[AT] Points

Tue Mar 14 17:53:34 PDT 2017

In the antique engine world it is not unusual for points to be replaced in a magneto or ignitor in the process of restoration/repair. Silver solder is usually used.
	Dave

> On Mar 14, 2017, at 5:02 PM, Bill Brueck <b2 at chooka.net> wrote:
> 
> Silver solder would have been a nice way to assure a good and durable
> connection after the riveting job.  I presume the regulator I obtained was
> designed and constructed with the idea of cutting any corner possible.
> 
> Bill Brueck
> B²
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
> [mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Dave
> Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2017 2:03 PM
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Subject: Re: [AT] Points
> 
> I thought silver solder was the usual way.
> 	Dave
> 
>> On Mar 14, 2017, at 2:39 PM, Bill Brueck <b2 at chooka.net> wrote:
>> 
>> I bought an eBay new voltage regulator a couple of years ago, common 
>> Delco 6 volt application on a Farmall Cub.  Worked intermittently, 
>> took the cover off and was surprised to find it construction with 
>> mechanical points, coils, just looked like a regulator from the 
>> vintage.  The points were just riveted to the metal that held them in 
>> place.  This I know because that was the problem when I traced the 
>> failure: one of the contacts wasn't making solid connection to its 
>> mount.  A little disassembly to get the point out where I could work on
> it, a little peening, and the regulator was good.
>> 
>> SO contact points with a stub on the base to rivet-attach them to 
>> something are available somewhere...
>> 
>> Hmmm, google rivet electrical contacts...they're all over the place.
>> 
>> Bill Brueck
>> Pine Island, MN  USA
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
>> [mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of charlie 
>> hill
>> Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2017 11:30 AM
>> To: Antique tractor email discussion group 
>> <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
>> Subject: Re: [AT] Points
>> 
>> I'm wondering just how they attach the material to the points mechanism?
>> Seems to me it would be fairly easy to "rebuild"
>> a set of points if you had a reliable way to attach them.
>> None of the points I've been able to buy in the last 20 years are 
>> worth much but there are lots of industrial uses for breaker points so 
>> the reliable materials should be available somewhere.
>> 
>> Charlie
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Stephen Offiler
>> Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2017 10:46 AM
>> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
>> Subject: Re: [AT] Points
>> 
>> Hi Ron:
>> 
>> I should have stated that I was conjecturing about the cadmium
> construction.
>> Back about 20 years ago I was employed by a manufacturer of circuit 
>> breakers and the contact material of choice, by a wide margin, was the 
>> silver-cadmium I described.  I had stuck in my memory that this was 
>> also used on breaker points.  Not necessarily accurate!!
>> 
>> I just took a real quick look and it seems platinum was actually 
>> alloyed with iridium to make it harder, and that was used in magneto
> points.
>> However, battery and coil ignitions, according to the big wide 
>> Internet, used tungsten to better withstand the hammering they go thru.
>> 
>> SO
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On Thu, Mar 9, 2017 at 9:58 AM, Ron Cook <ron at lakeport-1.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> The old points and aircraft magneto points are platinum.  If not 
>>> burnt and thereby pitted, will give no problems.  My opinion, of course.
>>> They are very hard and require the points(used to be called 
>>> platinum)file to resurface.  My aircraft stored in the exact same 
>>> place as the tractors and some old engines that never have a problem 
>>> is my experience.  I also have never heard of Ivan's very interesting 
>>> emergency system.  I will also state that I have the points corrosion 
>>> problem regardless of 6 or
>>> 12 volt.
>>> 
>>> Ron Cook,
>>> 
>>> Salix, IA
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On 3/9/2017 6:34 AM, Stephen Offiler wrote:
>>>> Ivan's "emergency" ignition system is pretty interesting; never 
>>>> heard of that before.
>>>> 
>>>> John, I do own a points file but I'd have to go digging to find it.  
>>>> I
>>> use
>>>> a piece of "wet-or-dry" sandpaper (dry of course) with a grit 
>>>> somewhere either 400 or 600.  I'm reluctant to take off too much 
>>>> material.  Points contacts used to be made of a multi-layer material 
>>>> with copper core (heat
>>>> transfer) then some silver-cadmium alloy in a measureable thickness, 
>>>> not just a plating.  That stuff has some magic metallurgical 
>>>> property that resists corrosion, resists micro-welding if there's 
>>>> any arcing, and
>>> resists
>>>> or prolongs that inevitable material transfer (those hills and 
>>>> valleys,
>>> the
>>>> reason you eventually need to file them)
>>>> 
>>>> Now I just said "used to be made of" because I strongly suspect the
>>> cadmium
>>>> has been removed and along with it goes some or all of the magical 
>>>> properties.  So they're more prone to all the bad stuff mentioned
>>> above.  I
>>>> think my points must be new enough to be made of the inferior materials.
>>>> But they have very low hours and show no signs of wear and pitting.
>>>> 
>>>> I was curious to see if others have similar trouble, and if there 
>>>> are clever solutions.  I realize I really should lean towards that 
>>>> Pertronix electronic ignition retrofit.
>>>> 
>>>> SO
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>> 
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