The PHILCO Phorum

Restoring a Philco 38-7 console (the Tele-Dial style chassis). Can't find any air capacitor grommets online. It takes three (3) and they are an unusual shape. Anyone know where they can be found? Thanks.

If "Renovated Radios" doesn't work for you, you could go to Lowe's/Home Depot and in the section "Hard-to-find" (at Lowes) they have all kind of rubber grommets and washers. I us grommet that is the closest and then add up washers as needed to pad the length if it is not enough.

Regular rubber washers or grommets won't work. The 38-7 has a unique setup. They fit on like a glove. I'll attach a quick sketch. Thanks.

Wire feed grommets, like the ones used to encircle the hole drilled in a chassis to allow wire feed through without allowing the wire to come in contact with the chassis might work.  Just slide the grommet onto the tabs, and use a nylon washer if necessary to bolt it down.  Take care, Gary

>(the Tele-Dial style chassis)

Known more commonly as the Cone-Centric dial.

You need these special grommets from Renovated Radios.

Certain 1938 Philco models used these special (oddball) flat grommets. We should be very thankful that Ed at Renovated Radios has made these available to us, as these grommets are not something that can easily be replaced by something else.

You da man Ron. Wow. I placed the order.

Thanks, John

Here is a photo of the Philco 38-7 air capacitor with the unusual grommet mounting.

yup...those flat grommets are just what you need.

I wonder why Philco started using that type of mounting...and then discontinued it after only one year?

Strange.

I'm sure they had the idea that it would be a "quick" style of mounting. The front two mounts simply slid into place. The lone mount on the back was the only one to tighten with a screw. Why just one year? They may have failed to remain tight enough. Could be that those mounts simply had to leave when that unusual tuning dial got the boot. I like the model but maybe it was considered Philco's Edsel year.