Radio related tools

I know this forum is for test equipment but I guess related tools would go here too.

Has anyone every had anything like this;


I got these pin straighteners while working for Bell.

Yes they were quite common, some are used and built in with tube testers.

Yes they were quite common,

And I thought I had something special!

Nice have not seen that type befor .Sprman

I have a orange one somewhere. Its a piece of plastic about 1/4 inch thick and round. I think its made by by GE. I need to dig it up and mount it to my bench, seem like it has mounting holes.

These pin straighteners were what we used in the Bell System back in the day when tubes were used for "N" and "ON" carrier. They are the best I've ever used.

I picked up this newer Groove Tubes straightener a while back and mounted it on my bench on the side next to the tube testers.


There are actually a lot of different straighteners. I probably have around 25 different ones that seem to gather in a drawer. Here's a link to a picture of a few of them: Tube Pin Strighteners

That's quite a collection Steve, I didn't know there were so many differents types.

Those straighteners will be handy for grooming your "grab bags o' tubes". When I was in the Army, my issue tool kit had a double ended straightener and a set of tube tongs to pull them from tight spaces.

I have a set of tube prongs for puling tubes out.They do work.Sprman

I have a red rubber grip that looks kind of like a bee hive that was used to slide over a hot tube tube to grip it with your hand to pull it out. I think it was made by GC but I will have to find it and see whats written on it. It would not work in tight spaces.

I also had an RT-70 that had a simple but effective puller that was a tubular steel web with a little basket handle. It worked like a Chinese finger trap.

These were the little treasure chests that I had to keep operating when I started out in the Army. These tools reminded me of them. We used them in armored personnel carriers, and they would usually have 2-3 of any tube fail per field exercise. They were used with a voice or radioteletype system with a tube filled modulator and demodulator.
http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/collins_t_195grc_19.html

http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/collins_r_392urr.html

19&41 wrote:I also had an RT-70 that had a simple but effective puller that was a tubular steel web with a little basket handle. It worked like a Chinese finger trap.

You made me go look in the drawer. Here's the tube pullers I have:

No markings on the big red one.

"C" is the one included in the RT-70. It even had a full schematic printed in cloth and folded into a tube-sized square sleeve.

I have puller D.
Bill Cahill

I use puller F (not pictured), my fingers.
Dave

I sometimes burn Puller F. OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bill Cahill

MEZLAW wrote:I know this forum is for test equipment but I guess related tools would go here too.

This pic is fun: The juxtaposition of the straighteners with the modern LAN jacks is, somehow, rather amusing to me. Oh well… The simple things, I guess; :-)

This pic is fun: The juxtaposition of the straighteners with the modern LAN jacks is, somehow, rather amusing to me. Oh well… The simple things, I guess; :-)

Never thought about it but you're right!