The PHILCO Phorum
Silvertone 4788 - Printable Version

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RE: Silvertone 4788 - Arran - 09-29-2015

(09-28-2015, 04:40 PM)Jayce Wrote:  Stewart Warner is even better! My friend might have gotten confused. Hmm, a 4788? I think mine has 4688 stamped into the back of the cabinet. Now I will have to go check. Pulled the chassis and.. broke a dial cord! Managed to replace it using some string from a cat litter bag of all things! I did find out something though, dial cords are a pain! Pictures and more info to come soon. Icon_smile

Edit: Yep, it IS a 4788! Need to download another schematic and change the title of this thread.

Yes Jayce, dialcords are a pain sometimes, I would recommend either bonefide dial cord or braided fishing line, usaully sold as fly backing line for fly fishing.
 Steward Warner was one of the suppliers to Sears Robuck and Co prior to the War, I think that Sears owned Colonial Radio, or at least owned a substantial interest in the company so they built a lot too. After the war a lot of their smaller sets were actaully made by Arvin/Noblett Sparks, which explains the number of Silvertones with steel cabinets.
  With regard to the dial lens, see if you can find a catalog photo or illustration, some of the Silvertone sets had crappy Tenite escutcheons and some did not. I remember my uncle once had a 12 tube 1937 Silvertone table set with a rolling pin dial like a Rogers or a brand Z transistorized Transoceanic, with a teledial as well, it still had the plastic lens and the remains of an escutcheon just hanging on.
Regards
Arran

P.S Sometimes you can repair a power switch by taking the control apart and soaking the switch portion in solvents to get the crud off the contacts, if not you can usually find a replacement switch that will fit onto the original pot, and believe me it's much easier to find a new switch then it is the entire control. Cutler Hammer (CH), CCM (C&C Meredith), Stackpole, and CTS were the big ones in power switches for radios, chances are it uses one of those.

RE: Silvertone 4788 - VntgRads - 09-29-2015

Anxious to follow your restoration, Jayce.  I have the 10 tube version which I picked up at the flea market several months ago.  It's a 4781 from 1938 with chassis 101.499 and has the drum dial, tuning eye, push buttons.  It had all of the original Silvertone tubes.  They all tested good except the tuning eye was weak.  Chassis is done but now it's my job to work on the cabinet.  Now that I'm retired, I hope to be able to devote more time to my "projects".

Craig R.

RE: Silvertone 4788 - Jayce - 10-22-2015

The chassis is out and up to the shop for repairs. I do need help though. Has anyone here ever worked on the tuner in one of these Silvertones? If so, what is a good fix for that rubber friction cone that drives the tuner mechanism? It is on the end of the motor shaft and there is no real getting around it, even for manual tuning. Its rubber bonded to a metal cone and just getting to it might be a challenge. Want to ask so I can relay any information as that is the biggest worry on the whole set.