The PHILCO Phorum

I found this rough set on my local craigslist for $20 and decided to take a chance on it.




The photo finish on the front is in pretty good condition which is the main reason I decided to go for it. The rest of the cabinet is a bit rough though. Some trim is missing at the bottom on one side and there's a nasty split in the plywood.


The dial glass is missing too, unless this model didn't have any ?


I thought is was a 37-62 at first, but the label states 38-62.


It looks to be 100% original inside. Speaker just has a minor tear.


I don't see any replaced components.


I was happy to see all glass tubes and no hacked up base shields with metal types installed.



After my visual inspection and testing the power transformer with an ohmmeter, I popped out the rectifier and powered it up. All the voltages look good.

Then the bad news, both the power/volume and band-switch and frozen in place. However, the power switch is frozen in the on position. Now normally I wouldn't power a set up this old with all original caps, but the seller claimed it played great and I took the usual precautions - fused variac and 60W bulb in series. Well, what do you know, it plays very well Only problem is that the volume is stuck at or near 100%

Note the original dial lamp was burned out and my replacement is a bit too bright.

The dial lens is just a clear piece of flat glass, no paint or silvering on it, a glass shop should be able to whip one out in no time flat. It shouldn't be any problem freeing up the stuck controls, but it would be best to take them right apart so you can clean they properly and regrease the bushing around the shafts.
It's surprising how well that faux finish has held up, maybe it's the shear thickness of the clearcoat over top that saved it? I noticed that the grain they chose for the decal was quite elaborate, maybe over the top for a budget radio. It's supposed to be a stump walnut veneer with boxwood and zebrano inlay, it actually looks pretty convincing in a photo.
Regards
Arran

Yes, its the elaborate decal and it's condition that drew me to this radio. I think it's going to clean up nicely

I saw that radio on Craigslist as well. I am over near South Bend, IN and was thinking about sending a friend of mine who is heading to Chicago this weekend over to fetch it. Glad you picked it up first though! I have too many projects as it is.

A table radio with a power transformer! Reminds me of Australian tube radios, Australia pretty much mandated that radios have power transformers. As they use 230VAC instead of 115VAC, the shock hazard is significantly higher. And tube manufacturers never did come out with a line of tubes for running off a series string off 230V. They did make 26V heater tubes for the pentagrid converter 26D6, the IF stage 26A6 and detector/audio driver 26BK6, but no 100L6 or 70Z5.

I don't see what is so remarkable about a table set with a power transformer, it was very common even for five tube U.S models to be built that way. Prior to 1939-40 AC/DC sets were not allowed on the Canadian market, and even after that they had to use a floating chassis design. Before 1939 there were budget model sets that had as few as four tubes and a power transformer. But even after 1939 some manufacturers still made small one band AC sets, even though they also had AC/DC radios in their lineup as well, Canadian RCA and G.E for example, no idea why.
In Britain they were making AC/DC sets back in the mid 1930s, but they usually used a tapped ballast to reduce the line voltage to 117 volts.
Regards
Arran

Hi Bob,

Nice find. Let's make it even better. I looked through a box of dials that I have and found your glass & the matching brass (looks like yours is dented). My email is jmac3ky@gmail.com Email your address and I will put this in the mail to you. It has gathered dust here long enough.

John McDonald
Murray, KY

That is a GREAT $20 find!! Congratulations!

Gene

Looking forward to watching you transform it!! OH did I say that

You can read about the electrical restoration here and the cabinet restoration here