[fmccullough1953]

So,  Friends elderly mother's elderly neighbors daughter, said anybody want this, etc etc.  Philco 47-1227.  Pretty intact, fixed power cord end, turn table spins, lights light.  All there except tubes, got them through vacuum tubes.net.  Question is one of the tube slots has what I'd say is half of the 'washer' 
Do I care?  

I've done old gas pumps, and stuff, and just doing amateur work to get this to play a bit as a novelty in my shop.             

[morzh]

Welcome!

It is a good radio, with FM band, will sound very nice.

It seems to be in good cosmetic condition.
If it is free, certainly a good deal.
If not...consoles are not popular nowadays.


Now, as to your immediate question.

I understand, you are apt and handy, etc. This doesn't mean your experience applies.
This also doesn't mean you cannot learn it.
This however is more dangerous having DC voltages in a few hundred volts.

Also these radios (after 1939, even in very good shape) have rubber-insulated wire which means you may have to potentially replace a lot of wiring inside that chassis, as the insulation will be cracking and crumbling.

The panel is a one for "Loctal" tubes, which is the tubes used in these 1940-s Philcos (and other) radios. It might be still OK. Thought it seems cracking. You could also buy one on eBay or some places who sell them and replace it.

If you are getting it, make sure the speaker is good. (well, if you get it for free, not necessary. They are typically good in these, if you observe no damage to the grillcloth).

Also I am not sure, I think some piece is missing from the turntable. Which is as well, as you might just listen to the radio FM.

Oh...a good thing about this radio: it doesn't seem to use that FM1000 detector tube, which is, if missing or bad, is made of unobtanium. So, one more reason to get it. Especially for free.

[RodB]

If you're interested I have a loctal tube socket I can send you for the price of shipping. Send a PM with address to let me know.

[DaleHCook]

I would replace that tube socket, but I have some new loctal replacements on hand. Replacing it can be tedious. My Metcal SP440 vacuum desoldering station will help in removing the wire. Tag the wires first (I use ScotchCode numbers) so you will know to which socket lug each one goes.

Removing the rivets can be a challenge. If I can't easily drill them out from below the chassis I would grind the heads off with a Dremel bit such as a Dremel 921 1/2" ball aluminum oxide grinding stone. I would put the new socket in with pop rivets.

My Dremel tool is my favorite power tool in the field for work or in the shop. I have about 100 Dremel bits. I have a wide assortment of pop rivets for work or in the shop and a quality tool to install them.

If you have to replace rubber wiring you should first thoroughly photograph the underside of the chassis. I stock PVC-insulated hookup wire in several gauges, in both solid and stranded, and in all ten RMA colors. It is best to replace one wire at a time, laying it out next to the old one to get the bends and placement right (lead dress can be vital), and stripping the ends before removing the old wire and installing the new. You should probably also replace the power cord.

[fmccullough1953]

Dale, Thx so much for the very detailed reply. Probably above my pay grade, lol. I got it for free, and I'm not against paying to get some stuff done. Before I do some digging around here, do you happen to know of anyone in the Rochester NY area that does that kinda stuff ?

Oh and I'll look on Net maybe some youtube videos ?

Thx again

[morzh]

Fred

I deleted the duplicate post.
I guess you typed the second 'cause you had not seen the first; the first two posts have to be approved.

Mike.


PS. Yes you could possibly find some videos. If not of exact same set, then for similar ones from Philco, using the same technology from the same or close years.

But if you keep running the thread here, there will be plengty of folks who will answer your questions to the degree possible.

[DaleHCook]

... do you happen to know of anyone in the Rochester NY area that does that kinda stuff ?

I don't, but I am hundreds of miles away from you.

[morzh]

Fred,

If you feel it is a bit too involved for you, look for the local historic radio / amtique radio / whatever radio club.
They do exist, though not necessarily in your backyard.
They could recommend someone, who for a fee, that could be small or not small -  depends on whether a person does it for fun and just wants to get compensated for parts, or someone who would like to be comensated for the effort too (which is not unreasonable) - might agree to fix the chassis.


But. Here's the thing. If you:
- have basic knowledge of electricity/electronics
- are a safety-minded person, who thinks first and touches later
- not afraid to learn an entirely new field
- a handy and mechanically/electrically apt (you should be, with all those auld gas pumps)
then it might be worth it for you to at least try.

You got to loose nothing, considering it was free, well, then, also your life if you are not careful (but then, working with old gas pumps you should be, all that siphoning gas with your mouth should teach you some good judgement) - and this is the extreme result of many unfortunate circumstances lining up plus retrograde Mercury plus the prince of pork bellies going up too much...nah.

If after all this encouragement you decide to go and replace that loctal panel, one piece of advice: don't work in wet basements (besides the obvious, it's bad for the joints), use an isolation transformer (your radio has one so it is safe, but there is that small chance of leakage plus those pesky Y-caps from the AC line to the chassis) - plenty of them on eBay, and they are not expensive, and do not use a "dim wit" tester (some folks call it "dim bulb"). 

I also take it, you might have some basic Digital Multimeter. That is a basic tool.

So. Choices, choices...


PS. And...you might place an ad here and at ARF (Antique Radios dot com) asking if there is someone who might agree to do it for you. Be mindful of scammers. There are reputable members of thes forums (we are all reputable but once in a while a fresh scammer pops up so we have to weed it out) and ARF has a thread about scammers with fresh updates.

What else. Whatever you do, have fun. Life's too short to fret small things.

Cheers!