Philco 38-690 restoration
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City: Mission Viejo, CA
Any tips or suggestions will be appreciated.
This will be the first post. I'll try to take plenty of photos as I go along.
Thus far, the status is as follows:
1) It plays, but crackles.
2) Somebody replaced capacitors, so I mainly need to check that work, and finish replacing the electrolytics and a few otehrs.
2) I see no sign of cleaning
3) The various rubber parts (tuner mount, etc.) were not replaced.
4) The cabinet will need to be refinished.
5) The original dial lights were discarded, rather than rebult, so I will need them.
6) One tweeter cone is all broken-up, so I'll have it re-coned.
7) There is some strange added antenna wire, but connecting to the "red" terminal also works. I was able to receive a few stations on AM and on shortwave with a 10' piece of hookup wire.
8 ) There is a strange two-conductor shielded cable with the two conductors connected and covered by old friction tape.
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1) It plays, but crackles.
Check any remaining capacitors that have not been replaced. Test the tubes.
2) Somebody replaced capacitors, so I mainly need to check that work, and finish replacing the electrolytics and a few otehrs.
There is one bakelite block under the upper chassis. Do not disturb that bakelite block! That does not contain a capacitor, but instead, it contains the coils of the 10 kc audio filter.
2) I see no sign of cleaning
One method of cleaning a chassis:
http://philcoradio.com/phorum/showthread.php?tid=1473
another method:
http://philcoradio.com/phorum/showthread.php?tid=1221
3) The various rubber parts (tuner mount, etc.) were not replaced.
Contact Ed (Blacksmith) for these:
http://www.renovatedradios.com/parts.html#rubber
4) The cabinet will need to be refinished.
I can't help you here, others will hopefully chime in.
5) The original dial lights were discarded, rather than rebult, so I will need them.
You can get these from any of the 1937-38 Philcos with the Automatic Tuning mechanism. It should not be too difficult to find these.
6) One tweeter cone is all broken-up, so I'll have it re-coned.
Before sending it out, read this:
http://www.philcoradio.com/phorum/showth...p?tid=1003
7) There is some strange added antenna wire, but connecting to the "red" terminal also works. I was able to receive a few stations on AM and on shortwave with a 10' piece of hookup wire.
On 1938 Philco models, the "red" terminal is the antenna terminal. I can't address the added antenna wire without knowing where it connects inside the chassis.
8 ) There is a strange two-conductor shielded cable with the two conductors connected and covered by old friction tape.
Is this connected to anything inside the radio chassis?
--
Ron Ramirez
Ferdinand IN
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Photos are on Photobucket id FStephenMasek and AntiqueRadios.com. Too much trouble to resize all of them down to 640 wide (the ones on Photobucket are 800 wide by 600 high).
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In that case, if it's too much trouble to answer my questions when I am only trying to help you, then it's too much trouble for me to bother answering your questions.
Next case.
--
Ron Ramirez
Ferdinand IN
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Ron, answering questions is easy, but I'm doing it between phone calls and such. The new 640 thing really is a nuisance. Are there any 640 wide monitors still in use?
Good tip - There is one bakelite block under the upper chassis. Do not disturb that bakelite block! That does not contain a capacitor, but instead, it contains the coils of the 10 kc audio filter.
Yes, I've bought a number of things from him - Contact Ed (Blacksmith) for these:
http://www.renovatedradios.com/parts.html#rubber
Yes, I've used the glue pen method on some other speakers. I do wonder about long-term durability with a glue pen, and the radio is worth a proper fix. Still, I've got nothing to loose experimenting.
6) One tweeter cone is all broken-up, so I'll have it re-coned.
Before sending it out, read this:
http://www.philcoradio.com/phorum/showth...p?tid=1003
8 ) There is a strange two-conductor shielded cable with the two conductors connected and covered by old friction tape. Is this connected to anything inside the radio chassis?[/quote] It is buried in the garage now (house interior being painted this week, then new carpet). It is connected, so it will be interesting to see where.
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FStephenMasek Wrote:Ron, answering questions is easy, but I'm doing it between phone calls and such. And I'm doing it in between studying my college classes and preparing for final exams and graduation in two weeks, not to mention some personal issues going on right now. So we're all busy. Such is life.
Quote:The new 640 thing really is a nuisance.
And this is why I have made it possible for any Philco Phorum member to easily revert to the way the Phorum looked before April 7, 2011.
(text which is no longer applicable to the Phorum or the subject at hand removed by site admin.)
Go ahead please...
Quote:It is buried in the garage now (house interior being painted this week, then new carpet). It is connected, so it will be interesting to see where.
Yes, do let us know...
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Ron Ramirez
Ferdinand IN
Posts: 234
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City: Mission Viejo, CA
Thanks Ron, I missed the information regarding the appearance choice. The new look is good. perhaps some other forum operators could help on the photos, as 800 wide seems to work on all of the others forums I have tried (radios, cars, old clothing, contracting). By the way, I don't remember previously saying that I hope you are doing well post-surgery. What are you studying?
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In my forum research on photo sizing, I found a mod that is supposed to change large photos to a smaller size, with a clickable link so anyone can click and see the large image. However, this mod is not on the official phpBB mod pages, so I am reluctant to add it here. The last thing I want is for this site to go haywire with a rogue mod.
Thanks for the compliments re: post-surgery; I get checked up every so often and so far, so good.
My major is Information Technology, and I have one more semester (two classes) to go. By mid-August, I'll have my degree.
--
Ron Ramirez
Ferdinand IN
Posts: 234
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Joined: Mar 2008
City: Mission Viejo, CA
I'll post more as the restoration goes along.
Way off topic, but I'm an "old" computer guy. I studied programming and package software (e.g. SAS and SPSS, two which are still around) while obtaining my business degree in 1980, then worked as a consultant helping people use use software (IBM mainframes). I even got roped into teaching a night college FORTRAN programming class. I eventually became a software salesman, then quit, as my employer was acquired by a company I could not tolerate. I'm now a consulting company owner, but environmental consulting, rather than computer consulting.
Posts: 234
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Joined: Mar 2008
City: Mission Viejo, CA
I disassembled it yesterday, and will strip the cabinet today.
The hack(s) who worked on it previously paralled new electrolytics with the old, and I found large long strands of solder in the radio chassis!
These pieces are removed to allow removal of the tambour:
[Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/.../010-4.jpg]
The bottom of the power supply and amplifier chassis - note paralled electrolytics:
[Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/...003-17.jpg]
The bottom of the radio chassis:
[Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/...004-16.jpg]
Long loose pieces of solder in the radio chassis:
[Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/.../009-7.jpg]
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It certainly looks much better stripped. I like those large grille openings, as it is easier than normal to clean the old finish away. The safest place for the tambour is in the radio. We put some finish reamalgamator on the tambour to see if we can avoid stripping it, as that would probably ruin the canvas. So far, it looks good.
[Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/.../016-6.jpg]
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Yeah, that last photo with the solder strand looks just borderline nauseating.
I call these weekend warriors "knows enough to be dangerous".
Geez.
Posts: 234
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I went through the chassis, replacing all of the electrolytic capacitors, and fixing quite a few cold solder joints left by the hack. It does not yet work, but I'll get it going.
I've done more on the cabinet, after using acetone to remove excess stain residue I could only see in the sunlight, and re-dong the top because I messed-up one area, then spraying Mohawk dark walnut to get the coloring I wanted on the top and sides. The dark edges and vertical slats are finished with Mohawk Dark Sapele Brown. Next is just more clear and wet sanding.
[Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/...162014.jpg]
(This post was last modified: 02-17-2014, 09:15 PM by FStephenMasek.)
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Oh.....is this that one from California sold on the ARF?
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Nope, I bought this one from somebody in another state, but not through ARF.
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