[berta12]

I am having a guy repair a Mahogany Philco Predicta Tandem for me, and the TV has a switch override that he is taking off and making safer by adding a cord with a thumbwheel to turn the TV on and off. However, it would be nice to have it turn on from the front dial as it’s supposed to.
In order to do this, he says he needs the following parts, which I would need. Actually, he says these two parts need to be together: the rear being a 2.5 megaohm variable resistor with a power switch and a small size split shaft (he says there’s two sizes of shafts,) and the front being a contrast control with a 2 mega ohm variable resistor. Anyone have any experience with this?
Thanks!

[Bob Andersen]

Yes, I have three Tandems, a Holiday, a Siesta and a Princess that I'm restoring!

So far only the Holiday is fully restored electrically, and it also had a dead power switch. If you still have yours, it's fairly easy to pry open and you might be able to fix it.

[Image: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8052/80754...6945_c.jpg]

I was extremely luck to find someone selling a NOS replacement. It cost around $25 + shipping, which should give you some idea how scare they are.

His email is dpatterson002@comcast.net I think he's out, but you can ask.

Here's the new power switch attached to the old control.
[Image: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8331/81015...c8c4_c.jpg]

[berta12]

Wow! I have never met anyone in my life who has three Tandems--you're a lucky man! Plus those other great Philco's--wow!

I may have found someone to buy the parts from, but you're right, they're scarce and not cheap--I'll keep you posted. What amazing fortune to be able to find an NOS part!

Thanks so much for the information and the great pics and have a wonderful "Holiday."

[Bob Andersen]

I don't know about lucky vs. a glutton for punishment.

The first I found at a vintage resale shop. The cable had been cut off and thrown away plus the CRT is bad. It's a good condition otherwise and has a faux mahogany finish.

[Image: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7182/70247...2ba2_z.jpg]

[Image: http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6097/70247...4227_z.jpg]

The second I found on the local craigslist. It had been restored and working until a fire broke out inside the moving truck as the owner travel from Texas to Chicago. It has a real Mahogany veneer finish. I was able to coax life out of it, but it's a sticky, stinky chassis. Recently, someone kindly sold me a spare cabinet and chassis in much better condition. I have yet to restore and put all back together.
[Image: http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5276/74231...af5a_z.jpg]

[Image: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7270/74241...8c9a_z.jpg]

Finally, here's one with a faux blonde finish. This one sold for over $700 on ebay but of course the CRT was destroyed by UPS in shipping. The seller relisted just the base and I won it. It's immaculate inside. I have a spare CRT "head" for it but the picture tube is very weak.

I was able to get it running with 100% original parts aside from a few tubes.
[Image: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8078/83235...bbf6_z.jpg]

[Image: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8222/83235...670e_z.jpg]

I'll get them all running eventually.

[berta12]

I'll take that kind of "gluttony" any day!
It's great to see all of those pictures. I don't know how to add pictures to this post--and I don't know if I can add a link to photos of my Tandem (before I cleaned off all the dust) but let's see if this works
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=82c6ccf32...ujvZsn2L_g

I give up on finding an antennae, there's only so much time I'm willing to put into this thing. I love it but I've had it for 30 years and it's time for it to go. If the guy who's working on it can't fix it, I'll sell it anyway (the CRT works) and someone else can deal with the bottom half. I have so many old radios and old other things around the house (including my husband! ) that I won't miss it.

Would you be so kind as to share any tips on how to best clean the cable, the scuff marks the cable leaves on the back of the tube, and the screen?

[Bob Andersen]

That's a nice looking Tandem you have I used "Orange Goop" hand cleaner on the cable. I expect GoJo would also work well.
I used Novus #2 plastic polish on the screen. It works well on scuffs. That's the first time I've seen the cable coiled on the back of the tube. Might be better to uncoil a little and let it rest on the floor.

Good luck. These are not easy sets to repair and maintain.

[Arran]

I would not be above modifying the control to use a different type of switch like a pull on or a rotary rather then the push on, push off type if a replacement could not be found. I would not put a lamp switch in the cord, at least not one of the small ones with a thumb wheel, those are for low current uses like an ornamental lamp.
Regards
Arran