I see photo's of some builds using some sort of plastic tube sockets

[catnine]

 I think it's phenolic or plastic .I used the ceramic with the crimped brkt so there seem to be few choices with a fender 1" hole and ceramic 9 pins with the shield. The old stock fender ones I replaced where a med brown color but old and chipped . I got them from AES and hoffman . I get confused with top mount and bottom mount and some state they are both . Wouldn't bottom mount mean mounted with the screw tabs showing on the outside of the chassis and top mount inside the chassis or do I have that wrong? The ones like I got state both so one way they would fit the 1" chassis hole and the other would need a larger chassis hole. The only issue I find when I place them as fender did outside the chassis that if I don't place small washers between the screw tabs and the chassis is that the retainer with not seat and if forced to seat the ceramic will chip bits off  . Then there are the ceramic ones with the separate retainer so they can have four positions yet they are a bit thick for my liking .

 Whats' better plastic or ceramic . Fender made good ones that seated flat and had a crimped retainer . The ceramic ones I have now and used fit the tube base alignment slot very well no slop or chance to get the octal tube in wrong.

 I think hoffman only sells the octal ceramic ones. I have no trouble with the 9 pins they set well and the tabs are not forced to bend to the chassis.

 I have seen many different types and have a few extras .

[Ed_Chambley]

I mainly use ceramic, but have considered and used others.  Belton makes a good octal socket which will stand the heat.  I just got some old Amphenol octals from an old neighbor.  Not sure what they are made of.  Maybe asbestos, I am not sure.  They are not as easy to break as ceramic and I have a 1935 zeneth giant radio that has the same type in it and still look new.  I see them on ebay and Antique Radio Supply has other types than ceramic.  I have to say that when the ceramics do crack, it is my fault.

[HotBluePlates]

HBP has left the building.

[PRR]

Top and bottom are for the usual radio construction, tubes sticking up.

Fenders with hanging tubes, stand on your head.

Top-mount, you see the ears.