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39-6 restoration - Printable Version

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39-6 restoration - morzh - 01-16-2016

This one I acquired about Sep 2014, Kirk has the cabinet. Yep he is still having it. No rush, Kirk. I have just started.

First things first.
Tube test.

78 tube shorted all across electrodes.
41 tube shorted on one of them.
.....And the  guy said it was working and even offered to turn it on.
Well....for 20 bucks I do not hold it against him.
6A7 is weak in pentode section (typical).
6Z4 rectifier is on the high of "Replace" which tells me it will work just fine.

Looking for tubes I found none....until I realized I have a junk 39-7 chassis that was staring at me all that time. I bought it in Kutztown from some guy who was selling junk out of his van. For 5 bucks. I needed the speaker. Which worked BTW. And it has junky cabinet with perfectly fine dial and glass, and a bent-shaft volume regulator. 
So I started testing tubes from there and they, despite the dirt, all tested fine, some like new. So I have the 78 and 41, and my 6A7 test 850 in pentode (typical I see is 300 to 500) section, and my 6Z4 ain't week no more......

Well....I am taking it slow. I literally drag myself into the workshop by my hair. Well....it's getting better.

RE: 39-6 restoration - morzh - 01-23-2016

OK....so much for it working Icon_smile

The field cool of the speaker is open. Have the speaker from 39-7 which is the same, will repair a tear in the cone (I know it works) and will replace. A pity, this one's cone is in a very nice shape.

All wiring is rubber, all cracked, so....PITA...bummer.

It was previously repaired, the first electrolytic was replaced and the second was paralleled with another.....judging by the type it was done in 50s or end of 40s.

RE: 39-6 restoration - Arran - 01-24-2016

Mike;
  Is there any chance that the speaker in the 39-6 may just have a break in the field coil or does it look burned? If the cone and frame looks like they are in good shape it may be worth trying to salvage it if possible. I don't know about the speakers used in the 39-6 and 39-7 but in some speakers the pole piece can be pressed out and the field coil bobbin removed for rewinding, on some you can even unbolt the pole piece and bracket but I don't think that they did this with small Philco speakers.
Regards
Arran

RE: 39-6 restoration - morzh - 01-24-2016

Arran

I will take a look. Pressing out those....if one has equipment, sure. However I see the coil freely rotates on the po!e so this might give a possibility of rewinding.
Oh... And the primary buzzes to 400 ohms when it says it should be 800. Will compare against the good one I have. Might be bad also.

RE: 39-6 restoration - morzh - 02-13-2016

Fixed the other speaker, restricted lyrics...
But...it is 39-6. All wiring will have to go.
I started on it when I also realized all transformer wires are almost barren and are touching the chassis when going through the hole in it.
I took it out, buzzed the windings. They seem all OK. I will have to cut the stubs, solder new wires and then test it.

It is worse than the AK808, and I thought it was the worst.

RE: 39-6 restoration - KCMike - 02-13-2016

Rubber wiring UGHH! I just finished a philco 40-150; 3rd rubber wire radio in a row. Sure you will do a good job. Posts some [pics if you have a chance.

RE: 39-6 restoration - Ron Ramirez - 02-13-2016

Hey Mike,

Rather than cutting and splicing transformer wires, why not unsolder them, pull the transformer, remove the bells and resleeve the wires with color-coded heat shrink tubing? That's what I have done many times with 1939 Philco power transformers. If the transformers were still good...resleeving has always worked for me. Icon_thumbup

RE: 39-6 restoration - morzh - 02-13-2016

Ron

I actually have pull the transformer out, having photographed it. Some of the wires I cut, though close to where they went, but still would have to make sure the lengths are still enough.
Heat shrink tubing thought did occur to me.
I have one problem with it: I do not think it is rated for high voltage. I kinda feel better about insulated wire. Plus possible abrasion when coming through chassis (there is no grommet).
Dunno...when I look at that wire..... I want it gone Icon_lol

Oh....and I do not have colored heatshrink.

RE: 39-6 restoration - OldRestorer - 02-14-2016

(01-16-2016, 08:36 PM)morzh Wrote:  This one I acquired about Sep 2014, Kirk has the cabinet. Yep he is still having it. No rush, Kirk. I have just started.
I felt that Mike.... Right in the heart.... Stop buying shitty radios!  Thats my job!  Icon_twisted
Me

P.S. You didnt give it to me until the spring of 2015.

RE: 39-6 restoration - morzh - 02-14-2016

Not those that are cheap. This was 20 bucks. And for 5 bucks I have a spare with good toobs and good speaker.
Well...you and I buy from different cesspools. Icon_smile yours is stinkier....I mean, livelier, of course.

RE: 39-6 restoration - morzh - 02-14-2016

Well,

Today I rewired the transformer. Then assembled it and tested. I was a bit worried as there was some substance under it....not sure what it is. I used my Variac, so all voltages seem to be right where they should be with 110V input.
I did not hold it long as I think if there were turn shorts I would not have the right voltages.
Well, I have a hopefully good spare in case it is needed.
So far I put it back in and soldered most of it.

RE: 39-6 restoration - morzh - 03-13-2016

Some pics

   
   
   
   

RE: 39-6 restoration - morzh - 03-13-2016

The guttapercha wires:

   
   
   
   

RE: 39-6 restoration - morzh - 03-13-2016

After having some supper I thought of finishing it. I wired in the Hi-V part of the xfmr, field coil, speaker etc, so all was ready....powered it up, the voltage at the rectifier came up slowly but went up to 190V (should be 115). But the radio came alive and I literally had tons of station with just that short pigtail of an antenna sticking out of the chassis.

Then I changed the 6Z4 for another I have, as it was borderline functional and the voltage came to 220VDC at the rectifier.
So....potentiometer is not super scratchy so I am on the fence about cleaning it.

Now we are waiting on that cabinet, Kirk Icon_mrgreen

And I cannot find the knobs. Nor am I sure I had'em. Darn move, I cannot be sure of anything after it.

Well, it feels nice to have something done after 10 months of staying away from the shop.

RE: 39-6 restoration - morzh - 03-14-2016

Re-wired