Steam instrument repair recomendations
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Luscombeator
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- Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2021 2:12 pm
- Location: Renfrew, ON
Steam instrument repair recomendations
I have basic instruments from a 1946 Luscombe project that I want to have inspected and repaired. Anyone have any shops that they can recommend? Thanks.
Re: Steam instrument repair recomendations
I've always been happy with Woodlawn instruments in Ottawa.
Bear in mind that if your instruments have radium dials, they won't touch them (sorta literally!). If the face markings or pointers have paint which is not white, but appears green, or old tan/brown, it's likely that they are radium faces, and are not cost effectively overhaulable. The fellow who mentored me in instrument repair in the early '80's (Vic LaBlanc, in Toronto) died from the effects of handling the radium dials at work, so I take it seriously. Technically, you can't even through then out, they have to be disposed of by Atomic Energy Canada. In the early '90's when the radium dials became well understood as a hazard, I sent two bins of instruments to AEC for disposal, and that was that for me with them!
If in doubt, just buy replacement new or used tagged instruments, it'll be less headache if yours actually do have radium dials.
Bear in mind that if your instruments have radium dials, they won't touch them (sorta literally!). If the face markings or pointers have paint which is not white, but appears green, or old tan/brown, it's likely that they are radium faces, and are not cost effectively overhaulable. The fellow who mentored me in instrument repair in the early '80's (Vic LaBlanc, in Toronto) died from the effects of handling the radium dials at work, so I take it seriously. Technically, you can't even through then out, they have to be disposed of by Atomic Energy Canada. In the early '90's when the radium dials became well understood as a hazard, I sent two bins of instruments to AEC for disposal, and that was that for me with them!
If in doubt, just buy replacement new or used tagged instruments, it'll be less headache if yours actually do have radium dials.
Re: Steam instrument repair recomendations
There is a service / shop somewhere that either re-surfaces or exchanges the radium faceplates. Not to fret. The instrument shops are aware of this service ..
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TrilliumFlt
- Rank 3
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- Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2020 1:09 pm
Re: Steam instrument repair recomendations
Is your Luscombe on a Std C of A or an OM C of A ?Luscombeator wrote: ↑Wed Feb 02, 2022 2:02 pm I have basic instruments from a 1946 Luscombe project that I want to have inspected and repaired. Anyone have any shops that they can recommend? Thanks.
