Mrs. SewNSew

What can you use as an insulator in a vintage plug? I've seen them in the past with a cardboard of some type pressed into the end. For the most part when I bring home a vintage machine those old cardboards are now missing. Is it safe to use a circle of cardboard cut from a shoe box or a bar coaster?

miriam

They might be asbestos not card board.

Rodney

As far as I know they're just cardboard. Sundial wire sells replacement cardboard plug covers for their round plugs for $.50 each.
You should be fine making your own too.
Rodney

Mrs. SewNSew

http://www.antiquelampco.com/Catalog/Cord.htm This site is listing them as "dielectric paper board". I am just wondering the difference between that and cardboard and if cardboard will do the same thing.

J Miller

I don't know if you still can, but you used to be able to buy the plug insulators at hard ware stores. I've seen them made from cardboard, plastic and something that looks like a mixture of cardboard and plastic. Maybe that's the dielectric paper board mentioned in the text Christy mentioned.

However for many years I've been making them out of cardboard stock like what is on the back of legal pads. So far I've had zero problems with that. Antique / vintage plugs come in lots of sizes and shapes so sometimes it's easier to make one than find one.

Joe

Mrs. SewNSew

Joe, it's reassuring to hear you've been making them for years and not had a problem. I'm sure I made one before out of cardboard but ran into another missing one recently started wondering if that's an ok thing to do.

greywuuf

dry cardboard should have no trouble standing up to the "pressure" of normal house current. WET cardboard, not so much.... but then again WET anything is not usually considered a great insulator ;-) the only purpose the cardboard serves it to prevent inadvertent contact with the wires in the plug and the cover screw on the outlet, once the thing is plugged in it is not like you are going to get your finger in there anyway. I guess it also keeps stray straight pins or nickles out when it is not plugged in... that would result in a "pop" and a startled expression for sure.

I guess what I am saying is about anything NON conductive to keep junk out will be fine.