Good afternoon, I just got a Philco Model 70 from our local flea market today for $50. It is in pretty good shape but it looks like someone used polyurethane finish on the cabinet so it looks like I'll have to strip and refinish the cabinet at a later date. The speaker is good but under the chassis there was quite a few paper capacitors paralleled with the bakelite blocks so I removed them and the hideous grille cloth someone installed will have to go. The Mershon capacitors are still connected in circuit but I didn't power it up. The chassis is quite dusty but looks like it is in excellent shape. I checked the coils and found none with open windings which is common on this model--hopefully the radio will work after it is restored due to all the work done on it before I got it. I have photos attached and my cat Snowball was inspecting the radio too
. Ken
I have already forgotten by now how spacious the 70 under chassis is.
Not a bad buy for $50.
Try some alcohol on the cabinet first before you strip it, sometimes people used to slob shellac on older pieces of furniture, though I don't entirely know why since it usually looks worse afterward.
Regards
Arran
Thanks Arran, I'll try that before I go any further on the cabinet. I got done cleaning the top of the chassis, checked the tubes and polished the Mershon capacitors. I'll start restuffing the bakelite blocks later today--I noticed the 2 metal capacitor blocks are gone but I found out where they connected originally. Ken
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The top of the chassis cleaned up beautiful and the underneath is nice, too! Man, if you can salvage the finish on the cabinet, it'll be a great looker, to boot! Congrats! Does Snowball approve of the new appliance?
I am pretty sure Snowball will only assess it from the point of view of acquiring a new scratch post, so as much as I like cats, I would tell him to stay away
Hello everyone, Snowball got to check it out for a short time before I brought it upstairs though I wouldn't have mind if she scratched the awful grill cloth that was put on it. When I got my 37-690 my brother and I got it upstairs quickly so the cat wouldn't scratch the cabinet. Snowball isn't allowed upstairs as it is where I display all my radios. After I get the chassis restored I'll start on the cabinet--it is a small cabinet so it shouldn't take too long to strip and refinish it. Ken
The chassis looks great! Once the cabinet is done, it will look awesome. Please share pics when done.
Nice set, Ken ... with the exception of that grill cloth! That's gotta go! Somewhere someones grandmother has a set of living room curtains with a big hole cut in them! Take care, Gary