Vintage Mechanical Horns
- Thread starter msrfan
- Start date
I have an older Stewart Warner plunger horn that needs a new plunger spring, can you help me with a size or lead me somewhere so i can purchase the correct spring. I have picts of the horn taken apart if you like
Hey velo, thanks for the post. The last one I needed, I wound music wire around a small rod and then stretched it out and cut it to length. I'll see if I can come up with the sizes for you.
I found a guy on ebay who restores them sent him picts of it, he knew exactly what I had and said he had springs. He wanted me to send it to him so he could get the size, I have completely restored this with the exception of the spring. Anyhow I told the guy I would like to purchase a spring and he was like" I am not in the parts business". So what he wanted was me to pay for his services, *******
Yeah, a lot of those guys are all about the money, where most of us on this forum want to help others get their projects squared away and working.
If this is the horn you working on, you can see how the spring fits. It's a little smaller than the plunger hole and uses a nail in the end to keep it straight. If you buy some music wire that's close to .020'' and wind it tight around a coat hanger or similar rod, then stretch it out to desired length, you will have a suitable spring. The nail may need the head ground down a little.
Hope this info helps. Let me know if you need more.
If this is the horn you working on, you can see how the spring fits. It's a little smaller than the plunger hole and uses a nail in the end to keep it straight. If you buy some music wire that's close to .020'' and wind it tight around a coat hanger or similar rod, then stretch it out to desired length, you will have a suitable spring. The nail may need the head ground down a little.
Hope this info helps. Let me know if you need more.
Sure velo. Be glad to. Do you also need the nail in the end? And do you have the little screw that goes in the bottom of the plunger to keep it from flying out?
I could never get the plunger out so assuming the screw is still in. I have the nail thingy, was able to get the plunger shaft enough so that I can get the nail out and spring
I usually just hand wind small springs for my bike projects, but I was able to borrow this professional portable spring winder. What a great tool.
You clamp it to your work bench and choose the appropriate wire size and mandrel. Mount the roll of music wire in the holder, thread it through the various places on the winder and you're ready to make a spring.
A few turns as a pull spring puts a nice end on it.
Adjust the pitch gauge to the size desired and wind the length you need as a compression spring.
Re-adjust the pitch gauge and wind another nice terminated end. Nip the excess and there's a cool spring velo can use in his horn.
You clamp it to your work bench and choose the appropriate wire size and mandrel. Mount the roll of music wire in the holder, thread it through the various places on the winder and you're ready to make a spring.
A few turns as a pull spring puts a nice end on it.
Adjust the pitch gauge to the size desired and wind the length you need as a compression spring.
Re-adjust the pitch gauge and wind another nice terminated end. Nip the excess and there's a cool spring velo can use in his horn.
I didn't have the wire size the original spring used so I made one a little heavier. It worked so well that I made one for my horn also.
spring just came in mail, disregard my last LOL. Gonna get it in the horn Saturday and have picts for ya sunday
oops sorry got sidetracked and totally forgot about sending picts. The spring works great was too long had to cut about 1/3 off and now works like a champ. I will get a pict out to ya within next day or 2 promise