The PHILCO Phorum
Philco table top - Printable Version

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Philco table top - fields 100 - 01-26-2014

I am looking for a small table top for restoration.Noticed, that many of them have a a plastic (or bakelite) frame around the dial and speaker being deformed, possible from heat.Are those pieces in any way restorable by using some heat source or some other way? Even perfectly restored radio will look awful with such warped piece . Thanks.

RE: Philco table top - Ron Ramirez - 01-26-2014

You must be referring to one of the following Philcos which have an escutcheon/grille made of Tenite, which I also call "The Incredible Shrinking Plastic":

41-81T, 41-85T, 41-221C, 41-221CI, 41-226C, 41-841T, 41-842T, 41-843T, 41-844T, 41-851T, 42-842T, 42-843T, 42-844T, 42-853T, 42-854T, 42-PT94, 42-PT95.

These all share the same escutcheon/grille, although the colors vary. Most are swirled brown; one is solid brown (41-226C), two are ivory (41-221CI, 42-PT95).

You can see these models on the following pages:
http://www.philcoradio.com/gallery/1941a.htm
http://www.philcoradio.com/gallery/1941b.htm
http://www.philcoradio.com/gallery/1942a.htm

Philco made two models after the war that use the same grille, but in ivory only:
47-204 - http://www.philcoradio.com/gallery/1947.htm#b
48-206 - http://www.philcoradio.com/gallery/1948a.htm#f

The 47-204 and 48-206 grilles were made of an improved version of the plastic that has not shrunk or warped over the decades as have the grilles from the prewar Philco models.

I tried to get the two guys who are well known in the hobby for making reproduction plastic parts for radios to reproduce this grille since it is used on so many Philco models including the very popular 41-226C "Sled", but they both said no. Now, Phorum member OldRestorer is looking for a 47-204 or 48-206 for a grille to attempt to reproduce.

I have a 47-204 grille somewhere, but it has been temporarily lost in my recent move. I'll find it eventually, probably when I am looking for something else (which is usually how it goes, at least with me).

Now, after all that verbiage, to answer your question about heat: Heat has been used, with varying success, on various Philco Tenite parts, notably the dials on Mystery Control remotes:
http://www.philcoradio.com/tech/myscon.htm

But it could cause more harm than good. Of course, it's worth a try...what do you have to lose other than a badly warped Tenite part?

RE: Philco table top - hsusmann - 01-26-2014

I have a mid to late 30's Stromberg-Carlson with a shrunken plastic face piece. I wondered how it ever got that way. Sounds like it is made of Tenite then from what I just read.

Mine is not warped, it is just too small now for the cutout in the cabinet!

Herb S.
Ithaca NY

RE: Philco table top - TimC - 01-28-2014

I have a couple like that Herb. Is there a screw/hole in the center top?
I spread mine apart and fabricated a hole-plug for the center.

Tim

RE: Philco table top - hsusmann - 01-28-2014

I will have to look at it again more closely. As I remember it is a solid ring like shape (square-ish).

Herb S.