Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums Showcase and Stories, Petroliana Making 36B Ad Glass Spring Clips

I must first make the admission that I haven't a clue about making metal springs. That being said, I also admit that ignorance of something hasn't always stopped me from forging ahead with some hair-brained idea under the banner of necessity is the mother of invention. Anyway, for the last year I have slowly been making progress on restoring a Tokheim 36B computer pump. One of the last problems to resolve has been to obtain or create some spring clips for the four ad glass plates. There were only two remaining clips with the pump and one Conoco ad glass. I searched around a bit for a supplier but to no avail and also researched making the springs. Since I didn't find any available to purchase, I decided to try and make my own. If it failed all I would be out was the cost of the material. So for $20 I purchased 10 feet of stainless spring strip steel, .031 x .250". I took a wooden board, placed an original spring on it and put in three screws next to where the three central bends were located. I cut the steel into 6" bars, marked the centre of the bar positioning it on the centre screw and made the bends around two of the screws. I had to remove the third screw to get the bar past its position, then replace it and make the third bend. All that was left was to make a slight bend near the ends and cut off the extra 1/4" remaining. There seems to be enough flex in the springs to hold the glass plate into position. I am hoping that this is all I need to do and not have to do any sort of heat treatment since a high strength spring is not really needed. I suppose I could have just stuffed some putty or something into the corners to hold the glass in and be satisfied. However, where is the challenge and the satisfaction in that? So for a little effort it seems to be working. If anyone has any further knowledge or experience in this I would be happy to hear from them. Cheers, Don
p.s. First photo shows the 2 original springs, 4 already shaped and 4 cut bars. Also the pump will probably be done up as a Canadian North Star when finished.

Excellent ingenuity, Don!!! The clips look perfect and from what I can see; work as well as they look!

Congrats on a job; well done!

Looks Great! Nice work

Larry

Pretty neat, especially considering the fact that originals will easily bring $10 each since they are so hard to find!
What was your cost per spring when done with them?

great job coopster...make sure you have extra's...for the next 38b...lol

Kevin, the steel was $2 per foot and I made 2 springs per foot so $1 Cdn. per spring. I still have 6 feet of steel left so I could make yet another 12 springs if so inclined. A 10 foot length was the minimum purchase but perhaps elsewhere it could be less and the price could vary too. Cheers, Don.

Kim, if you have another one for me make sure it is either a clock face or showcase. What the heck is a 38b?

Steel Banding Strap [used on Palletized items] cut to size work well also

"hair-brained"? Is the idea better if you have hair Don?
I like the ingenuity out of necessity, nicely done.

Nice job! Great idea put to work!

Dang Fred, you caught me on my spelling. Hair-brained must have been wishful thinking on my part. Hare-brained is the proper term, though what it has to with hares is beyond me, lol!! Cheers, Don.

Hare-brained = Ideas that Multiply like Rabbits [Pumps]!

Nice work!