01-19-2016, 04:41 AM
The chassis of that set reminds me of a Jackson Bell "Peter Pan" model, which were also made in the Gilfillan plant alongside proper Gilfillans. Apparently Gilfillan Brothers had an RCA license which they sublet to a number of smaller manufacturers provided that the smaller makes produced the set in the Gilfillan plant.
In any event when you run across a 2.5 volt AC type tube sometimes it's a good idea to try resoldering the pins if they test weak, both the filament and the grid pins and grid caps. The solder on older tubes was somewhat less then reliable, especially on balloon style tubes, so it sometimes pays to suck the old solder out with a solder sucker, and put fresh solder in, but you need a good sized iron to do it.
With regard to the other parts, I think that the filter caps may be replacements, the solder joint connecting the two positive ends together looks kind of shiny and unprofessional. I'm not sure about the paper caps but the Sprague brand ones with the black shell look old, I don't know if the Sprague "600 Series" caps were available in 1932-33, but none the less I would restuff them since they look quite appropriate in there.
By the way that the Sprague paper caps are constructed they may be like the late 30's RCA paper caps where you can place one end over a similar sized socket on a table, press down, and the innards will be forced out the opposite end without having to bake the wax out. Dennis Carter has a video on You Tube where he is renovating a 1939 RCA, and while he did not restuff the caps in it since it had a mix of replacement caps, he does show how to get the innards out of an RCA cap by pulling on the lead, pressing it out is more reliable I find, and if heat is needed you can heat the outside with a heat gun. The you place the new cap inside reusing the cardboard disks at either end and whatever stuffing material is needed, and roll the edge of the open cap back over itself.
Regards
Arran
In any event when you run across a 2.5 volt AC type tube sometimes it's a good idea to try resoldering the pins if they test weak, both the filament and the grid pins and grid caps. The solder on older tubes was somewhat less then reliable, especially on balloon style tubes, so it sometimes pays to suck the old solder out with a solder sucker, and put fresh solder in, but you need a good sized iron to do it.
With regard to the other parts, I think that the filter caps may be replacements, the solder joint connecting the two positive ends together looks kind of shiny and unprofessional. I'm not sure about the paper caps but the Sprague brand ones with the black shell look old, I don't know if the Sprague "600 Series" caps were available in 1932-33, but none the less I would restuff them since they look quite appropriate in there.
By the way that the Sprague paper caps are constructed they may be like the late 30's RCA paper caps where you can place one end over a similar sized socket on a table, press down, and the innards will be forced out the opposite end without having to bake the wax out. Dennis Carter has a video on You Tube where he is renovating a 1939 RCA, and while he did not restuff the caps in it since it had a mix of replacement caps, he does show how to get the innards out of an RCA cap by pulling on the lead, pressing it out is more reliable I find, and if heat is needed you can heat the outside with a heat gun. The you place the new cap inside reusing the cardboard disks at either end and whatever stuffing material is needed, and roll the edge of the open cap back over itself.
Regards
Arran
