How To Repair Loose Tube Base?
- Thread starter dminches
- Start date
You mean the socket does not hold them tightly? You'd be better off replacing the socket. You could try very gently spreading the tube's pins out a hair for a better grip, but spread too much and you'll crack the glass (ruining the tube). In the primordial past I used a set of jeweler's files to gently squeeze the pins of a tube socket to restore tight grip, but it did not last all that long. Any sort of glue is likely to leach into the socket causing other problems and the heat will make it brittle over time. And of course if it holds tight and lasts forever the tube will go out just after it is completely set...
IME/IMO - Don
Are talking about the base has come loose from the bottle?
I have one of these, Brent Jessee said to use super glue.
If the base can be moved slightly, use some drops of super glue in several places between base and glass. Let dry.
The base is still attached but it moves. Super glue of something equivalent seems like the right solution. I found a silicone product which can withstand very high temps.
Ah, the base on the tube itself, I misunderstood. Years ago I used J-B Weld High-temperature Epoxy or something like that; got it at an auto parts store but most anyplace has it. I tried a silicone product but it did not bond well; no idea if that is true in general or just for the one I tried. It filled the gap but over a relatively short time shrank enough that the tube would shift again. The epoxy actually bonded to the base and sort-of to the tube for a more permanent solution. For me, superglue did not bond to the base or the tube, just ran all over. The only thing it bonded well was my fingers...
Super glue works. It's a bottle with a small nozzle to insure a thin stream comes out. You try and let the solution drip into the space between base and glass bottle. It bonds to micanol, plastic, and glass.
You could practice squeezing the glue first.
Note super glue (cyanoacrylate) is pretty toxic if it should happen to burn. Don't think that happens until around 500 degF (and would hope the tubes are not getting that hot!) but another reason I shy away from using it for repair around tubes.
I decided to use a silicone which was rated to 500 degrees F. Worked well.
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