The PHILCO Phorum

She found it at a craft fair for$22.00. Not bad.

Not bad.
Lucky you! (I mean the wife )
Of course the radio not bad either.

You are one lucky man! David

Great deal! Now take her out to dinner...she deserves it.

I agree, that's not a bad price, I likely would have picked it up for that as well. At least whomever priced it took the cosmetics into account like the finish and the dial bubble. On that usual auction site people seem to pay too much for those, given what they are. I personally don't care for the styling of those, even for a an early 40s Philco they are somewhat uninspired, in my opinion they look too much like a bread box or a toaster in form. I think that the sloped panel sets like the 40-150 are much more appealing.
Regards
Arran

Replaced the missing power plug and 3 bad tubes and it works great! The cabinet cleaned up very nicely as well. Volume knob very scratchy and the tuning cap needs new mount bushings. But that stuff is minor.

Be sure to replace the wax caps and the filter electrolytic. Then it will be ready for another 70 years service.

AW. How sweet.
I like it. Any chance of a photo of the back side. Eh the radio I mean.

Arran,
It may look like a bread box, but if it lived in a kitchen, (lots of Philco table tops did) what better shape? I have neveer seen this model, but there are LOTS I haven't, a lots more I thought I had seen before, but they were very different.

Is anyone making or giving directions for making dial bubbles? Those things did not stand up well to the temp. changes.

I have its sister*****40-135 that's a pretty good player. Congratulations on your wife's good taste!!

Mark Palmquist makes replacement dial covers, look him up. He is in Georgia. If you google him you will find him. They are nicely done and not too pricey either.

Paul

It isn't temperature changes that cause the celluloid dial bubbles to crack it's age and rough handling. As that stuff gets old it yellows, and becomes brittle, it isn't unusual to see one with a jagged hole punched right through it like a pain of glass. Of course ultraviolet may play a role as well, such as if the set was kept near a window, in this case the lacquer looks like it was sun damaged as well.
Regards
Arran

I have a 40-160 console which has the same chassis as the 40-135. It was my first radio project about five years ago. I have a half dozen or so vintage radios now, but the 40-160 is still my favorite! We listen to it all the the time thanks to my AM transmitter.