I've read several threads where some of you folks have attempted to re-upholster a hickok tester box. I am not going to do it, no sir, I'm not. But, I might attempt to repair some missing pieces. Does anyone know who still sells this dark blue or black fabric or what it's officially called? Thanks.

Book cloth might work. However it's been decades since I bought any, and I've forgotten which of the hobby suppliers carried it. I know I bought an assortment of remnants, several yards each of about ten colors/styles.

Tolex is the name, and here's one place to get it.

Agree with Mike, have recovered a 539 with the newer heavier Tolex, and much more durable then the original material used. Bought through eBay, search "color" tolex, in either case I would use the heavier material for durability. It is a bit tricky to apply when using contact cement, I rough cut the dimensions, applied the contact cement with the spray and laid everything up wet so I had a bit of wiggle room. Start with the largest surface first (bottom/top). I use one piece for the bottom and sides and a second piece for the top/sides/interior sides and a third piece that fits in the top (inside). Look at how the original was seamed, some people remove it and use it as a rough template. You should not apply the Tolex over old material, you need to strip everything off, re-glue the joints if needed and use Bondo to fill gouges or defects in the original box.

Make sure if you are recovering the tester that you buy enough linear feet of material (and a bit more in case you err). Did not find the new contact cement works as well as years past, and getting the proper replacement hardware is a bit of a challenge. If someone is interested I can check my files for the the hinges and corner items. Put the final product is really nice, I do not suggest patching unless it is a small tear (use glue/filler and matching black paint dabbed on, use shoe polish to restore color if needed).

Question for mksj: most of the case hardware is riveted on. What do you do about the rivets?

Thanks guys. I've got tolex. Recovered many a speaker cab and amp head. I was looking more for the book fabric to replace some dead areas on a 539B box. Chris, you drill the little suckers out, very carefully, and replace them with one size larger with a fender washer on the inside. Pain in the butt. If you're going for a total restoration that's the way I would go. I have enough trouble with the electronic restoration to go into the whole box restoration thing. Appreciate the responses.

I punch out the pins and prefer to use thin pan head hex socket miniature bolts, that are no thinker than the box material. I use Plated Steel T Nuts Blind Nuts 4 Prongs pressed into the wood from the other side and glued in place. This allows the hardware to be easily removed in the future, I f you need specifics I can check my files next week and give some detailed pictures.

This is close to the red Tolex used on the 600/6000s. It has a different tone and texture but it is rather affordable and possibly much better than a badly scarred case:
http://www.tubesandmore.com/products/S-G407-A

Thread with discussion of recovering Hickok
How To Recover a Hickok Tube Tester
viewtopic.php?t=95190&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

Photo of recovered 539 series and hardware. Used small nickle plated corners, most of the parts fall under guitar case hardware.
Take apart hinges are sourced from HardwareSource
http://www.hardwaresource.com/hinges/FU ... part+Hinge
Many sources for handle, clasps, screws (4-40 x 1/4 and 3/8" SS button cap screws) and 4-40 T-nuts. Mount the T-nuts first and glue in place, then apply Tolex covering.
Can use new rivets, but they can/will loosen with time. Also when installing the feet on the base of the tester (hinge side), mount all four on the main box, do not mount two on the case lid as it will stress/loosen the hinges.

Many thanks for the tips. I will add the references to my permanent collection of restoration materials sources! Your Hickok looks incredible! I have a WW-2 era 540 on which most of the original cloth covering is gone, which will soon be getting the treatment.

Some questions came up on recovering, so to my recollection I thought I I would put down how I recovered a 539. Others should add coments if they have additional suggestions. Suggested hardware and covering in attached picture. Everything but the hinges can be sourced from eBay or online vintage equipment vendors. The corners are hard to source because of the tight edge radius and small size (Nickel Finish approximately 1.20'' x 1.20'' x 1.20''x .50'' internal corner radius or smaller). Measure up your hardware and select a size that fits and the desired finish. I use small 4-40 SS button head screws (hex key) as they are more secure then the rivets and allow replacement of the hardware if needed. Used stainless steel 4-40 x 1/4" for corners, 4-40 x 3/8" for handle and clasps. I used stainless steel 6-32 x 3/8" Philips head screws and 6-32 T nuts to mount my hinges. Hardware may vary by tester, so you need to select size/screw length for your application. Test the depth of all the screws to make sure they will not protrude through the other side or into the Tolex when mounted. I used black bronco Tolex (not to be confused with elephant texture). The Tolex fabric is 24 oz. weight, similar to the 30 oz. weight vinyl covering used by Fender, just lighter weight and easier to work. The Tolex is heavier and more durable then the stock material, so should wear better but a bit more difficult to apply.

General suggested recommendation for recovering.
1. Planning and patience (not that I have much) is everything. So you need to lay out everything in steps, and make sure you know how everything is to be located/mounted so that the Tolex covers all the visible areas when finished and the seams are straight on positioned correctly.

2. Remove all the old hardware, save pieces that are salvageable (not rusted or painted) or can be replated. Be aware that the handle plastic gets brittle with age. You need to take apart the internal wood mounting strips inside the box to access the hinge/handle rivets and the covering goes under the strips. Because the new covering is significantly thicker than the old, the mounting screws may not align properly after recovering. I replaced the internal mounting strips with new hardwood pieces and use new stainless steel Philip head sheet metal screws to mount the tube tester to the cabinet. I drilled the mounting deck holes into the wood strips at the very end. If using rivets, you need to think on the sequence for covering, and mounting the hardware so the internal portion of the rivet does not show. So on something like the lid, you need to mount the corners before mounting the Tolex to the internal parts of the deck lid.

3. Remove all the old covering, some people keep it to use as an approximate template for the new covering. Repair all the loose joints (often need to be reglued), tap down or add any small nails used to fasten the box together. Use Bondo or wood filler to repair any defects in the wood, then sand smooth. Make sure the metal corners/hardware fit, you may need to file down some of the wood corners. Mark the location of the lid corners, hinges and the upper portion of the clasps and drill holes if using button head screws to mount hardware. When doing this for the corner, you must add a piece of temporary Tolex to the corner as it effects the position of the mounting holes once covered. Once you have drilled the holes, mount the T-nuts (need to glue in place) and pull them down so that the spikes are engaged. I also tap them down so the top of the flange of the T nut is flush with the surface of the box. Although I did this for all my hardware, you need to take into the effect of the thickness of the Tolex on the position of the hardware and mounting holes. I suggest you only pre-mount the T-nuts for the lid hardware (corners, hinges and clasps, or places that will be covered by Tolex and will show if you mount after covered). As the T nuts are all covered by the Tolex, so you cannot mount them after you apply the Tolex.

4. You then should seal inside and outside all the wood surfaces using either a clear polyurethane coating or I spray painted mine the same color as the covering. This prevents moisture from getting into the wood and the contact cement from wicking into wood.

5. Covering, this varies and you should look at the original covering panels for guidance. The larger tube testers you will need the 54" wide Tolex and probably 2-3 yards in length. Measure up your tester, and figure out the panels needed using generous margins, and then add an extra yard. I use one piece of Tolex for the whole bottom section of the cabinet and two pieces for the top (lid). Some small pieces are used for the middle divider and rear compartment (if covered). I do not recommend using multiple pieces such as separate pieces for the bottom, sides, etc. , as they do not hold well (stick) with the heavier Tolex.

6. I started with the bottom, and cut a Tolex panel at least 2" longer then needed. I measured the bottom, up the sides and at least 2" into the box, note that testers like the 539 series are asymmetrical on the side panels. Cut it as one big square, do not attempt to cut the panels more specifically, as everything changes when you start to mount the Tolex. Dry fit and position the bottom piece, mark with a felt pen the position of the bottom on the Tolex. Now apply a good industrial contact cement to the bottom of the tube tester cabinet (not the sides) and the bottom marked area on the Tolex. While the contact cement is still wet, place the cabinet down on the Tolex, aligning with the marked area. Stretch and smooth out the Tolex. This must be done before the contact cement dries otherwise it is very difficult (impossible) to stretch out any wrinkles or blebs.

7. Now only the bottom is glued at this point. On a flat surface with a cardboard or cutting board underneath the Tolex, make a cut at 45 degrees from each corner. This allows you to further dry fit the sides and front/rear. Pull up each side, wrap around the vertical edges of the box so that you have at least ~ 3/4" of material from the sides going over the corners and onto the front and rear of the box, you can rough cut first with a scissors, then tape and do the finishing cut with a sharp pointed blade. Use blue masking tape to hold the Tolex in place when dry fitting. With a sharp X-acto knife cut off the excess Tolex in a straight line (use a steel ruler as a straight edge), so that the side pieces come up and over into the box at least 2" and wrap around the front and rear ~3/4". With the sides dry fitted, mark with a pencil or marker the location on the box. Now apply contact cement to the side Tolex pieces and the marked areas of the cabinet. Carefully pull up each Tolex side Panel (holding at both ends) stretch and apply. Smooth the side first then gently role the Tolex around the front and rear corners, and over the top and into the box. You will need to trim/cut a bit of Tolex as it rolls over into the box at each of the four corners. If any of the edge areas are not cut straight (parallel to the edges), carefully trim with a sharp pointed X-acto blade.

8. Now the front and rear Tolex need to be dry fitted. Pull up the front and rear section of the Tolex mounted to the bottom, rough cut off the excess. Do a final cut of the front/rear panel of the Tolex so that it overlaps the side panel Tolex by at least a 1/2", cut vertically just before the radius of the box edge. Make sure to put a small strip of cardboard under the Tolex you are cutting, so you do not cut into the Tolex you are overlapping. Apply contact cement to the front/rear panels of tolex and box. As with the sides, grasping at each edge of the Tolex, pull taught and up to apply, work from the bottom center out to smooth and remove any blebs/air pockets. Once again, try to quickly apply the contact cement on each panel/box and apply the Tolex before it is fully dried.

9. The cabinet lid is done in the same way as the bottom for the most part. I used a single piece to cover the top sides, internal sides and then ~3/4" onto the inside of the underneath portion of the lid. I then cut a rectangular piece of Tolex to fit inside the lid up to each internal side. It was hard to apply this last rectangular piece. You can apply a small square of contact cement in the center of the lid/Tolex first, apply and position the Tolex, then apply contact cement outward and rolling out the Tolex from the center. So probably the most important factor was applying the contact cement and mounting the Tolex in increments, otherwise you will have a mess.

10. Punch holes/drill holes for hardware. Mount the hardware, corners, handles and feet. I mount the rear feet (hinge side) on the bottom part of the cabinet, not on the lid portion. When mounted on the lid, it will damage the lid/hinges. Mount the new wood strips in the bottom of the cabinet that will hold the tube tester in place. Put the tube tester into the cabinet and mark/drill the mounting holes in the wood strips, make sure the holes are sized for the sheet metal screws you are using to mount the tube tester.