The PHILCO Phorum
Philco 570 Gramps Clock - Printable Version

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Philco 570 Gramps Clock - morzh - 02-01-2020

Exactly 6 years ago, 1/2014, I restored my first 70.

Today it's time for another one. I have two in line: this and the lowboy. I decided to start with this one.

I bought it...forgot, maybe 3 years ago.

Plus I have a second chassis from a 570, with real Mershons. Well....it's a thought.

Anyway, this is the picture of it. At some point I put it here on the Phorum, but I doubt I will find it now. I put some stuff around it since so the picture is partly obstructed, but ..... here goes.

   

And  this is its clock:

   
   

The chassis:

   
   

RE: Philco 570 Gramps Clock - morzh - 02-01-2020

Now, here is the basement:

   


And then I noticed someone borrowed an RF coil from this radio. Bastards.

   

But....I have that second chassis. I am not crazy about parting it, it is whole even if dirty, but.....like I said, I might even....but then maybe Mershons are better put in a smaller radio that could be viewed easily from the back; GF clocks are not made to look in the back.

   


So, today I took out the tuning cap and gave it a bath.

   


Another thing is: both chassis miss the shield. This is where I might use Chuck Paci's services.

Will do for today.

RE: Philco 570 Gramps Clock - morzh - 02-02-2020

Today I somewhat cleaned the top to the extent I aleays do: removal of the grime and applying naval jelly to a few rust spots. I don't paint chassis though I admire those who do.
Then I started on restuffing the backelite caps.
I found out both chassis have an extra block not shown in any bottom diagram, so I went by Ray Bintliff's book. I figured the cap is the one across the filter choke, and Ray's book does not list this cap: it lists same number in about 40 varieties but mine is without letters at the end. Anyhow, all of them are 0.09uF which is what I put in.

The blocks have a kind of tar in them that leaks easily and smears the bottom which I then have to wipe.
I modded the tool I have from Steve by taking out the push-out rod and replacing it by a sawn-off piece of the hex wrench I used for this purpose before. The rod is a bit thin and often poked through the tar, whereas the wrench never did. Now I have a handy tool that no longer pokes through and always pushes the tar block out.

Steve, you might want to look into it. The rod in the pushout tool might use a little larger diameter. Mine still goes through eyelets just fine, but as it is fatter it won't pierce through the softened tar as readily. Otherwise it's a great tool and I use the drill bit successfully too.

A couple of the caps were repaired bybiting off a part of the lug and then soldering a new tubular cap to it, so I had to realign and solder those back.

I hate tar. I do. Am I the only one hating tar?

Ok, enough for now.

RE: Philco 570 Gramps Clock - morzh - 02-09-2020

Recap finished, with the electrolytics (silver Sprague Mershons) remaining to get restuffed.
I forgot who did that here. I did too, but I had to destroy the backelite threaded prart and I wonder if there is a better way.
I also remember from 7 years ago, this backelite was a tough, very tough thing to remove.

RE: Philco 570 Gramps Clock - Radioroslyn - 02-09-2020

I don't know if you've seen this  https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Service-&-Sales-IDX/Archive-Service-IDX/IDX/30s/Service-1936-02-OCR-Page-0022.pdf  Similar to what was of the Phorum several months ago.

RE: Philco 570 Gramps Clock - morzh - 02-09-2020

Terry,

Yes I know. Not really interested. Why would I adulterate a radio? If I want AVC, I have plenty of radios with it. 70 comes without it, and so it's gonna stay.

RE: Philco 570 Gramps Clock - Steve Davis - 02-10-2020

Mike, when I started making the condenser tools, I bought some music wire at a local hobby shop, it was clearly marked 1/16 inch. It actually measured .055. I thought well, maybe 1/16 " is some kind of "nominal" size, sort of like lumber. A few weeks ago, I used up my original supply of music wire and ordered some more 1/16", same brand (K&S) on line. When I received it, I immediately could tell it was larger in diameter than what I had before. The new wire measures .062 as one would expect. Anyone that bought the tool in the past, that wants the larger wire, send me your address, I will send a larger diameter wire, no charge.

Steve

RE: Philco 570 Gramps Clock - morzh - 02-10-2020

Steve

It's a fine tool. And yes it might help other folks, provided they experience the same thing; I am OK as it works and looks fine with that cut Allen wrench piece, so no need sending me anything.
The handle is the most important part of the tool anyway.

RE: Philco 570 Gramps Clock - Mike L - 02-13-2020

Morzh,

I will be following your repair with much interest. I have the same Grandfather Clock. I'm not really able to work on it now with the house remodel, but I'm collecting as much information as I can. My clock is original but does not have a second hand like yours. My speaker is damaged and from what I have read is not easily repaired / re-coned. The finial is broke off, but I have that to repair or make a new one from.

RE: Philco 570 Gramps Clock - morzh - 02-13-2020

Mike

I haven't realized 'till now that I actually have the second hand in my clock. Icon_smile

I need to bring myself to open those electrolytics. Possibly this weekend.

RE: Philco 570 Gramps Clock - morzh - 02-19-2020

So Sunday I cut the rolled part of the bottom off the Sprague electrolytics.

Taking out the threaded part was easy: I grabbed the rubber ring with large pliers and it just came out without much sweat.

I broke off the aluminum threaded rod: there is no way to solder to it and then it is aluminum.

I gave the shells vinegar bath that dissolved all dry salt deposits.

Then I chipped off dry rubber off of the threaded plugs.

Here's what I got now:

   

As you could see, I use screws and ring terminals to fashion the contact. The plugs are intact and will be glued back in the shells.

I will route a small groove in them to put the negative wire through and will solder it to the shells. I need to think of how I will make the shell to contact the ring on the chassis, ma6be make a small receptacle cup from another old cap.

RE: Philco 570 Gramps Clock - rfeenstra - 02-19-2020

I brought about 1/4" of the negative lead out perpendicular to the can.  I dimpled the new crimp to prevent the wire from keeping the can from seating on the ring.  Then I soldered the wire to the ring where it goes down through the insulator.  It's relatively inconspicuous and gives a good, solid and permanent connection.

RE: Philco 570 Gramps Clock - morzh - 03-01-2020

Here is what I have done so far.

Took a felt pad and made a hole in the middle.
   

Took a crimp lug and took the insulator off.

   

Assemble the base

   
   

Put the cap through the felt pad and solder into the lug.

   

RE: Philco 570 Gramps Clock - morzh - 03-01-2020

   

Then I took the bottom sawn off the cap and flatten it into a ring.

   
Then solder the ends together.
   

Then cut a groove in the base, run the other cap end through it and solder to the ring.

   

For the second cap I fashioned the contact from the Romex fire as the ring I had broke because I scored it after flattening to make making the circle easier and while being bent it broke.

   


Next I will put hot glue between the felt and the base to stabilize the cap.
The pad obviously is being used to prevent the cap rubbing against the lug.

RE: Philco 570 Gramps Clock - Brad Winder - 03-05-2020

Looks good! I'll have to tackle my Grandfather clock someday too. But it needs lots of love. Someone has changed out the front panel; the one in there has been hand made...