The PHILCO Phorum

 I recently picked up two Transitone “parts” sets:  Models 46-250 and 49-504.  I chose to restore the model 49 because it had a better cabinet, but the back was a disaster.




Fortunately, the Model 46 back is the same part number and it wasn‘t is such bad condition.  I had never before tried to restore cardboard, but I thought it would be easier than making a new back.   

First I removed the labels, stickers, tape, then scraped off the old adhesives.  The damaged areas--both raised and depressed--were leveled and feathered with 220-grit sandpaper.  Then the entire surface was sprayed with a thick coat of clear acrylic and sanded again to eliminate the fuzziness of the sanded areas.



To restore the frayed corners, I flowed some epoxy cement into the separated layers at the edges and then clamped them with well-lubricated pieces of acrylic (lubricated so they wouldn’t stick to the epoxy).



I re-sanded the corners, then spray-painted two thick coats of Rustoleum gloss khaki (I would have preferred a satin finish).  Immediately, before the khaki coat dried, I lightly over-sprayed with a different color (Rustoleum nutmeg, because it was handy).  The mixture appears more like cardboard than a single tone.  Finally, I coated it with clear satin acrylic to get the desired finish.



Some of the defects still show through, but overall it has a good appearance and preserves the original stamped part number.  I’m missing one of the four mounting studs, which I’ll try to reproduce, and I’m working on reproductions of the original labels.

Why did I go to all this trouble for a cheap little radio?   I just don’t know.

You went to all the trouble because it's rewarding to try something like that and have it come out well! It looks great! Well done!

Nice!
I have a few for you to do.

Kirk

Nice job!

Thank you, thank you! It's the adulation by my thousands of fans that make it all worthwhile.

AWESOME work!  Thanks for posting your method w/associated pictures.

Craig R

Better than Retro Tronics!

Paul

Nice job, showing other people your handy work who have the same interests as you do gives you more satisfaction in the hobby.

winky dink
looks great

now if some one would do a 38-116 ?

(11-29-2015, 06:06 PM)sam Wrote: [ -> ]winky dink
looks great

now if some one would do a 38-116 ?

Here you go Sam, sorry for the slight blur Or I can sharpen  it to crystal clarity with taking a new photo of the back cover I made for my restored 38-116xx. It was copyed from photos seen on defferent web sites and is pretty close to the factory design. This is only pic I have of the rear cover on this 38-116xx. I can make one for you if you need one.

That's impressive. I'd have never known where to start.

(12-08-2015, 05:26 PM)LET-UT Wrote: [ -> ]That's impressive.  I'd have never known where to start.

Actually its not the same looking as an original but looks good and serves the same purpose, the radio sounds better with one on it

You’re right--it doesn’t look like the original.  If I find the right material someday, then I’ll probably make a new back.  I hadn’t thought about the effect the back has on the sound.  Other than the safety issues, I actually preferred backless radios because you could see some of inside work.  


For this Farnsworth I had no example to follow, so I made a compromise.  Not authentic at all, but it’s safe and you can look at the chassis (if you don’t mount the built-in loop antenna).

(12-09-2015, 11:30 AM)Winky Dink Wrote: [ -> ]You’re right--it doesn’t look like the original.  If I find the right material someday, then I’ll probably make a new back.  I hadn’t thought about the effect the back has on the sound.  Other than the safety issues, I actually preferred backless radios because you could see some of inside work.  


For this Farnsworth I had no example to follow, so I made a compromise.  Not authentic at all, but it’s safe and you can look at the chassis (if you don’t mount the built-in loop antenna).

Pretty cool

Renovated Radios has the little T clips that hod the back on for 75 cents each.