My family's old Westinghouse WR-272 was purchased in 1937. I am
trying to get it back into working order and would like to replace a
missing 6U5 Tuning Eye Tube. I recently found a Sylvania 6U5 but it
was too long for the space provided in the radio's chassis. (I think
the Tube or Bulb Type of this tube was T9A1) The space for the tube is
in between the backside of the dial face and an aluminum box on the
chassis surface. In reading from the online tube manuals, I see notes
indicating that the "...6U5/6G5 is identical to the "original"
(emphasis added) 6U5 except for tube size." I think this might mean
that 6U5 tubes that were made prior to WW2 might have been shorter in
seated length. The Sylvania had a seated length of 3 1/4 inches (top
of glass tube to bottom of Bakelite base -- not including pins). It
was too long by at least 1/4 inch. The mounting for the tube is via a
sliding bracket that looks like it was meant to put the top of the
tube against the back side of the dial plate. It looks like a tube
that is anywhere between two inches and three inches would fit and be
adjustable to provide a fit for the "eye" in the center of the dial.

Any chance someone in the group might have an "original" 6U5? What
about a substitute tube that is short enough to fit my radio?

Thanks for any help or insight you can provide.

MDCalvert
Oak Ridge, TN

(MDCalvert)

wrote:Any chance someone in the group might have an "original" 6U5?

-snip-

I have a dozen or so of these and all measure 3 1/4" as you explained. You
might post to rec.antiques.radio+phono and see if anyone there has such a tube.

Tom
in San Antonio

Hi ,

The shortest eye tube I know is the 6AF6 (dual eye , 1 3/4" ) but
this doesn't include the triodes inside , so if you wanna sub
with this you need to add an extra (double) triode .....
Not the nicest option but it might just work and you won't see
the difference on the outside .....

Ronald .

MDCalvert wrote:
[...]

Any chance someone in the group might have an "original" 6U5? What
about a substitute tube that is short enough to fit my radio?

Thanks for any help or insight you can provide.

You could "make" one that is just a bit shorter.

1: Make sure that the 6U5/6G5 you have works. ;-)
2: Gently tap around the base with a small tack hammer to break loose
the cement holding the tube to the base. Combine with a twisting motion
to loosen the base.
3: Desolder the wires. A 100 watt soldering gun combined with a "solder
slurper" ("Soldapullt") works well for this. You might need to secure
the tube in a small bench vise with plenty of padding, or solicit the
help of a couple extra hands.
4: Remove the tube from the socket.
5: Clean out the remaining cement; a screwdriver works well for this.
Careful you don't stab yourself.
6: Grind down about 1/4" of the top of the socket. A fine grinding wheel
works well for this.
7: Push the wires back through the pins. You should now have a tube
that's 1/4" shorter. Pull them tight, and resolder; being sure that the
solder flows *into* the pins. Cut off the extra 1/4" of protruding wires.
8: Secure the bulb to the socket with a fine bead of 5-minute epoxy.
9: Enjoy your radio!

Cheers,
Fred
--
+--------------------------------------------+
| Music: http://www3.telus.net/dogstarmusic/ |
| Projects: http://dogstar.dantimax.dk |
+--------------------------------------------+

MDCalvert wrote:

My family's old Westinghouse WR-272 was purchased in 1937. I am
trying to get it back into working order and would like to replace a
missing 6U5 Tuning Eye Tube. I recently found a Sylvania 6U5 but it
was too long for the space provided in the radio's chassis. (I think
the Tube or Bulb Type of this tube was T9A1) The space for the tube is
in between the backside of the dial face and an aluminum box on the
chassis surface. In reading from the online tube manuals, I see notes
indicating that the "...6U5/6G5 is identical to the "original"
(emphasis added) 6U5 except for tube size." I think this might mean
that 6U5 tubes that were made prior to WW2 might have been shorter in
seated length. The Sylvania had a seated length of 3 1/4 inches (top
of glass tube to bottom of Bakelite base -- not including pins). It
was too long by at least 1/4 inch. The mounting for the tube is via a
sliding bracket that looks like it was meant to put the top of the
tube against the back side of the dial plate. It looks like a tube
that is anywhere between two inches and three inches would fit and be
adjustable to provide a fit for the "eye" in the center of the dial.

Any chance someone in the group might have an "original" 6U5? What
about a substitute tube that is short enough to fit my radio?

Thanks for any help or insight you can provide.

MDCalvert
Oak Ridge, TN

Search Google for magic eye tubes, there are plenty of hits,
such as http://www.vacuumtube.com/eyetubes.htm

Regards,

Patrick Turner.

"Patrick Turner" wrote in message
...


MDCalvert wrote:

My family's old Westinghouse WR-272 was purchased in 1937. I am
trying to get it back into working order and would like to replace a
missing 6U5 Tuning Eye Tube. I recently found a Sylvania 6U5 but it
was too long for the space provided in the radio's chassis. (I think
the Tube or Bulb Type of this tube was T9A1) The space for the tube is
in between the backside of the dial face and an aluminum box on the
chassis surface. In reading from the online tube manuals, I see notes
indicating that the "...6U5/6G5 is identical to the "original"
(emphasis added) 6U5 except for tube size." I think this might mean
that 6U5 tubes that were made prior to WW2 might have been shorter in
seated length. The Sylvania had a seated length of 3 1/4 inches (top
of glass tube to bottom of Bakelite base -- not including pins). It
was too long by at least 1/4 inch. The mounting for the tube is via a
sliding bracket that looks like it was meant to put the top of the
tube against the back side of the dial plate. It looks like a tube
that is anywhere between two inches and three inches would fit and be
adjustable to provide a fit for the "eye" in the center of the dial.

Any chance someone in the group might have an "original" 6U5? What
about a substitute tube that is short enough to fit my radio?

Thanks for any help or insight you can provide.

MDCalvert
Oak Ridge, TN

Search Google for magic eye tubes, there are plenty of hits,
such as http://www.vacuumtube.com/eyetubes.htm

Regards,

Patrick Turner.


If this doesnt quite get the job done you might could drop the socket down a
bit. I had a home made capacitance bridge that had this same problem. The
new eye tube I put in was a little too long. I droped the socket a little
bit by placing a couple of washers between the mounting ears on the socket
and the chassis

(MDCalvert) wrote in message om...
My family's old Westinghouse WR-272 was purchased in 1937. I am
....

Any chance someone in the group might have an "original" 6U5? What
about a substitute tube that is short enough to fit my radio?

Thanks for any help or insight you can provide.

MDCalvert
Oak Ridge, TN

Hello, MD, Hullo, FellowRATs(TM)

this is a long shot, but maybe you're able to get one 6E5 from RFT
(former east-German Production) which has the short envelope you
described. also there's a russian equivalent 6E5S (Letters: 6E5C) also
short construction. It has an octal base, so you'd have to modify that
in the radio mentioned, but that ought not be a problem.

I know about the short construction, as i have such a tube,
unfortunately it is fully 'blind' and shows no luminescence any more.

hth

Sebastian