The PHILCO Phorum
Atwater Kent 708 - Printable Version

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Pages: 1 2

RE: Atwater Kent 708 - Phlogiston - 10-18-2020

I missed your earlier question:

Heat will "reactivate" (melt) hide glue. Modern wood glue will not stick well to old hide glue. If you ate going to use Elmers, I would scrape away as much hide glue as possible with a razor knife.

RE: Atwater Kent 708 - rfeenstra - 10-18-2020

Thanks Russ. The delamination was on the bottom board, just at the edge. I used modern hide glue. Probably doesn't stick much better than other wood glues to old hide glue, but it is holding for now.

RE: Atwater Kent 708 - rfeenstra - 10-25-2020

Ready for final coats of lacquer, but have to wait for decals from Radio Daze.  I decided to assemble and use until then.  The grille cloth is original.  They didn't put in on real straight! I think I've decided that this is my favorite Cathedral design.  The radio isn't as good as a couple of the Philco's  I own, but I like the design.

           

RE: Atwater Kent 708 - Paul Philco322 - 10-25-2020

Mahhvelouusss...............looks fine, enjoy.

Paul

RE: Atwater Kent 708 - Eliot Ness - 10-26-2020

Looking good  Icon_thumbup 

I've found that AK grille cloth seems to hold up better than many of the others.  I've found many AK sets where the finish was beat and the cloth faded but still intact.
Quote:I think I've decided that this is my favorite Cathedral design
I remember pouring over my old collecting bible, "A Flick Of The Switch" by Morgan E. McMahon, and looking at these three styles of AK cathedrals.  Eventually, and somewhat unintentionally, I slowly acquired all three of these.  The 708 was first followed a few years later by the 217 that promptly got buried and forgotten on a garage shelf.  When I eventually rediscovered it 3 or 4 years ago I had developed a deeper appreciation for this "squatty cathedral" design and decided I needed the 246 to round out the set.  Lo-and-behold at Kutztown that fall a friend brought a model 246 and made me a deal I couldn't refuse.   While the 708 is the more deluxe of the three, the 246 and 217 have grille and inlays that make them interesting in their own right.

RE: Atwater Kent 708 - Paul Philco322 - 10-26-2020

Arthur Atwater Kent went to Worcester Polytechnic Institute here in Massachusetts, had a plant in Worcester making motors. I have gone by a home he owned in Kennebunport Maine in a boat, "Waters Edge" it was once owned by the Vanderbilts. Very interesting guy, quite a New England connection, and many fine radios........

Paul

RE: Atwater Kent 708 - rfeenstra - 11-04-2020

Finished!  Here is the final product.  After a couple of weeks, I'll give it a coat of wax.  Plus, I need to put the proper feet under it.  They are the same as what Philco used and Steve Davis is making.  Again, one of my favorite cabinets in my cathedral collection.

           

RE: Atwater Kent 708 - NostalgiaRadioTime - 11-05-2020

Absolutely beautiful! Great job!!

RE: Atwater Kent 708 - Eliot Ness - 11-05-2020

That turned out great, it is a beauty Icon_thumbup

I think Atwater Kent made some of the prettiest cathedral designs with the 80 & 90 series, but I'll agree this thanks right up there with any of them.

RE: Atwater Kent 708 - rfeenstra - 11-05-2020

Thank you, guys! It has been moved out of the shop to a more permanent location where it will be played regularly. It sounds pretty good. With the dial being as small as it is, it can be a bit difficult to center a station, especially on the short wave bands. My Philco 16B performs better.

RE: Atwater Kent 708 - tbone - 11-06-2020

That came out beautiful! I’ve not seen one of these locally. AK sets seem to hit or miss.