Here we go, pictures of the 118H I bought yesterday. Now, there is some very good news: the power transformer is fine! The seller told me this radio was missing the type 80 tube when he bought it and he had gotten a pair of them for $20. The 80 that was in this radio when I got it has some sort of odd short that makes a plasma storm between the filaments and the plates, even on my tester. The second tube tested good and... well the radio works ok and the transformer stays nice and cool now! I also replaced a 42 with a short, a borderline weak 78, and a borderline weak 42. That improved the sound for sure. There looks like there are two generations of replacement electrolytics crammed under the chassis and the radio does have a bit of a hum. Also, the alignment is way out as I am picking up 1450 at 1310 on the dial, so I will definitely be getting this radio serviced. Still, it works ok to play with a bit and makes me glad I bought it. Picks up good on the crappy piece of antenna wire that came with it. No shortwave though, but the band control is absolutely filthy!
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Nice Jayce. Thats the same cabinet my 144 chassis is in. If you redo the cabinet you'll have fun with all the cracks and crevices in it. Took me quiet awhile to get it stripped and masking off different areas for the toner lacquer. But it was well worth it.
One thing I do like about this console is the fact it is the lightest of my now three '18/118 series' consoles. My 18LS and 118X are rather heavy for their size and I can't carry them very far. This one I can pick up fairly easy and move, a major plus for me. Now, if only someone hadn't had a potted plant on the top at sometime! What is it with people and putting wet or moisture drawing objects on wood?
That's doesn't look like a clown radio like somebody said earlier , but the speaker grill area does remind me of the radiator inlet on a WW2 stuka dive bomber the JU-87
Congratulations, Jayce, nice find!
And it has the original cloth, too...a different chevron pattern unique to the 1935 models 18H, 49H, 118H and 144H.
Congrats, I always thought those were a neat cabinet style.
Try stripping it with acetone and a green Scotch Brite pad; then wipe it down with denatured alcohol. You can use alcohol instead of acetone but it's a bit slower. Should take 45 minutes max.
Very nice. My 118H still has the original grillcloth in great shape. Now the veneer and stringers between the legs that's another story. The cabinet search continues.....
BTW, My first SW radio and the sensitivity and coverage is not bad at all. Dial scale resolution, another matter...
Keep us posted.
Mike
An excellent example WITH the original grillecloth, which has never been reproduced. Philco had their act together with the 118 sets. They receive well and have 10W output! I might have some 118 parts laying around if you find something has malfunctioned!