HW8 Tuning Cap ?? Help

[MIKE SOUHRADA]

Guys just picked up a nice looking unit yesterday. The price was below
market so I assumed there was a problem. Yup! Guess you get smart as
age creeps up.
The variable cap PN 26-152
I've heard of that problem with this unit but never had to deal with it.
KB9JJA's web site has a reference to mods/repairs etc and found
a note by WB6FZH concerning "Epoxy the main tuning capacitor rotor
plates to shaft (No travel stop)."
Pretty terse comment. All the rotor plates are loose from the shaft
but retained by the pheonolic stop.
Questions:
1. Regress a bit here, the schematic says 26-152 is composed of
    C302A 6.2-17.2; and C302B. As I write this I might be answering
    my own question. Is the small trimmer C302A? I measured the values
    of the variable as reassembled and got near 40 Pf max and about
    15 Pf minimum. The 6.2-17.2 had me wondering what I had. Also
    Wondered about continuity after epoxying.
2. What plates are glued? The two inner ones that match up to the
    stator plates or all 4? Don't know what the outer rotor plates do.
3. What's the best way to do this. Glue them on then cut off the
    phoenolic?
4. I was thinking of using JB Weld a type of epoxy I found to be
    very strong. Should I use something else?
5. What about a "standard" variable? Are there others of correct
    value that would work better? I'm a bit amazed by Heathkit using
    a rotor plate with stop where the plates are simply press fit???!!!
    Must have been real cheap, there is NO mechanical strength where
    needed.
I have the HW8 handbook and it doesn't mention this. Is there a write-up
on this modification in more detail in the literature or at some web site?

For now, I just want to get the unit to work as designed. The
workmanship is excellent (almost as good as mine HI) so that's not a
problem . Further, it was serviced by Heath in 1980 so it did work then.
Any help appreciated.
Mike
Iowa

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