'The Philco Curse' - Printable Version
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'The Philco Curse' - Jayce - 02-07-2020
My friend came up with this term earlier this week as he handed me back my model 60 at his shop. Sadly, it has bad coils and will be a shelf queen for a while as no-one around my area seems able to rewind coils in these old radios. Even my late friend, who did know how to rewind coils, would not do Philcos! I know I don't have the patience or steady hands to dig the coils out and as I tinker with my model 90, I've read that even that famous and desirable model can have coil issues as well. All of this because Philco (and perhaps others) used celluloid in the coils, which they had no idea would decompose in such a way.
My friend told me he has lost count on how many Philcos he has had to return to owners due to bad coils over the years. If he could do it, he would get those coils rewound, but so far no-one in our area does that. Yes, I have pondered giving it a whirl myself, but my right hand got a bit of nerve damage years ago when an antique hit and miss engine landed on it. It does fine most of the time, but when I need to concentrate or do fine work, it shakes like crazy! That's the reason why I usually have others handle the restorations for me. (Also, even when my hand stays steady, my soldering is scary! 
) Ok, I've rambled on long enough about this. Just bummed right now. I have a 60L console that was a parts beater that we had to rig a speaker into and it works, yet my rather nicely cared for 60B is a dud right now!
RE: 'The Philco Curse' - Jake Blake - 02-07-2020
"Just bummed right now."
February is enough to bum anyone ....bums me every year. It seems to always be the most-unlucky month for me. The worst month. Period.
I have some woes going on right now, myself, . . . but I'm not gonna unload them on you. Just try to take heart in the fact that, even with an extra day, February is over with faster than any other month.
RE: 'The Philco Curse' - Jayce - 02-07-2020
Thanks, Jake. I can tell this month is getting to everyone really. I found out about my 60 having bad coils right after having to have the windshield replaced in my van. Got smacked by a stone off a Subaru on the way into work a week ago and by the time I left work a large crack had appeared going right down the middle from the top. That was $225 out of my pocket as I only have liability on it!