Broken tube center post off in socket

Mike361 · Jul 9, 2013

Alright as I was swapping tubes in and out I somehow broke the post off in the amps socket. This is a 50 watt power tube on the side nearest the transformer. I can,t get it out with pliers as it is flush. Any ideas? Was thinking about trying to glue something like a thin pencil to it and pulling it out. Or would it be ok to just push it through and into the chassis? Just thinking. I doubt I can get to it from the inside without taking the boards apart and I really don't have any way to discharge caps.

drewiv · Jul 9, 2013

Man, you're not having very good luck. Let me think on it, in the mean time maybe someone that has had this issue before can tell you what to do.

I'd be worried about gluing the pin and the socket together. I'm pretty sure I know what I would do, but it wouldn't work for the average at home handy man.

Mike361 · Jul 9, 2013

Yeah tell me about it. I was pretty happy after getting the bias back to functioning and couldn't find 2 el34's to bias within 5 of each other. While pulling it out and not even rocking it, I heard the plastic post crack off. At first I thought it was the socket itself, but of course it was the post of the tube. That tube had been sitting around for years and must have gotten brittle. Hopefully someone will have the solution. I might have to take it to a tech, but that would be my last option.

MarcoR · Jul 9, 2013

Is the pin hollow?

kc2eeb · Jul 9, 2013

Do you have a vacuum cleaner? Suck it out.

Mike361 · Jul 9, 2013

Well I got it out, used a large wood screw. I screwed it in enough to catch some of the plastic but the first time it just busted the loose plastic. Then the rest wanted to fall in. Anyway, after a while I managed to get it turned around and out. Put 6l6 tubes back in and they biased almost perfect. Sounds good with vox and fender modules, bit I still need to get some other tubes. Thanks for all the help.