[gfleduc]

Hello All,

Joining the Phorum due to dad giving me a 42-380. It is a delight for me; my grandfather bought it new!

The unit takes a long time to warm before playing and does not lock onto stations so well - Electronics is for a future querry...

Any way today's questions are for cosmetics.

1) The first thing I did was purchase a repro escutcheon. The original was severely distorted & broken. So this leads me to my first few questions.
In my zest I removed the brass plate for the dial labels & the angled cardboard piece that goes on the backside of the escutcheon.

In my zest to replace the escutcheon I did not note if the cardboard angle goes on the up or down side. I installed it on the upside & the escutcheon doesn't seem to want to install. Before I fatigue the brass again to flip it around I wanted to ask what is the proper position for the cardboard piece.

2) Second question - Push button copper "spring". Unlike the other buttons the left end button does not have the rectangular spring. Is that proper?

TIA for you time

Gary

[morzh]

Gary

First, welcome. Whether it is a one time deal or the beginning of a long journey, the results will be rewarding and the experience valuable.

Others with particular experience with this type will advise you on the string and the escutcheon.

I will tell you the general stuff:

1. Before you are done with the restoration, DO NOT plug it in and listen to it any longer. These radios are often on their last leg and may go kaputt any minute and in doing so even if they do not burst into flames (which is not entirely impossible) - they could fail in such a mode that takes out the power section, which is very painful to deal with. Finding a replacement transformer will not be easy and will be costly.

2. Full recap, electrolytics and paper tubulars or backelite blocks have to be replaced / restuffed, whichever you choose (first is easier, second keeps it looking authentic). Mica caps can stay unless proven bad when alignment is done.

3. Full inspection of resistors with replacement of those badly outside specs.
4. Then after checking for shorts etc, you could start powering it using Variac or at least a table lamp in series.

If any of this sounds unfamiliar, Internet as a whole and this forum in particular will be a valuable help.

[klondike98]

Welcome to the Phorum!! Since your query is mostly about cabinet work, Ron (the site owner) may move this thread to the Cabinet Restoration section. I haven't worked on a 42-380 so can't give you specifics to your questions but a search of the Phorum using "42-380" brings up a number of threads that may help you and folks who have worked on one will surely respond as well.

Posting pictures can help make your questions clearer and the instructions for posting pictures are found here: http://philcoradio.com/phorum/showthread.php?tid=29

A good thing to do as you dismantle a radio chassis and its cabinet is to take photos as you go along. This gives you a chance to look at how it was put together originally, plus you'll want some "before" and "after" pics later.

[TA Forbes]

Hello and welcome!

Good advice above!

The push-button on the left is the on/off control, it does not function like the rest of the buttons as it will not cause another button to pop out when you push on it.

Beware of the rubber-coated wire in your set. It tends to get brittle and crack, leaving bare wires. Although it is a pain in the _____ (rhymes with "grass") to replace them, STRONGLY recommend you do this if any are bare or becoming so. Another good way to do this that I like is to de-solder one end of the bare lead, remove the rest of the bad insulation, and cover it with 1/16" shrink tubing.

For some reason sets with Loctal tubes like the two XXL's and 7B7s and your 7C6 tend to take longer to warm up. I used to believe this was due to the "Mothers Curse" laid upon me for not eating all my vegetables when I was a boy. Now I know that is not true, and that the "Mothers Curse" is what is responsible for my two failed marriages and every girlfriend I have ever had being influenced by the Devil.

But I digress.........

IF you have a 6X5G rectifier tube (bottle shape), do NOT fire up the radio again until you replace it with a 6X5GT (small, straight sides) tube.
The 6X5G tube had a bad habit of developing a short that will take your power transformer and associated resistors and capacitors to radio H**l.

It is a good idea to test all of your tubes, they are often the cause of trouble. This way you know that they are all good. Or not .....

[OldRestorer]

Well, If you are like me when I started you did not understand 95% of what was said. Dont get crazy about it. you will pick up a little at a time.
I now can understand 20% of what these guys say.
If you dont get it, start from zero and learn the most basic knowledge.

http://www.antiqueradios.com/archives/El...gCh1-4.pdf

[morzh]

...And I was young and stupid then and I'm old and stupid now

[gfleduc]

Hi Guys,

Thank you all for the welcome & advice - I will heed it all & not run the baby until it has the parts replacement & health check up!

Is there an owners manaul for the radio?
Yup - I am lost on most of the electronics details, how about I start with a few of the them.

Looking on the cabinet tag for the 6X5GTG location I have a RCA (replacement?) strait tube marked 148; so good to say no death ray recatifer tube installed?

There is a small sticker on the back of my electrical chassis "M 71306" - would this be a unit serial number?

Is there a recommended source for the replacement wiring?

Agree on taking photos, I should know better - leassions learned with cars.

Kinda funny my dad is slipping just a bit - I asked him he he wanted to take the tubes to the drug store for testing (as he did with me as a kid), he was ready to go... Opps

[TA Forbes]

It should have the tube number on the glass envelope of the tube. 6X5G is taller, shaped like your 41 tubes. A 6X5GT is smller with straight sides.

Wire? Well, I just go to local hardware stores, etc for most of my repair-wire. I also have a couple of reels of leftover wire from claymore mines that I saved from my USMC days. It makes excellent antenna wire.

[klondike98]

There probably was an owners brochure that went with the radio but you rarely see those. What you want is the Service Bulletin which for this radio can be found here: http://www.audiophool.com/Philco.html . You'll have to download a DjVu plugin from https://www.cuminas.jp/en/downloads/download/?pid=1 . Some folks have trouble with this and if so you can a) go to http://www.nostalgiaair.org/Resources/533/M0013533.htm and here http://www.nostalgiaair.org/PagesByModel...013534.pdf or b) for the most complete info Chuck Schwark sells the info in very readable form for a few bucks at http://www.philcorepairbench.com/schematics.htm .

Sources for various parts can be found here: http://www.philcoradio.com/resourceb.htm

You do realize... that once you start down this road you may become obsessed with the radio restorations

[gfleduc]

TA Forbes - Well fellow Jarhead (0331) - Claymore hum... all I saved was some comm wire & that stuff would survive anything. I do have the smaller tube - so that is good...

Bob - downloading the reader now - will start corralling some of this data - enjoyable project - this first one is a labor of love...

Thank-you guys

Gary