from to give you a bit more time :-)).
Mart> Thanks Peter, saves me rooting through my ?filing system. I'm a
The key is prior preparation. If I'd done that at the start of November, we'd have none of this bother now!
Regards, Arthur G
appearing from to give you a bit more
Careful Martin or you'll be treated to the "prolapse" discussion !! :-) ttfn Roland
Dont you mean relapse in my case.
Mart> Careful Martin or you'll be treated to the "prolapse" discussion !! > :-) ttfn
It's obviously time you went to Edinburgh again....:-))
Peter
-- Peter A Forbes Prepair Ltd, Luton, UK snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk
Funnily enough I am arrange parts and descriptions of work in the said city :-))
Mart> >
quite critical. This and a new condenser
got a note of the gap some where at
It depends on the drive mechanism as to the gap.
No 1: eccentric and strap drive - the points should just be opening when the armature is 1/16" from the cores.
No 2 Push Rod drive and No 3 Combination drive
The points are just opening when the armature is 3/32" from the cores.
Setting is done by using a piece of metal shim to set the gap between the armature and cores and the points set to just open.
Peter
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