[morzh]

OK, here's an idea. Does not involve glue.

Get a micro-vacuum (I have one, oy really sucks...in the good sense), rig it with a thin pipe (like that one from a ballpen cartridge, or something flexible), insert it in and try to suck it out. Might just workl.

[Arran]

Mike;
That is not a bad idea, or even one could take a normal sized vacuum or shop vac, and make an adapter. I did this with some 3/4'' PVC pipe with matching elbow, to clean out the soot from the combustion chamber of an oil furnace, and it worked. My idea was to heat up a wire somehow, and poke it down the hole, but not knowing what the tube that the slug lives in is made out of I was hesitant to suggest it, with a steady hand this would not be an issue, but if Captain Clock has tremors in both hands that would make it a "No".
I've known a few people that had the "shakes" because they used to prescribe lithium as a psychiatric drug, which over time causes nerve damage. You would think that they had Parkinson's disease but they didn't. This is why I really have to wonder where some electric car enthusiasts still believe that electric vehicles are "good" for the environment. lithium is almost equal to lead in toxicity, and much more volatile.
If I were anywhere near Indiana I would give C.C a hand with that broken dial cord, though those boom box dial cords can be frustrating to repair sometimes, using plastic posts rather then pulleys, which saw through over time.
Regards
Arran

[morzh]

Arran

With Shopvac, or any big or normal size vacs, the problem is, they have too much suction and if you decide to convert it into a small tube this size, it will either suck the whole thing inside if it can, or, if it cannot, it will choke the motor eventually.
Of course, an adaptor can be made such that the small tube is just one of a few openings so the suction portion through it is sizeable enough to have some good effect on small things.

This, paired with the chassis turned upside down (or in a way that the broken piece is oriented straight down, so the gravity helps and if the piece is dislodged, it does not fall right back when out of the well, at which point the suction weakens) might just work.

I have this thing. Have to say, it does suck well. Blows well too.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BRKVLTP5?ref...in_title_2

These are sold for $25 - $50 on Amazon.

[captainclock1988]

I'm not sure, I know there's someone in Mishawaka which is 2 towns over to the west of me, that I've dealt with in person a few times that last I checked he was over at VideoKarma (I'm not sure if he's a member here or not) and I've sold him some old TVs I've bought and or were given to me that I either got going or that I was unable to get going, but I can't remember his name and I'm not sure how to reach out to him.

As for just asking for help in general, I have a staff person that works with me from a local organization that works with people with disabilities, but the problem with him is that he's always offering to help me with some of my repair projects but yet he's absolutely afraid of the solder and he thinks that breathing the fumes from the solder will give you lead poisoning or something weird like that and is always telling me I should open a window when  I'm soldering so I don't breathe in the fumes from the solder, but I keep telling him that you aren't going to get lead poisoning from breathing solder fumes, you actually have to ingest (eat) the lead based item to get lead poisoning.

[morzh]

Well, you're right. You can't gety lead poisoning from breathing the solder fumes.

Lung cancer - yes. Lead poisoning - no.

I use Hakko fume extractor with carbon sponge filter. I detracts enough to greatly diminish the fumes inhaled.
Plus, ever since a kid, I love the smell of burnt rosin. (I hate the smell of that no-clean stuff in wire solder - smells like cheap barber shop powder).

Tell the guy, opening a window might actually divert the direction of the fumes directly onto him.

[captainclock1988]

Yes, I have tried to tell him that but unfortunately he's one of those people who just buys into whatever NPR or other leftist news outlet tells him is true (which isn't necessarily true) and never does his own research. And sorry I'm not trying to get political here but in this case it does have to do with the subject at hand here a little bit. Anyways I do have a small "Tech Vac" that I could try and see if that would work to get that diddle stick out of the radio.

[Arran]

If you have to use an ordinary vacuum you can cut back on the suction just by allowing some leakage between your home made tool, and the nozzle. Some vacuums also have a speed control, we had a Sears/Panasonic vac that had that mounted in the handle. That being said if the coil is still in the can, depending on the design, the hole in the can is usually smaller then the coil form.
As for NPR, I've only ever heard clips from it, and it sounds like CBC radio, hour after hour of what I call "clucking hens" talking about all sorts of things that they know nothing about. I would not worry about solder fumes too much, it's the parts pre million that matter, and I usually solder in an open space. However I do wash my hands after handling lead, solder or otherwise, but often do after handling radio/Tv chassis anyhow as they are often dirty things.
Regards
Arran

[morzh]

There used to be time I would listen to NPR every day. They had (and still have) lots of interesting programming.
One of their best journalists was let go during the "me too" campaign; it seems someone remembered something inappropriate in his past.

I did like Kai Ryssdall, and he is still there, hosting "Marketplace".

But I stopped listening to them some time before the Pandemic, as they turned really left and I am, let's just say, not.
Also I bought a new car that came with free Sirius, and I had always listened to tehir "40-s music", and this replaced it.
Then the Pandemic came and I stopped driving, and I do not listen to radio (or watch TV) at home much.
And then the Ukrainian war came, and I started almost exclusively listening to the news about Ukrain war while driving to work, using Youtube and Bluetooth.

To be honest, I never heard anything there about fumes and soldering

It used to be a good station, but the times have changed and people and things have changed with the times. Got more polarized. Even BBC, which was known as gold standard of good journalism. Not any longer.

Well, I am fine discussing NPR as long as we discuss the NPR and not the subject of their political commentaries (which would be politics, right?)

[radiorich]

Hello Guys,
Yes, I don't listen to NPR either I feel the same way you do mike !
today I was listening Seems Like Old Times today on my local am radio station.
captainclock1988 any luck with at broken piece ?
Sincerely Richard

[MrFixr55]

Mike, Cap'n, that's a great idea!! One can either regulate the amount of suction with a valve or a Variac. Having a tube that is small enough to fit the inner diameter of the coil form may be enough to suck it out. other alternatives would include a sewing needles tuck dead in the middle of the broken hex if it has bottomed out.

I understand from previous posts that there is no access from below?

[morzh]

MrFixr

Yes. If it were, we probably wouldn't have all this fun discussion about NPR and other things that suck right now.

[RodB]

If NPR and other worthwhile public supported listening outlets weren't in such dire situations maybe they'd be better able to provide the programming you'd listen to. Just saying.

[Paul Philco322]

That's right Mike, beware the hammer! Paul

[Arran]

Rob;
In all fairness this is not unique to NPR and or PBS television itself, even commercial TV and radio networks, as well as newspapers, and magazines started "circling the bowl" around the middle of the last decade, and money seems to have had little to do with it. If you look at late night talk/variety shows some had budgets over the $100 million mark, yet not one of them compares to Johnny Carson, or even Dave Letterman in their prime, the audience numbers definitely do not. The CBC, Canada's state broadcaster, gets a $1.5-1.7 billion dollar bailout every year, on top of Ad revenue, and much of their content is utter manure, hardly anyone watches them, but everyone is still forced to pay for it, including their privately owned competition.
Regards
Arran

[Joe Rossi]

Politics!  Oh stop.  I'll give you phifteen years to stop it.  Just kidding.    Keep up the good work!   Joe