REPAIRS INSIDE THREAD-ON CONNECTORS

Many older mics -such as earlier versions of ASTATIC's JT-30- incorporate a 5/8" thread-on output connector that's pressed into a 3/8" hole (in the case of the JT-30 at the rear of the stand lug) and is held in place by friction only. This "press-fit" is provided by the grooves (or 'splines') that encircle the 3/8" portion of the connector -not by threading as with the similar SWITCHCRAFT 2501MP. These thread-on's (typically AMPHENOL MC-1 connectors) were designed for one-time application. Once they're installed, they stay in place until damage necessitates that they be replaced.
But what about 'repairable' damage? How about when the center conductor has been punched back thru the phenolic insulating floor of the connector?
This is one I dealt with just yesterday... Sometimes the center conductor of a thread-on seems to retract back into the insulating 'face' or 'floor' of the connector the way a turtle pulls its head into its shell. Rather than replacing the entire MC-1 you might try this: First, make certain the subject is strong enough for surgery and that the phenolic insert is basically intact. Next, get inside the mic and see if you can coax the retracted conductor back through its hole by grasping its attached wire and pushing it thru. You can use fingers, tweezers, or needle-nose pliers. You may also need to re-bead the contact with solder (later). Once the contact is positioned where you want it, apply just a dab of "super glue" (cyanoacrylate) to hold it in place and seal any hairline gaps around it. Next, fill the internal cavity of the connector from the inside of the mic with a two-part epoxy. Leave the mic in upright position until the epoxy completely sets. Burnish the center contact lightly with an emery board or fine sandpaper -and you're ready for a test drive.
What if this quick-fix doesn't last? That'll be another MIC MORSEL...