Atwater Kent 82, restoration. - Printable Version
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+--- Thread: Atwater Kent 82, restoration. (/showthread.php?tid=23545)
Atwater Kent 82, restoration. - morzh - 05-22-2022
This is the AK82 I snatched at the last Kutztown show from an old guy, within 3 minutes of me having arrrived there.
I removed the chassis and snapped some pictures.
As you could see, the radio has been tended to, as the previous owner said; he also claimed it worked. I believe him, but it is not in my habits to turn on radios without having it checked out myself.
The radio was repaired with Philco-Ford capacitors. The original (or what is there pretending to be the origianls) are disconencted.
I also checked the tubed. All are working, but one 35 tube is weak and the other cannot be determined to be eiyther 24A or 35 (they look the same and test pretty much the same). Luckily I have two working good 35 tubes.
The rest will be coming later.
RE: Atwater Kent 82, restoration. - Jayce - 05-22-2022
I got curious and looked up the print on Nostalgia Air. Looks like the 82 uses two 35s and one 24. So that is probably your mystery tube.
RE: Atwater Kent 82, restoration. - morzh - 05-22-2022
Jayce
The tube numbers are stamped on the chassis, so there is no mistery. What I mean, without marking on the tube (glass or socket) and people sometimes subbing 24A for 35 I have to go by assuming it is a 35.
I of course could try to see the grid wire spacing, but not sure how well I could tell the difference.
RE: Atwater Kent 82, restoration. - Jayce - 05-22-2022
Oh, sorry. I forgot the numbers are stamped on the chassis. Too many radios to remember.
RE: Atwater Kent 82, restoration. - morzh - 05-22-2022
Yeah, the AK chassis are beautiful. STainles steel (or something that is steel and does not rust), with stamped tubes' types and all that. This is the second serious AK I am dealing with, and other than the rubber insulated wire, the chassis are a sheer pleasure to deal with.
RE: Atwater Kent 82, restoration. - Jayce - 05-23-2022
Wait until you deal with an AK that has the unitized chassis if you haven't already. Not as bad as a Philco, but even more rubber wiring!
RE: Atwater Kent 82, restoration. - morzh - 05-23-2022
Jayce
I had AK808A restored. I have the thread here somewhere.
Wait, lemme find it. It was the year of 2014
https://philcoradio.com/phorum/showthread.php?tid=10851&page=3&highlight=808a
There are pics or a rubber wire and then of ribber insulation crumbs on my working table.
RE: Atwater Kent 82, restoration. - Eliot Ness - 05-24-2022
The AK 82 is a beautiful set and you got a fantastic deal on that one! In fact, we should have done a civilian arrest for stealing, but you had your beer cooler that saved you
The AK's do have nice chassis, but I don't think they are stainless, it's some kind of plating. I had an AK 84 once that was a real rust bucket
RE: Atwater Kent 82, restoration. - Chas - 05-24-2022
A-K chassis is heavily nickle plated steel.
Sometimes the plating is porous and there will be rust. In other examples the plating can be polished to a high luster. I once did a chassis up restore of an A-K 55, because of a filter cap meltdown, wax everywhere. Came out really shiny, close rival to a Scott. The chassis was for an A-K Kiel table, so clearly a showpiece.
Chas
RE: Atwater Kent 82, restoration. - morzh - 05-24-2022
Chas
The book "AK 1929 catalog says"
"... All steel parts are either cadmium and nickel plated or they are enameled andbaked in immense automatic ovens."
The color looks more cadmium to me (it has a yellowish hue and is not high gloss / reflective).
So, yes, probably not stainless steel. Cadmium is, what they call, a "sacrificial coating" which will oxydized before the steel. Maybe this is why all the chassis' I've seen in AK are so spotless.
RE: Atwater Kent 82, restoration. - Arran - 05-25-2022
Don't forget to check, and replace the wiring on the power transformer, this is why may of these A-K transformers fail, insulation falls off, high voltage wiring shorts to chassis, and a smoke show follows. Russ is the guy to ask about these.
Regards
Arran
RE: Atwater Kent 82, restoration. - morzh - 05-25-2022
Arran,
Yes, I did exactly that with my AK808A. I used colored heatshrink tubes to restore insulation.
Here it is. Year 2014.
RE: Atwater Kent 82, restoration. - morzh - 05-28-2022
Set the chassis on the Simon's holding fixture.
All the wirewound resistors, including flexibles, are right on the money. The Bias resistors (old style dogbones) are within 10%.
Most rubber wires are pliable; very few are cracked in a place or two. Most wires are cloth-covered.
Volume pot is good.
Tomorro more will come.
RE: Atwater Kent 82, restoration. - RodB - 05-28-2022
Mike,
When I find rubber insulated wire with only a crack or two I try coating it with liquid insulation.
Sounds like a sweet one to work on.
RE: Atwater Kent 82, restoration. - radiorich - 05-28-2022
Hello Morzh ,
What a nice-looking chassis I would grabbed it too .
Sincerely Richard
P.S. I have an AK console to restore .