HeathKit variable capacitors

[G. Beat]

When restoring a "boatanchor" it is not uncommon for the original manufacturer of the equipment (and their procurement notes) are long gone.  Even the original USA part manufacturers are hard to find, largely due to the mergers and acquisitions over the last 15 years.

For Heathkit products, many of the parts were sourced from Chicago or Midwest suppliers in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.  Many of these companies have moved or been purchased over the past 30 years.  
Here is a good cross reference for the variable capacitors

 

Variable Capacitors
==============
First, an excellent web-based introduction to capacitors & information
repository
http://my.execpc.com/~endlr/index.html
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Cardwell Condenser


Dr. G. A. Cardwell manufactured telegraph keys and sounders for Western
Union Company in a factory in New York City.
http://www.cardwellcondenser.com

Cardwell has also acquired a "Who's Who" of part manufacturers.
1971 - Hammarlund Capacitor Company of Mars Hill, North Carolina.
1972 - Variable air capacitor division of Johanson Manufacturing Company,
Boonton, New Jersey.
1973 - E.F. Johnson's variable capacitor division.
1980 - Multronics, Inc. of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a manufacturer of air
inductors
1998 - The balance of National Radio Company
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Oren Elliott Products


"Our company is always happy to assist amateur radio restorers, experiments, inventors, and universities in sourcing or development of new products", Steve Elliott president of OEP.
http://www.orenelliottproducts.com/index.html

Oren Elliott Products is the largest domestic manufacturer of air-dielectric
variable capacitors. OEP has been producing capacitors since 1925, first as
American Steel Packaging Company and then as All Star Products. 
OEP was "rediscovered" by restorers of the Heathkit HW-8 QRP transceiver.
Mr. Elliott encouraged capacitor replacement orders from HW-8 owners, and
suggested a couple of improvements with the planetary reduction drive.

Their N50, S2 and S3 product lines should look familiar to many restorers of
the All American 5 tube radio and amateur radio receivers.

Their M73 series of capacitors caps are familiar to Heath SB amplifier owners.  RF Parts is now selling replacements.   The OEP 73-1100-49 is close to the SB-220 (but slightly different for the SB-221 - inquire with Steve Elliott at OEP for that model.

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w9gb

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