03-09-2021, 07:34 PM
Welcome to the forum WDW. Let me second all that Bob said. Don't try to power that radio / phono on again until it has been gone through and certain parts replaced. This is important since when these parts fail they put a severe strain on the rest of the circuit, some parts of which are very difficult to find and expensive either to repair or replace, like the power transformer. You can do the needed refurbishment yourself, or have it done for you. If you decide to do it yourself, you will need some basic tools. First, a soldering iron. I recommend you get a Weller soldering gun of 100/150 watt rating, the kind with replaceable heavy copper wire tips.
[Image: https://stevenjohnson.com/soldering/pics...-8200n.jpg]
I recommend one like this, with the screw in nuts to hold the replacement tips, rather than the new ones which use set screws. The old ones can be found on eBay cheaper than the new ones, and are better.
You will also need some hand tools. A pair of small needle nose pliers or two even better. A small crescent wrench. Several screw drivers from very small to medium size. On these sets they will mostly be straight blade not Philips, although you may encounter small hex key screws used for set screws, so a cheap SAE set of those would be useful.
The most important piece of test equipment you will need is a good multi-meter. These days one can buy a good digital multi-meter quite reasonably either from eBay or from a Harbor Freight store near you or their online site. This will be used for checking resistances, continuity, and voltages. Some models can even do a basic test of condensers (capacitors) but that test is not truly reliable since it is not done under the high voltages which one finds in these old sets.
With just these you can do the needed work, but there are some things which you would still need someone with more test equipment to do. First, you will need to test the tubes. There was a time when every town had some place, often a drug store, where they had a tube tester where you could test tubes and buy replacements for many common types. Today you will either need to know someone who has such a tester, or buy one for yourself. (I have 4, LOL !) You can find a suitable one on eBay at a reasonable price. Their circuits are very simple. The most you will need to do to them is replace a condenser (capacitor) or two, sometimes a tube.
To align the set you will need an RF signal generator. I prefer the older tube models to the new solid state ones, they seem more robust and forgiving, in my experience. Both the old and modern ones can be found on eBay. If you get an old one, have its calibration checked by a good electronics repair shop, or check it yourself against a modern digital readout short wave radio. Any of the old Heathkit models will be fine, and can be found on eBay reasonably.
[Image: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/OOkAAOSwA...s-l300.jpg]
I hope all this does not deter you from refurbishing your old set. It is not as difficult as it might sound, and the satisfaction one feels when one hears an old radio or phonograph one has restored playing must be felt to be understood. Again, welcome to the forum. Feel free to ask any question you have. The only stupid question is the important one you DIDN'T ask.
[Image: https://stevenjohnson.com/soldering/pics...-8200n.jpg]
I recommend one like this, with the screw in nuts to hold the replacement tips, rather than the new ones which use set screws. The old ones can be found on eBay cheaper than the new ones, and are better.
You will also need some hand tools. A pair of small needle nose pliers or two even better. A small crescent wrench. Several screw drivers from very small to medium size. On these sets they will mostly be straight blade not Philips, although you may encounter small hex key screws used for set screws, so a cheap SAE set of those would be useful.
The most important piece of test equipment you will need is a good multi-meter. These days one can buy a good digital multi-meter quite reasonably either from eBay or from a Harbor Freight store near you or their online site. This will be used for checking resistances, continuity, and voltages. Some models can even do a basic test of condensers (capacitors) but that test is not truly reliable since it is not done under the high voltages which one finds in these old sets.
With just these you can do the needed work, but there are some things which you would still need someone with more test equipment to do. First, you will need to test the tubes. There was a time when every town had some place, often a drug store, where they had a tube tester where you could test tubes and buy replacements for many common types. Today you will either need to know someone who has such a tester, or buy one for yourself. (I have 4, LOL !) You can find a suitable one on eBay at a reasonable price. Their circuits are very simple. The most you will need to do to them is replace a condenser (capacitor) or two, sometimes a tube.
To align the set you will need an RF signal generator. I prefer the older tube models to the new solid state ones, they seem more robust and forgiving, in my experience. Both the old and modern ones can be found on eBay. If you get an old one, have its calibration checked by a good electronics repair shop, or check it yourself against a modern digital readout short wave radio. Any of the old Heathkit models will be fine, and can be found on eBay reasonably.
[Image: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/OOkAAOSwA...s-l300.jpg]
I hope all this does not deter you from refurbishing your old set. It is not as difficult as it might sound, and the satisfaction one feels when one hears an old radio or phonograph one has restored playing must be felt to be understood. Again, welcome to the forum. Feel free to ask any question you have. The only stupid question is the important one you DIDN'T ask.
