Lowther Reform School

In the course of working with lowthers you occasionally come across a bad seed or a unit that requires you to "smack it around" to get it in line.  The net result of this treatment isn't always pretty but once you get the driver in the right mind, recovery is possible.  The following is a result of just such a case.  Let me provide you with before and after pictures to start off this success story.

Before

After

The process was actually very simple, I simply turned a slightly tapered reformer out of an appropriately sized PVC coupling.  The taper is about 1mm over the 50mm length with the target diameter coming at about 20mm.  I was actually surprised how nicely the PVC turned and all three of the ones I bought to play with are 100% functional.

The ultimate finish may not be 100% but the function is there.  In the above referenced coil I was able to recenter it and move it without any rub.  The real test sample was a 5" basket that took a rather hard hit to the coil and was impossible to center. It was only mildly eccentric and had a distinct kink where the slit in the former was.  30 seconds in Dave's Reform School for Lowthers and another 30 seconds on a magnet had it centered and passing signals without rubbing.

The lathe is still set up and it only takes a few minutes to turn these so if any of you out there use lowthers and find yourselves in need of such a device, chime in and I'll send you one.