[jmac3ky]

    I'm restoring a nice "Skyscraper" model Philco 40-190. Three quick questions:

What kind of glue do you use when adhering the pushbuttons to the metal stems?

Second, where is the black felt strip (blocking light) suppose to be? Does it simply ride between the pushbutton and brass escutcheon or should it be glued to the back of the brass? When I disassembled the set, the felt had slipped behind the buttons in places. I'm afraid it will do it again.

Third, does anyone sell the new felt cut to size?

Thanks, jmac3ky

[Raleigh]

I've never seen how the pushbuttons are arranged on a 40-190, but on all the '40, '41, and '42 radios I've worked on, the buttons were not glued to the stems at all, just press fit.

My 40-150 did not have a felt on it when I got it, so I've never been sure if it was supposed to have one. I made one anyway, like the 1941 radios had, with just a slit for the stems to go through, then I wondered why I didn't get much red glow through the buttons. Duh! Now that I see your picture I realize my mistake.

If the holes in the felt are just large enough for the buttons to go through, then I imagine the flanges on the buttons that aren't depressed would be enough to hold the felt loosely against the escutcheon, keeping most of the light from leaking around the buttons. if any holes are enlarged from wear, though, the flanges might not be big enough.

I see no signs of glue on the back of my 40-150 escutcheon. Does your felt or escutcheon show glue residues? Unless someone more knowledgeable than I am tells you that the felt was glued to the escutcheon, I'd try just pushing the buttons onto the stems, then slipping the felt over the buttons, then mounting the escutcheon. If the button flanges don't hold the felt closely enough against the escutcheon to block the light, then gluing the felt to the escutcheon might be called for.

If they used glue in 1940, it was probably something like mucilage, which would of course age, shrink, and crack over the years. You could try something like Elmers or wood glue. (I'm a fan of Aline's Tacky Glue, which is similar.) Might be hard to remove if you ever need to. Rubber cement would be easier to remove, but I kind of doubt it would hold well enough over the long haul.

If you find anyone who makes a reproduction 1940 Philco felt, let me know, as I'd love to have one. I doubt my ability to cut those 8 sided holes accurately enough to make my own.

By the way, the 40-190 is my idea of the loveliest Philco console of that era. I'd love to have one.

[jmac3ky]

Thanks John. I'll probably try gluing the felt to the escutheon, since the felt is old and a bit stretched. I would cut a new one but the shape of the openings is too hard to cut accurately. I'm sure it was punched at the factory. I'll have to glue my new pushbuttons in place since they come loose when they pop back (spring loaded). I think I recall having to pry some old ones off in the past. They must have had some factory glue.

Thanks again, John McDonald, West Kentucky

[Art Hoch]

Use an exacto knife. Shouldn't be too hard.

[DeckApe]

J-mac, I have a 40-190 and although i have a stem or two where the pushbutton is slightly loose, they've never gotten far as the escutcheon chokes 'em by the raised collar at the back of the button. I would be very reluctant to glue the buttons down, especially if I can't find a way to reverse the process easily.

As for the felt slipping past the collars, hmmm... maybe a gentle washing in Woolite or some such to restore the shape?

If that doesn't work for you, I would suggest using the escutcheon as a stencil for making a new felt mask for the buttons. It'll be a trifle snug at first but should stretch (much like the old one) to mask beautifully.

OH! Placement... no glue attaching it to the escutcheon on mine, either; it appears to ride the buttons in front of the collars and behind the escutcheon.

[jmac3ky]

Finished putting the pushbuttons and escutcheon in place. Cutting a new felt with an exacto knife doesn't work. Felt stretches as you cut it, even with a new blade and steel ruler holding it down. So, I went to plan B - I glued the felt to the back of the brass escutcheon, carefully tightening up the felt to match the square openings. It worked like a charm. I also put a dab of Elmers glue on the steel shafts so that the buttons stayed in place. Worked great. Light shines through fine, although Philco should have spaced out two lamps to light the buttons equally. The center of the button row gets most of the light. Thanks for your thoughts guys.

[NostalgiaRadioTime]

That looks beautiful! Well done. One thing I noticed, from my 40-180, is that the far left side button says Tele-Vision.
It was meant to receive early television sound, and I would imagine as such it is obsolete today. You probably noticed that little yellow tag on the back side of the radio that says something to the effect that "this set is equipped to receive tele-vision sound". Were you able to pre-set that button to an actual radio station? I see you have station call letters above the button.

How did you get your knobs so shiny? Did you clear coat them? They look amazing!

[jmac3ky]

Thanks for the television info. Yes I noticed the gold sticker on the back about TV sound. Didn't know that it was also linked to a pushbutton. Thanks. I made up my stations on the computer. The buttons are not actually set to the station. I'm sure it's possible to do so. I usually put radio knobs in bleach and carefully monitor their dip. If you overdo it, the bleach will pit the plastic. I use a tooth brush to then clean them off (removes all grease). Once they are dry, I clear coat them. Usually I favor a satin clear, not gloss.

[Electrothaumaturgist]

The backside of the 42-400 escutcheon (metal) that I worked on definitely had it's gasket glued on, though the gasket was long gone, you could see where the glue was. Those buttons are beautiful! I wonder if they would fit on the 42-400? (Although the buttons are good on it now, those luminescent ones would "be the cats pajamas!").

[shaler78]

I believe that the original light bulbs were frosted with the tip of the bulb silvered on the inside of the glass like a radio tube. That diffused the light somewhat. Those type of bulbs are almost impossible to get new nowadays. In my 39-35 and 40-180, I dipped the very tip of the light bulbs in some semi-translucent white paint, and it does help to diffuse the light. If I remember correctly, the bulbs I used were the same voltage but higher lumens and wattage.

[Ron Ramirez]

Those buttons are beautiful! I wonder if they would fit on the 42-400?

No, the 1942 buttons are a different shape and size. Oh, the 1940 buttons would probably fit on the pushbutton shafts, but then you would have gaps between buttons in your escutcheon.

Agree that the glowing translucent buttons are a neat effect.

[Mondial]

What were the original pushbuttons on the 40-180? Were they the opaque brown or the translucent red?

I have been planning on replacing mine, but they are so deteriorated that I cannot tell what type were originally installed.

[Ron Ramirez]

Translucent red in 1940 models; opaque brown in 1941 models.