[radiorich]

Hello guys,
Well my problem is I bought a repo leather handle for my Philco 46-350 well it's little on the light side far as color my question how can a person make it darker I did what gent said to leave it out in the sunn that did not darken it enough
any idea's I was thinking of shoe dye for leather shoes or what just colored polish.
Sincerely Rich
P.S. I to here your input the set I have came from a estate of the original own it's in really nice shape either then the handle and guy that owned it used brass Upholstery tacks as feet .
the chassis is very clean so is the cabinet when I redo this set I'm going to either stuff or hid the new caps to look original

[Ron Ramirez]

Hi Rich

I have to say, that I am disappointed with the overall quality of the reproduction 46-350 handles. They are too short, color not dark enough, and the last one I bought for a customer's set was warped and just looked in overall poor quality.

However, Wayne is currently the only game in town. Perhaps we should make him aware of our concerns? I have to admit, I was in a hurry to get this radio back to its waiting owner so I never did follow up on the issue, although I should have.

[radiorich]

Hello Ron,
Well I have not even compare mine far as length goes so I don't know if it's to short or not thats a goods point to check
far as being to light that is the only thing I see also I have real nice Zenith that they don't reproduce handles for to bad.
Sincerely Rich

[FStephenMasek]

I received a refund for the reproduction handle I bought. The leather used in the one I received was too thick and rough, so I had to try to whittle it down so that I could tighten the metal handle retainers.

The 46-350 is a very difficult radio to repair.

Before I learned that the 46-350 radios go for $10 or $15, I paid $20 for one with no handle and a broken dial scale glass. Even worse, I then paid a guy on another forum $20 for a parts set, and I didn't like the dial scale on it, as the black paint was cracked in various locations. I wound up touching it up with black finger nail polish.

I bought a reproduction battery for mine, and probably used a whole can of lacquer trying to refinish it, but now have it too dark, so I have way too much money in the thing. Still, I will keep my eye open for a good cabinet and a belt the correct width and color to use in making a better handle.

[radiorich]

Hello FStephenMasek ,
I sorry to here your horror Story about your 46-350 but mine is in perfectr condition inside and out it's handle is the only real problem far as restoring it chassis I have done one in the past for customer the main problem was those speakers I did not have any problem recaping the either one this time around should be straight forward thou.
Sincerely Rich
P.S. thanks for pointing out about the thickness of the handle I'll check to see if mine will fit

[codefox1]

This is a real sweet set when you get it running. I filled in the slots where the handle used to be with wood plugs on one set, and also pulled off the distressed leatherette on the sides, filled and stained the wood and then finished everything with (cough) satin polyetheryne. Touched up the woodwork with a little artist's oil paint to maintan the hue a day in advance of this. My camera is dead, but I will post a picture when I get a new onel

Result, a nice table radio, presentable and sounds great. Really, you don't need a handle, because you're not going to take it to the beach. I summaraily removed the battery/Ac switchm and all associated wiring. If anyone needs these parts, I haven't thrown them out . Of course I recapped it, and found I needed to add about 200 ohms between the final capacitor to filament string to get the voltage down so I can get good life out of the tubes. If the 117Z3 fails in the future, I will replace it with a diode, and add an additional dropping resistor to keep things straight.

Because this set has a RF amplifier, it is really sensitive. With a 2 foot tuned loop, it is absolutely remarkable. All in all a nice radio. I have two of 'em.

[FStephenMasek]

We were carrying the radio at the SCARS annual event in Carlsbad, CA, and had it tuned to a San Diego station playing 1940s music.

[radiorich]

Hello FStephenMasek
ya I sure like listening to old music on my radios I'm glad I bought a SStran transmitter also a station he places old music also on sunday night they play old radio broadcasts it's really fun to turn off the lights and sit in my rocker next to a 1930s tombstone listening to a old radio broadcast my $2k high preamp for home theater has a nice tunner but the only thing I use it for is watching movies and listening to cds .
Sincerely Rich

[radiorich]

Hello Ron
Today I looked and it looks like FStephenMasek was right about the handles being to thick well is there any way to fix that with out destoring the handle or the Radio
Sincerely Rich

[FStephenMasek]

Rich - you can carefully try to reduce the thickness of each ply of the the leather at the ends using a very sharp knife.

Otherwise, you could go to a Goodwill or a discount store to try to buy a belt made with two plies of leather, cut a length, insert the spring from the original or "reproduction" handle, and sew it back together using thick thread and a heavy-duty needle. I looked for a belt once, but need to remember to stop at Goodwill and Ross (across the street from each other in Lake Forest, CA) one Sunday when on the way back home from St. Nicholas.

[radiorich]

hello FStephenMasek ,
thanks for the ideas I just wish would have check it sooner

[codefox1]

You you only have to look through your own drawer to finda belt that is never again going to fit you if you have gained weight since the whenever it was that you were skinny. You could discretely also check your wife's stash if (1) you have one, and (2) she is becoming horizontally challenged. I'm still wondering why anyone needs a handle for a very nice set that is not going to make any more road trips.

[radiorich]

Hello codefox1 ,
Well to answer your qestion why does someone need a handle for a radio that will not make any road trips
far as this radio go I would like to beable to carry it out side when I'm enjoying the nice weathewr in the summer and beable to listen to my am transmitter my little SStran I built that has a 100 disc cd changer hooked up .
Far as the idea with the belt thats what I'm going to do with my Zenith sailboat radio.
Sincerely Rich