I have seen this term used a lot in several posts here in the forums and was wondering just what exactly it really entails. What is your definition of a "hack" or "hack job"?

The Phantom Menace.

In the broadest terms - anything that deviates from the manufacturers design and/or production techniques.

Note: In the broadest terms. So, no, replacing the standard .05 line cap with the modern "safety cap" would be a deviation but not a hack.
Replacing one section of a multi-section lytic could be.

Its like both Art and Porn , , , Can't really describe it , , But ya know it when ya see it

But really , a hack , in the shoddy repair sense , is any repair ya wouldn't do to your momma's radio ..... If it ain't good enough for Mom , then , It's a hack ...........

A hack job is usually based on the philosophy of "anything will do, provided it gets the set out the door as quickly as possible." Although it often looks (and works) like a job botched by a novice, the novice usually can't help it. The hack can (and won't).

The hack will use any expedients, any shortcuts, any jury rigs, and any unsound (but quick) bench techniques at hand. The hack job was altogether too common in radio and TV shops back in the day. Too often, their one imperative was turnover, by all means available. We encounter many of the slovenly results to this day.

Larry

Everyone's definitions will be different.

Here are things I consider indicative of a "hack job" relative to this subject (no particular order):

1. Patching new electrolytics across existing ones without removing the existing part electrically.

2. Bridging a wire to a terminal with solder in cases where the wire is too short.

3. Shoddy soldering that looks like someone tried to paint on the solder.

4. Use of a capacitor with a voltage rating at or below the normal operating voltage in-circuit.

5. User of a resistor with a power rating that is not at least 2 times the expected dissipation in the circuit.

6. Flying wire splices without insulation.

7. Multiple components joined in mid-air without a terminal (unless that was the way the radio was designed to be assembled - yeah they sometimes did stupid stuff back then).

8. Failure to install adequate safety items even if they are not "original." The house you burn down may be your own, or worse yet someone else's.

9. Use of improper insulation for spliced wiring connections (e.g. masking tape, transparent tape).

10. Mis-routing high impedance high-gain signal wires. This can mean routing them too close to filament or AC power wires, or even just pulling them up away from the chassis in a way that makes them more susceptible to hum pick-up.

11. Installing components with seriously wrong values (order of magnitude errors in component replacement).

12. Installing "susbstitue" tubes that really are not adequately equivalent (like remote versus sharp cut-off tubes).

13. Leaving out shielding that is supposed to be present (generally tube shields).

14. Creating a wire splice by just twisting wires together then insulating it so no one knows that it isn't soldered without cutting off the insulation. The exception would be the use of standard wire nuts where this is expected.

This could be never ending, but I'll stop.

Curtis Eickerman

Excellent list, Curtis. Many thanks!

Larry

As a theatre manger who suffered through that debacle I agree!

I would consider a hack job to be anything that compromises the basic given integrities of a ____ (thing). The underside of a chassis was NEVER intended to be looked at by the end consumer. You could use pink and green capacitors in the shape of phalluses - it wouldn't matter as long as the radio was not affected in operation or reliability.

It might be the burning DESIRE of radio nuts for the bottom of a chassis to look clean, perfect and original, but it wasn't meant to be. The guts of a radio just need to work as best as their design will allow, and for as long as is reasonable. If something is done that may not seem 'purist' but does not violate the previous statement, it is NOT a hack job in my eyes.

I must be getting old and losing my mind, but I actually agree with Nick on this one. Well said! (okay, dear. I will see the doctor now........)............GREG

Hack job is basically alot of real messy work done to something or just removing parts and leaving things unhooked so you cannot fix it easly .

Show us your work and maybe we can explain.

As far as Nick the teen kiddie who has something to say about everything, if you are indeed a hack you best hope nobody you know gets the radio later and it needs work. Its one quick way to lose a reputation BUT hacks generally care less. There are always those that want a radio fixed at the lowest cost possible.....often they are flippers and the new owner gets the shaft.

Adding to the list:

15. Not replacing decaying or crumbling insulation

16. Using incorrect taper or value pot.

17. Bending capacitor plates trying to get the dial to track instead of aligning per the book.

18. Stopping oscillations by using resistors to reduce tube gain to a low value or using a soft tube. Not to be confused by proper oscillation solutions.

19. Breaking a socket connection and soldering to a tube pin...Ive seen several of those.

20. Cant fix a SMD problem in an IF can and wires a miniature replacement under the chassis.

21 Uses a 150W iron to solder component grounds to steel chassis instead of using existing ground lugs or neatly adding a few unobtrusively. Burns a lot of surrounding insulation in the process and wraps with duct tape.

There are more but Im sure a few have got the message by now.

Carl

I am well versed in the correct ways of doing things. I am still a relative newbie to tube radio repair and restoration but was brought up on the principle of if its worth doing then its worth doing right. In most cases I will unwrap old leads from terminals to attach new leads. Sometimes, in really tight spaces, I will clip out the old component leaving a little tab to solder to but make the connection mechanically solid before soldering. I use heat shrink tubing where applicable. I use spaghetti tubing where necessary. No bundles of soldered wires left flying in space unless thats the way it was from the factory (us Zenith guys know them well). Correct value replacement parts (caps, resistors, tubes , pots, etc) are always used. If a tube socket tab breaks off then I replace the whole socket with a correct piece. I have 4 soldering irons and know when to use the appropriate one. NO TAPE OF ANY KIND IN ANY OF MY WORK. SMD issues.. remove the offending part, disassemble it, repair it properly, then reassemble and re-install it. If it can't be repaired then a suitable replacement must be sourced. I will go so far as to re-stuff capacitors in high end sets if the customer (my father) wants me to. I kinda like the original look too despite the tedious effort required. My first restoration job was pretty bad as my soldering skills were in their infancy at the time. It has since been re-done properly. I don't fancy myself an expert or a hack. Was just wondering what you guy's and girl's thoughts were on the subject. If I can ever figure out how to correctly post pics here I will be happy to show (not show off) some of my work . I will have some progress pics of the Philco 38-690 restoration up on the Philco Phorum in the next week or so. That one has been a real adventure .

really people have done that ?.... WOW

Carl I wish you weren't so cranky ...

I still feel that Nick is right on on this one. You can ask this question of 150 people and you'll get 151 answers....all different. Good luck..........GREG

P.S. I editted this so I would not sound as grouchy as Carl.............

I'm still on the fence concerning phallus shaped capacitors ..

You KNOW you would be tempted to use them if you could find them. Perhaps in a Mae West?

Actually, I've been forced to do that Several years ago I restored a Majestic 90 TRF that
used pot metal in the tuning capacitor assembly. I spent two days trying to correct the metal
deformities, and another two days meticulously bending plates to get the RF stages to track
properly across the BCB. It was more work than it worth, but the set's owner was estatic.

Pete

A "hack" is, or was, a slang term for a taxi, or a B-novel writer, lol.


I have to disagree on this one, assuming that the original cap inside the can is removed, or D/C. Attaching an outboard ceramic cap is sometimes the only way to correct the problem, at least in my experience with miniature tube sets.

Thats because you didnt read and understand my statement. Im talking about tacking in another IF can under the chassis. This might have made the original consumer happy but not the person who eventually wound up with it and sent to me.

Pete, I wouldnt call that hack work, more a matter of creative desperation What I was mentioning was those hacks that dont bother setting the end points first and just start bending.
I recently finished a HRO-500 that required removing the tuning cap, straightening all the tracking plates and starting from scratch since the LO was also way out of whack. The prior bozo also had the reduction and worm drives all messed up.
Ive also run into hack warped plates on simple radios.

Grouchy? Far from it; just frustrated with those who glorify/justify poor work. If expressing my disatisfaction makes me considered grouchy I suggest you all look in the mirror and pick a subject that upsets you.

Carl