Not sure if 'rig' is really the right word here. What I'm thinking of is something to hold a chassis at a convenient angle and height for work underneath--something better than my current solution, which is sitting the thing on its side and bending down with a flashlight in my teeth.

I know I've seen some folks post about things here--I remember one that was a free standing contraption suitable for use out on a deck. My work area's got to be a bit more flexible than that--currently it's just a desk that I use for other things, like sitting this laptop on. When I move to NYC in a few months, I doubt things will improve, heh.

Anyway, just curious about how you folks solve this problem. Thanks all!

I do the same thing as you do.

Maybe I should build a "rig" and put a schematic here?

Probably 90% of the work I do is on table models or portables. I use a small ramp consisting of a short piece of 1x12 screwed to a section of bevel cut 2x4. I hold the chassis with a pair of 2" C-clamps. Works fine and I can just move the whole contraption off the desk to my workbench if needed. Most of the desk time in the house is just tracing circuits and measuring voltages and values.

Simple and smart enough, TexMac. I may see what the guys at the little local lumber yard can do for me along those lines--I don't have woodworking equipment, and they'll build stuff to order. Going to see what they can do about cutting a little pipe box I picked up at the antique mall to use as a case for my nixie clock.

Glad you like it. There have been a couple of similar rigs shown here by others. I have also screwed together a couple of 2x4 pieces flat-to-end that I can place under it to give me a little flexibility in angle of view. Be sure to leave a little overhang on the high side to have room for your clamps.

If doing a console chassis, though, you're going to need something more substantial and probably rotatable. There are several photos of those here as well, but they are overkill for a simple 4 to 6 tube set.

This picture is from an old thread here in Hints and Kinks.

On the underside of the holder is a gusset that is glued and screwed in place for strength. The left-to-right board can be longer for stability but takes up more bench space.

Here are plans for a simple solution - its what I use:
http://www.saegerradio.com/downloads/SimplifiedRadioChassisHolder.pdf

I just stand them on edge, power transformer down. Been doing it that way for 50 years.

I have no trouble propping up an inverted chassis on cold 807 cans, which are always underfoot.
Curt

ARF member Bill Turner makes one for $14.00 including shipping:

http://www.dialcover.com/components.html

Well heres mine. I cant take credit for its construction as a metal fab friend of mine built it. It started out over a couple of cold 807s and he put the heavy duty MOJO to it. It locks in any position on 360 degrees.

I have no doubt it would hold the heaviest of chassis. Works great.



Cheers
Mike

I was lucky. I found an original Universal Model A Tel A Turn chassis holder made by Rogers Mfg Co Lindsey OH. It has a built in speaker for testing the output of your equipment, built in socket, and a light. Holds the smallest to largest radio or tv chassis. Has clamps to hold the chassis and a wheel to turn the chassis 360 degress. If anyone wants a picture please send me a PM. The curator at the AWA museum wanted to get it from me but I am holding onto it (at least for now).

I'd love to see a picture of it and I'm sure a lot of others would too... could you post pictures of it in this thread, please? (the more the merrier!)

Don

After suffering back pain when working on a chassis on the bench, I put together this jig:


It is super strong mainly because the aluminum frame is made from a old main sail traveller track that I replaced on my sailboat. The red track is a special jig track used in woodworking that accepts 1/4 bolts where the heads slide in a channel. The four fingers can slide up/down, in/out to adjust for chassis size.. The chassis bolts to them via the existing mounts and you can swing it around for the best access. The rest of it was made out of wood/plywood scraps I had lying around.

No more back aches.

Here's what I have to do the job. It's a JFD adjustable chassis frame, and it's a real professional piece of gear.

Frame is shown at its max extension of about 24 inches. The rod at the bottom is actually two separate
rods that screw together, each about 16in long.


An iron (or steel?) casting (or forging?). The thumbscrew clamps onto the width adjustment rod. The brackets
have a pretty wide stance at the base, and are quite stable. It's also easy to clamp it down with bolts or lags
and some fender washers, if needed. Painted in the usual black crackle finish typical of the 40's and 50's.


The large disc is firmly clamped between two fender washers by tightening down the thumbscrew. The chassis
can be set at any working angle- upright, inverted, or anywhere in between. Nice knurled knobs ~1.5in dia.


The actual clamps are "U" shaped castings. The silver end clamps down on the outside of the chassis.



I'm going to use this when I work on my Lysco 600 transmitter.

But I would gladly have traded it for 'the Hickok 536 that got away' I think I'm going to be sick over that one.
http://antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=178688

How about this, I saw it in the UK Vintage Radio forum, it's called a Lab Jack

Pretty much what I do, sometimes with a paperback book as a shim.

Bob

I use Stan Saeger’s stands. Thanks Stan!
Small, easy to make, and they don’t take up much storage space between jobs. I built mine from 3/4"” x 2” oak flooring strips left over from a floor repair job. I found the small C-Clamps at Harbor Freight.

http://www.saegerradio.com/downloads/Si ... Holder.pdf

Most of my work is on car radios and for those I made a chassis block copied from a page in Delco “Testing Tips”. Mine is from a chunk of oak shipping pallet. Lots of other uses besides propping up radio chassis such as a back-up for drilling, gasket punches, beating out a bent panel, etc.

Little one:




Big one:




Made by a gentleman named Steve Strong

I have used stout metal "L" brackets screwed into the chassis mounting holes. You can turn the chassis on any side, or even upside down if it isn't extremely tall. This is an 18-tube Midwest chassis:



Cost: a few bucks. No fancy woodworking required.

Screw the brackets onto two boards for "feet," and you can stand up a heavy TV chassis like this Capehart-Farnsworth 661-P:





Regards,

Phil Nelson
Phil's Old Radios
http://antiqueradio.org/index.html