Victor Bullet Brake Nickeling question

[EarlH]

I'm going to get some parts re-nickeled on a Victor II that I have and I'm not really sure how that brake comes apart to pull the spring out. It looks like that small rivet in there that the lever pushes on might just drive out. Then I got to thinking that maybe it doesn't have to come apart to get the nickeling done. Has anyone had experience with this? I can post some pictures of it in a little while, but I thought I'd ask first before I got too carried away on the thing!

[Jerry B.]

I would talk with your plater. It seems like the last time I had a brake plated I was able to leave the spring in the barrel. Jerry B.

[Jerry B.]

Another suggestion... I'd suggest that you have all parts right down to the individual screws re-plated. Or perhaps a better suggestion would be to have the plater try to match the recently plated part with other nickeled parts of the machine. Just try to avoid having part of the machine look brand new and other parts look much older. Jerry B.

[EarlH]

Jerry,
Thank you. I am pretty much going to have all the of the nickel parts re-plated. Screws as well. They are all in nice shape, but are rusty enough that they really need to be done over again. It's a plater down in Kansas City, and I've seen some of his work and it's pretty nice. I'll have to see what he thinks about that brake as it would be a lot easier just to leave it together. I think they should be able to do it together, but I guess I'll find out. I'll have to split the wood bail off the crank, but I've done that before when I've had cranks re-plated.

[Canuk Phonographs]

I used to remove the bearing from the bottom of the bullet brake and take it all apart before plating, them my plater told me not to bother. He has done several since and I have no problem with the bullet action after plating. Now the machine threads, that's a different story. Sometimes i need to re-tap and or run a die over the re-plated threads. On the "U" tube, I have the plater mask off the threads before plating.

Blain