The PHILCO Phorum
1935 Gilfillan 43-A - Printable Version

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RE: 1935 Gilfillan 43-A - klondike98 - 06-11-2026

The rebirth of the electrolytic can went better than I expected it to. The desoldering of the lid took a mini-torch (gently) and some prying to loosen things up but it came off.
   
I then got the top plug of wax out (that should be useful down the road as well) but it took a bit more work to get the rest of the guts out.
   
   

The two new caps went onto a fiber board with a bit of hot glue and some wire ties and slid, almost easily, into the can. The top was then soldered back on, a quick check on the multimeter to be sure all is still good and its ready to go back into the chassis.

   
   

RE: 1935 Gilfillan 43-A - radiorich - 06-12-2026

Hello Bob,
Nice job on your electrolytic can stuffing.
Sincerely Richard

RE: 1935 Gilfillan 43-A - Arran - 06-12-2026

Bob;
I will have to do that with the bypass condenser can in the Echophone S-5, which someone already cleaned out, but first I will have to do something similar with the ones in a Brunswick 5KR0 chassis, basically a Radiola 18 in console form. The set plays but with low volume, so I'm sure that those are not helping.
Regards
Arran

RE: 1935 Gilfillan 43-A - klondike98 - 06-12-2026

The Radiola 60 I restored had a big tar filled capacitor can if i remember correctly.

RE: 1935 Gilfillan 43-A - Arran - 06-12-2026

Bob;
The Radiola 18/Brunswick 5KR sets have the big tar filled block in the power supply chassis, which is similar to the Radiola 60, the filter chokes and power transformer are also potted, these ones are bypass caps on the tuner chassis, which I think may have become leaky. The Radiola 18 is a straight TRF basically RF amp, RF amp, RF amp, detector, 1st audio, and power output, I think these caps are to neutralize any RF from feeding back into the previous stage.
Regards
Arran

RE: 1935 Gilfillan 43-A - morzh - 06-12-2026

I am trying not o imagine what I will find in my RCA block...if I ever get so emboldened.

RE: 1935 Gilfillan 43-A - klondike98 - 06-12-2026

I did mentally debate with myself about just tacking those two caps under the chassis but decided there was no fun in that…LOL.

RE: 1935 Gilfillan 43-A - KCMike - 06-12-2026

Nice work on the capacitor can. Bob
  
Morzh your can might look something like this when opened.  RCA Victor R14  Icon_biggrin

https://imgur.com/a/zkWDIYy

RE: 1935 Gilfillan 43-A - morzh - 06-12-2026

Mike

Possible...possible.

So far the only big cans I have opened are Philcos.

RE: 1935 Gilfillan 43-A - klondike98 - 06-16-2026

I have the recap finished. The electrolytic cap box went back in with no problems and the removal of those old tacked in caps opens up the underside. I only recapped. The two 500kOhm resisters are about double what they should be but I left them in until my order comes with a 2 watt 500k to replace the big one. All the others are close enough.

   

I put the tubes back in, including the 2A5 that tested "Bad" (but only just) and powered it back up. It does indeed still play. I only have a 10 foot antenna wire on it but it still picked up one local AM station. The station from my SSTRAN at 1130 comes in very clear as you would expect. I will swap out the two bad resistors and put a new 2A5 in when they arrive. Still have some chassis clean up to do as well but its always nice when they play first time!

[Video: https://youtu.be/wI0umK_avj0]

Soon it will be on to the cabinet work.

RE: 1935 Gilfillan 43-A - morzh - 06-17-2026

I think this is mostly it then. Once you have the new tube, you align it and put it on the shelf Icon_lol

RE: 1935 Gilfillan 43-A - RodB - 06-17-2026

No Bluetooth?

RE: 1935 Gilfillan 43-A - morzh - 06-17-2026

If you want a bluetooth, just go eat some blueberries.

RE: 1935 Gilfillan 43-A - klondike98 - 06-17-2026

Icon_lol That's good guys! Started cleaning up the cabinet so I could work on it. A diluted solution of Krud Kutter in water to get the major grime off, particularly on the inside of the cabinet.

   

The grill cloth came off with a gentle warming and then pulled it off the cabinet slowly. It did pretty well and then a wash with warm water and some Dawn with gently swishing by hand and it seemed to clean up pretty well. I'm not sure if I'll use it or put in a new piece. Its pretty fragile even though it doesn't look bad. I also washed the Crosley cloth I had on reserve but it disintegrated on me. I'm 1 for 3 in washing grill cloths successfully. I think in most cases the fabric is just rotted with time.

   
   


Next up was fixing the delaminated wood in the upper right corner facing the back. I got the glue block off with some heating via heat gun and a putty knife. It was not too firmly attached. Scrapped off all the old glue from the cabinet and block then took a two step approach to glue up. First the delaminated top wood was glued and clamped and after it dried the glue block went in.

   
   

Next I'll start taking off the old veneer and stripping off the old black finish on the sides and bottom. I think the veneer has had some problems in the past as the top has 6 small brads nailed in to hold it down that will have to come out. I can't imagine they did that at the factory.

RE: 1935 Gilfillan 43-A - Joe Rossi - 06-18-2026

Bob, The radio sounded great and the underside looks very open and clean. Excellent work! Joe