[firedog359]

Hello all,I'm new to the forum.I collected vintage tabletop radios back in my late 20's early 30's,I'm 54 now, but after several moves and a divorce,I sold off my collection.I have recently started collecting again and I managed to pick up a fairly nice 39-45 console at a local yardsale for $5.00.The unit still plays but needs a good cleaning and electronics restoration.The pushbuttons are missing but I'm going to replace those with repros.My question is,was there supposed to be some kind of labels that would have shown through the holes above the pushbuttons and,if so,what were they and where can I get a set? Thanks in advance for any and all help and I look forward to becoming a very active member of the forums.

[Ron Ramirez]

Hi and welcome!

Yes - there should be little paper tabs above each pushbutton; each tab would have the call letters of a radio station.

I think the 1941 Philco call letter tabs will fit your set - properly trimmed, that is. You can find a PDF copy here:
http://www.philcoradio.com/phorum/showth...p?tid=4355

Or if you want to make your own, you can get some tips here, along with the correct font to use:
http://www.philcoradio.com/phorum/showth...p?tid=5148

[firedog359]

Thanks for the info and links.i printed out the tabs and will install when my buttons arrive.Another question,How do you set the buttons for the stations?I don't have a copy of the instructions.Thanks

[Arran]

I would stop operating this set immediately until the wiring has been replaced, the chassis is full of rubber covered wire that is usually deteriorating by now, and that includes the wiring going into the power transformer. I think the "rubber" they used may have been some form of gutta-percha or gutta-balata rather then rubber from a rubber tree, they used to be very popular for insulating wire because it wasn't attacked by mold.
Regards
Arran

[firedog359]

Thanks for the reply and concern.As an expierienced electrician,the first thing I looked at was the wiring.The insulation is still intact on all the wiring and I was able to power it up long enough to make sure that the unit actually worked.My intentions are to have a complete restoration done on the chassis.

[Bill Kinghorn]

Recommendations to "replace the wiring", "the capacitors", "out-of-spec resistors" and the like are horrifying to me. Old electrolytic caps usually need replacing. Some paper caps should be replaced depending on where in the circuit they appear, and should not be disconnected for testing. Any with out-of-spec capacitance would likely be leaking and that can usually be detected with the set ON. Very few resistors need replacement and also should not be cut-loose for testing, most can be WAY out of tolerance with no effect. Wiring, even with brittle insulation, should be left alone, for heavens sake.

[Raleigh]

Bill Kinghorn, I'd like to hear your reasons why restoration as most of us do it, replacing wires with crumbling insulation, capacitors known to be prone to failure, and out of spec resistors is "horrifying" to you. Most of us began the restoration hobby hearing these recommendations, and it would be interesting to hear why you disagree with them.

[Bill Kinghorn]

I guess it's just the desire to leave as much alone as I can. I have never restored a radio for sale and don't see them being used extensively. If the insulation on chassis wiring is embrittled but hasn't crumbled, I don't disturb it. I replace paper caps which, if shorted, could quickly burnout a power or output transformer. ...three at most. I have never seen a circuit where a shorted paper cap could burnout an IF xformer, rf, or osc coil. Shorted caps beyond the speaker field will disable the radio and heat the field but not ruin anything. Many paper caps are in low-voltage, low impedance circuits, like cathode bybass, where neither leakage nor exact value matters. I look for leakage in audio coupling caps by checking for significant disruption in grid voltage. If it is not important I leave them alone. If they deteriorate it will be noticed as audio distortion. If a resistor is importantly wrong in value, that can be seen as an importantly wrong voltage somewhere. I'd never disconnect one to measure it. If components need changing, I don't seek exact-value replacements when modern components can improve the circuit. But I don't like Model A's with V8 engines. Model A's with a few parts missing are OK by me if they run good.

[firedog359]

Bill,I can understand what you mean about leaving things alone but in the case of vintage electronics it's all about safety.With brittle insulation,all it takes is a good bump to start it crumbling.Also,collectors like to use their radios.Even if it's only for just a short time a day or two a month and if a wire has lost insulation it could cause a short and fire just by turning it on.There are a lot of collectables that should never be touched or changed but vintage electronics are not one of them.

[Arran]

Bill;
When you have electrically restored as many radios as I have you learn that there are only two types when it comes to the old paper capacitors, there are those that have failed and there are those that are failing. With regards to drifted resistors causing no ill effects it depends on the circuit, a drifted bias resistor in the audio output circuitry can not only cause distortion but cause the power output tube to draw too much current, a drifted plate resistor can cause a tube to perform poorly or not at all. I know that troubleshooting that bad component is what most old TV and radio repairmen had drilled into them decades ago, you could use that approach when they were 10 to 20 years old but you can't really use it now that they are 50-60-70 years old.
If you have followed these forums with any great regularity you will see there are some of use that go to great lengths to restore a set with new parts and still have it look original. Techniques like restuffing the old capacitor shells, Bakelite blocks, or even casting reproduction dogbone resistors, reproduction cloth covered wire, and speaker reconing, keep the set looking original but playing like new. If you are happy to have shelf queens that you can mostly only look at that's your prerogative, but I for one would prefer to have something other then a glorified book end or plant stand.
We are not taking about hot rodding or modifying anything, in a Model A for example, do you think it makes the car more original to run it with dry rotted tires, belts, and hoses or tattered wiring? Those items didn't leave the factory in that condition and they were intended to be replaced as then aged and wore out, just like capacitors, tubes, and resistors. I would rather replace all of the drifted resistors and leaky capacitors in a set then risk damaging something more expensive or difficult to find item like an oscillator coil, a pot, or a power transformer. This is also not 1953 where you can call up your Philco parts distributor and have them in your hands within two weeks, I would prefer to keep the hard to find original parts and toss the easily replaced ones. I also don't feel like taking a set apart six months to a year from now because a 50 year old paper cap decided to die. It's because most of these sets do not work that many people do not see the value in them as anything other then a Ipod dock, guitar amp case, or a liquor cabinet. If they could be shown that they can be made to perform as well, if not better, then a modern radio and put to practical service, I believe that many more will be saved and live out the remainder of their existence as what they are, radios.
Regards
Arran

[Steve D]

Amen...Well stated, Arran.

Steve D

[Ron Ramirez]

Ditto, Firedog, Arran, and Steve D.