Restoring a Mk1 Astro

[andy ross]

Recently rescued a Mk1 Astro that no longer has its original cable or the grey/white grommet/cable holder that feeds the cable into the base; and the round inline switch is missing too...this could have been white or grey.

I'd like to restore as best I can - does anyone know where I can source these items, please? The wire is white, with R/B/G coding

Thanks

[Mr MaGoo]

We need pics bro.. to see what your working with! Please.

[stevemo]

Assuming that you are in the UK you won't find new flex with the red/black/green colour code, it was outlawed in 1970 in favour of the harmonised brown/blue/green-yellow. The round in-line switches were made by Arcolectric (still around but now part of Bulgin), but will have been out of production for decades, the ones I have bear no safety agency approval markings at all and probably couldn't be manufactured now. There are a few Chandelier  repair/parts suppliers around (search online) , they might be able to supply flex/switches and grommets etc, but they won't/can't be identical to the originals.

[andy ross]

MaGoo, here's a close up of my complete Mk1, you can see the wire, the grey grommet and the round inline switch - this one is grey, they can also be white...

stevemo, yes I'm UK-based, and everything you say reinforces what I've found in my attempts to find these parts, sadly...

I'm hoping someone may have a few spares tucked away somewhere, please PM me if you do?

Thanks guys

[Johnny]

Personaly if i was gonna go for authentic flex id be searching ebay under 1960s lamps then click collectable tab and uk only and search or better car boot sales , charity shops ,as for the switch thats gonna be tricky :-(

[Mr MaGoo]

Can the switch be taken apart and cleaned up, looks a little dirty is all.

[Claude J]

I have the white cable and pretty sure the grommets

maybe even the switch?

It would have been from a fiber optic I converted to USA cords and LED

We just moved so,,..

I'll try to find the containers that house these in the next week or so, then post pics

[andy ross]

Hi Claude!

That would be great, thanks - even a near-miss would probably work if it's UK voltage

Glad to hear the move finally happened, btw...

[Eliot]

You may struggle to find flex small enough to fit through the hole on the base and/or entry points of the switch. For a long time now the plugs and sockets regulation only permits 3A or 13A fuses to be fitted to appliances being sold, and of course the smallest flex available has to be capable of carrying 3A. This means the smallest flex available now is 0.5sqmm, far larger than the original, which means it probably won't fit.

I'd say your best bet would be to either look for old stock, or potentially pick up an old table lamp from a car boot sale or antiques shop, that has its original flex still in good condition, and use that.

I don't know of any manufacturer of switches quite like the originals. The closest you'll get are the 1A torpedo switches made by a company called Castelco. They're the little oval shaped ones with a press switch on the side, much like the ones Crestworth used in the late 60s and 70s.

[andy ross]

Thanks for the inputs; those Castelco switches would be very suitable for the later Crestworth ones - really useful, thanks!

Otherwise it looks like the boot sales for 60s lamps - to cannibalise for their flex.... and the eBay trawl ditto, good thought...

One thought - I wonder if American flex is available with the RBG colour code in the thinner gauge - 3-4mm? Perhaps you're not so hamstrung by Health and Safety regulations as we are over here? It's got to carry max 40w on 220/240v, as I guess you already know

And if anyone does have any of these switches in their spares/treasures box, I would raid mine for a suitable swap?

[Claude J]

Well we are one step closer, all the lava lab boxes are now in one place ready for placement on the rack,

My Gal got all the 300+ lamps boxes stacked so we can now park int he garage

Hopefully this weekend i can find what your looking for

[Mr MaGoo]

Sits and watches with his bucket of popcorn! :)

[Claude J]

Mr MaGoo said:

Sits and watches with his bucket of popcorn! :)