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Starting on Philco 90 - Printable Version

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Starting on Philco 90 - KCMike - 11-12-2014

While waiting on parts for another project. I decided to start on the Philco 90 I got last Friday.
 I pulled chassis to size up what will be needed and what was done in the past.
Looking under chassis I found that 2-bakelites have been replaced with solder tabs with tube caps.
 Note the two solar in top left they replace a double bakelite block.
Most of the other bakelite blocks have been by-passed with external tube caps at least the old ones were cut out of circuit.
 The Ecaps have been replaced at some point,but old ones were still wired in. I pulled the tuning cap off and was wondering how to best clean it? It has the trimmers on each side and I would not want to damage them. Sorry if pics. are not in order. Thanks for anyhelp.[Image: http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o654/220kohms/100_3981_zps7f21a5f1.jpg][Image: http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o654/220kohms/100_3998_zpsd27a3dd8.jpg]
[Image: http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o654/220kohms/100_3982_zpsd1796a66.jpg]

RE: Starting on Philco 90 - morzh - 11-12-2014

I would say, replace tube caps with tube caps, no need to search for backelite blocks and restuff them, just do those that remain to have some authentic looking parts, but even that is optional. I restuff what I can, or rather what's there.
Same goes for tin can caps. They are easy, the guts are not tarred or glued; once you bend out the tabs, the innyrds simply come out, and so I restuff them using the same fish paper inside, without any potting.

Oh....tone control. Also caps, potted. Comes out easy. Reuse the fishpaper, replace caps. There have been threads describing how to do it (I wrote a couple myself).

As for the tuning caps, soak it in hot water and dishwashing liquid, brush it with some long soft brush.
Then dry it at room temp, you won't need it back fast and by the time you do, it will be fully dry.

90 is not a bad radio to restore at all, much easier than 20 due to no potted parts.

RE: Starting on Philco 90 - Mondial - 11-12-2014

Mike, if you decide to wash the tuning cap in water you might want to remove the mica insulators from the trimmers, or at least open them up fully. Water trapped beneath the mica can take a long time to dry and cause corrosion if they are screwed down tight.

Your cap looks pretty clean, and if it were mine I would just brush off the dust and blow it out carefully with compressed air, being careful not to hit the trimmer micas.

RE: Starting on Philco 90 - KCMike - 11-12-2014

Thanks morzh and Mondial. The micas on the trimmers is what I was concerned with.
The cap is fairly dirty under the plates, but I will try the light brushing and air first.
There is some rust on the upper edges of some of the rotor plates that goes maybe 1/4".
Should I just leave that alone?

RE: Starting on Philco 90 - morzh - 11-12-2014

Actually be careful with air: unless it is canned air, while using compressor you can damage mica with too strong anair jet.

RE: Starting on Philco 90 - KCMike - 11-16-2014

Still working on this one. Question: Can I use an 0.2 capacitor in the # 30 capacitor can. in place of the 0.25 it calls for? This is the can with 3 caps in it.
I'm out of 0.22 and 0.25 caps. Thanks for advice.

RE: Starting on Philco 90 - Ron Ramirez - 11-16-2014

Yes, you may. Icon_smile

RE: Starting on Philco 90 - KCMike - 11-20-2014

I finished the 90 today and it fired right up. Still need to align. it. I restuffed all the blocks and added the two missing ones. Cleaned up some of the mid air connections of resistors. Found the power line cap block in sickly condition. Wonder what happened here? Replaced it with donor block. Here is some pics if I can get on here.
[Image: http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o654/220kohms/100_4036_zps2ddd59a7.jpg]
[Image: http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o654/220kohms/100_4035_zps9ec86770.jpg]

[Image: http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o654/220kohms/100_4025_zps0b1a874d.jpg]

[Image: http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o654/220kohms/100_3996_zps003a1815.jpg]

[Image: http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o654/220kohms/100_4059_zps1fa659d6.jpg] Under chassis all done

[Image: http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o654/220kohms/100_4061_zpseea0f7b5.jpg] Top a little cleaner

[Image: http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o654/220kohms/100_4052_zpsf9d42bba.jpg]

Thanks for looking.

RE: Starting on Philco 90 - morzh - 11-20-2014

Looks good. Does it play (from your post I kinda surmised it does but want to make sure)?

RE: Starting on Philco 90 - KCMike - 11-20-2014

I should have been clearer on that morzh. Yes it picks up stations all across the band. I had not looked at the speaker till I took it out to plug in to play. It has a some tears that were repaired but have came undone.
I really don't know how good a 90 should sound . It is not squeeling with out the shields but I intend to find some for it.

RE: Starting on Philco 90 - jerryhawthorne - 11-20-2014

My what a nice job on that chassis! How does the cabinet look?
Jerry

RE: Starting on Philco 90 - KCMike - 11-20-2014

Thanks Jerry. I think there is a couple pics of it in the Items online for sale forum. Look for Philco 90 thread. It will need some regluing of the bottom of cabinet and the arch is a little loose. I will refinish the cabinet sides but I might leave the front alone depending on how it cleans up. Darn cold weather , don't know when I will get to it.

RE: Starting on Philco 90 - morzh - 11-20-2014

Mike

Either 20, 70 or 90 do not sound super-duper, acceptable I would say. You will hear distrtion when listening to music.

I have those our of the desire to have the milestone radios, but when it comes to sound, there are cathedral radios that will sound better.

RE: Starting on Philco 90 - Steve Davis - 11-21-2014

Quote: Found the power line cap block in sickly condition. Wonder what happened here?
Mike, both capacitors were shorted being in series and across the line......pow.
Steve