Ancient mains socket wanted

If you use 4m sockets you'll need ones less than 8.4mm wide, or to file the plastic down to get them close enough. And will need to position them just right to get enough sideways pull on the bins to stop the plug falling out, but not too much so its stiff or causes damage.

The other option is just 2 holes in plastic and spring strip behind it to grip the pins. Or even more basic, 2 holes in wood and wires in the holes. I'm assuming this isnt connected direct to mains.

I suppose in principle you might find a chocblock with 3.6mm holes

NT

Looking at a mains plug the L/N/E pins are about 3.6mm thick, so stripping an old socket down should give some suitable bits of brass for contact to the pins.

Drill out a couple of brass nuts or spacers to 3.6mm and epoxy into a thin bit of varnished ply should give a nice looking socket. Then use the bits of brass as above for the contacts.

cheers, Pete.

Or ebay, in the vintage electronics sections.

I managed to get the sort of plug that was used on early battery powered valve radios for the 1.5v heater battery..needed one for the FM aerial on a 50's mains radio VHF aerial input.

Ah, the good old days when you only needed 88-102MHz, cos there weren't any stations beyond that. The mysteries of a chain of heaters in series with a dial lamp and a socking great resistor all across the mains..and the joy of 400V HT - at least until it got to that room heating dropper resistor and the wonderful sound of a 5W class UL84 humming its way through the cricket commentary on Long Waves.

And you all crouched round it keeping yer mitts warm on the bakelite in winter...

And if you left a saucepan of sprouts on the top at the start of Wimbledon, they'd be done by the Queen's Speech.

Owain

It's a private rebuild. So will go for a 24v bulb and for the socket use some 32A terminal strip behind some suitable period looking plastic material. It is only to iluminate a microscope, so 5w or 21w should be fine!

NT