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Water Tank gauge needle replacement
Posted by: SSsssteamer (IP Logged)
Date: June 26, 2006 04:19AM
<HTML>The water tank gauge needle on our 1916 Stanley model 826 was dragging a little and so I thought a little adjustment would help it. When I bent it for adjustment, it snapped like it was made of glass. It is a floating needle that is magnetized and it follows moving magnets on the other side of a brass disc. I replaced the needle with a needle out of a $5 compass. It fits, works and looks great.</HTML>
Re: Water Tank gauge needle replacement
Posted by: Eric Gleason (IP Logged)
Date: June 27, 2006 01:54AM
<HTML>Hi Pat,
I should try that, I ended up making one out of a tin can lid so it isn't very pretty but it does work!</HTML>
I should try that, I ended up making one out of a tin can lid so it isn't very pretty but it does work!</HTML>
Re: Water Tank gauge needle replacement
Posted by: SSsssteamer (IP Logged)
Date: June 27, 2006 05:46AM
<HTML>Dear Eric, I tried to make a needle out of a piece of steel and for a jewel, I made a bushing out of a piece of 1/8" copper tubing. It worked correctly only 50 % of the time. I tried to magnetize the needle but I couldn't get it to take. With out magnetizm, it was a 50/50 chance which end the pointer was pointing. With the compass needle, it always aligns the correct way with the magnets.</HTML>
Re: Water Tank gauge needle replacement
Posted by: John Buscher (IP Logged)
Date: July 03, 2006 04:48PM
<HTML>Dear Pat,
I have made several of the needles out of carbon steel band saw material. A cheap (non high speed) hacksaw blade will work the same once it is annealed to allow drilling the hole. Coat with layout dye, trace the outline with a scriber, then grind to shape on the corner of a bench grinder wheel, dressed about square. File the details as required. The pivot cup can be made of brass or stainless, with a thin hollow rivit section to allow staking it in the hole.
The needle and the rectangular bar magnet that drives it must both be magnetized. The bar magnets have usually lost theirs. You can remagnetize them both at the same time by holding them together, wrap with as many turns of hook up wire as possible, then spark the leads across a car battery.
The needle should readily stick to the bar at this point. On all the gages I have seen the bar magnet is retained by a setscrew, or, if staked in place it is reversible to handle the "F" vs. "E" problem.
Best Regards, John Buscher</HTML>
I have made several of the needles out of carbon steel band saw material. A cheap (non high speed) hacksaw blade will work the same once it is annealed to allow drilling the hole. Coat with layout dye, trace the outline with a scriber, then grind to shape on the corner of a bench grinder wheel, dressed about square. File the details as required. The pivot cup can be made of brass or stainless, with a thin hollow rivit section to allow staking it in the hole.
The needle and the rectangular bar magnet that drives it must both be magnetized. The bar magnets have usually lost theirs. You can remagnetize them both at the same time by holding them together, wrap with as many turns of hook up wire as possible, then spark the leads across a car battery.
The needle should readily stick to the bar at this point. On all the gages I have seen the bar magnet is retained by a setscrew, or, if staked in place it is reversible to handle the "F" vs. "E" problem.
Best Regards, John Buscher</HTML>
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