[Radioroslyn]

> Any ideas for softening this up would be appreciated. Or should I be looking for a replacement or even rebuilding?

I rebuilt mine. Used a piece of rubber drilled out the rivets and replaced them w/mech screws.

[Chris h]

Hi Terry,

I have been soaking it in Redwing Boot oil for 3 days now and it gives no indication that it is going to soften up.  It may not even be leather so may not do any good anyway.  It is definitely some kind of laminated material.  I was thinking along the same lines; drilling out the rivets and replacing with a couple of pieces of leather or rubber.  The way it is now, I am afraid that after a few rotations, due to it's very hard and brittle condition, it may just break and require further attention.

I went in to the McMaster Carr web site and found a flexible shaft coupling for a 3/8" shaft.  It looks to be about the right size, smaller in overall diameter and made of steel, with a polyurethane flex element.  I may give that a try and see how it works.  If anyone else might be interested it is their part number 6183K34, with a cost of $20.21.

In either case will continue to soak in the boot oil and see what happens.  At this point, I have nothing to loose by doing so.

Thanks for the reply, Terry.  It is appreciated.

[Ron Ramirez]

Chris

I think you will find the following thread helpful:

http://philcoradio.com/phorum/showthread.php?tid=10376

[Chris h]

Thanks Ron. It is helpful. I was looking around for something regarding it, but guess I was searching the wrong thing.

[Chris h]

Well, things have been going well when, while going thru the alignment, one of the filter chokes opened up. It is Philco part number 32-7491. It is shown on the schematic as having a DC resistance of 400 ohms. I can't find what the impedance or current rating is supposed to be. Does anyone have any information for a suitable replacement?

I am not really sure why it opened up all of a sudden, as the radio has been playing very well for weeks. This choke does supply the B+ for the IF stages and the discriminator circuits. Is there anything that I may have done in the alignment process which could have caused the choke to open up? I can't think of anything. Nothing appeared abnormal, no mistaken shorts. (I was using an insulated tuning stick.) Maybe the choke was just on its last legs to begin with.

[morzh]

It could just be its time. Supplying B+ is about conducting some decent amount of current, especially in a beast like 37-116.
I would check if any tube decided to short on you, but in all likelihood it is just the choke having decided to quit.
Check it for simple stupid leads breakage, oxidation etc. I had the one in my 16 being open, then upon opening it up and resoldering the lugs it just came back. Not sure how.

[Nathan Slingerland]

According to the choke specs from the 1949 Philco Parts catalog it is 7.5H, 50ma.

   

[morzh]

http://www.mouser.com/Search/m_ProductDe...0jlw%3d%3d


A 7H 75mA choke. Size wise don't know.

[Chris h]

Thanks Nathan and Morzh for posting the choke specs. I thought I had a choke from another chassis, but it had been replaced by another which wasn't even close to being the right choke. I have subbed in a 400 ohm power resistor on a temporary basis. I am only seeing 40 mils across the resistor, so think the old choke just gave up the ghost. I checked for a shorted tube, finding none. The old choke is wide open. Doesn't smell or look like it had over heated, and the spare chassis had a replacement. I am thinking it might be a common problem?

I'll start looking for the correct choke, or at least something close. It is in a pretty tight spot.

[morzh]

Chokes do get open for no apparent reason. Though there is always eventually a reason.

[Chris h]

I have a new choke on the way. For now, I have a 400 ohm power resistor temporarily installed until the choke arrives.

New problem, when installing the tuning dial and shadow mask, are the 4 lamps that go around the perimeter of the dial assembly, supposed to be directed onto the back side of the dial face, in between the dial and shadow mask, or directed to the back side of the shadow mask? The dial has been repaired by a previous repairman, with a sheet metal center hub. No light can get thru to the station tabs with this dial. I am assuming that the center needs to be somewhat translucent to see the tabs. I will just have to make due until I can get another dial face.

Another issue is that I am getting a hum from the center dial cover, when it is touched by hand. I assume that the muting switch is somehow shorting in the tuning knob assembly. I don't see any way that it would be insulated from the mute wiring, unless I am missing a component in the dial assembly.

[Nathan Slingerland]

Hi Chris!

I took a bunch of pictures during my 37-116 restore:

http://s1072.photobucket.com/user/slingn...o%2037-116

There are lots of pictures there - but here's a side view of the lights:

[Image: http://i1072.photobucket.com/albums/w374...cbvmwi.jpg]

[Chris h]

Thank You Nathan for the reply. Your radio looks good.  You sure took a lot of pictures, and I am thankful for that.  It looks like I have it put together right.  After seeing how yours looks with the lights on, my tuning dial is definitely not right with the dial that I have. Apparently the center section of the tuning dial must have broken out, and someone made a repair by cutting a piece of sheet metal to replace the broken center section.  This blocks all the light from entering the station tab area of the dial.  I have a second chassis, but the dial is in even worse shape than the one on this chassis.  For now, a good reproduction is not available, and may have to live with what I have or install a less desirable reproduction.

I am still trying to work out the hum issue from the hub. l may not have that assembled just right.  It does mute when the tuning crank is pushed in, like it is supposed to, but somehow the center hub is not insulated from the muting circuit like it is supposed to be causing the radio to hum when the dial is touched just right.  I will look through your pictures and see if I can pick up a clue as to what is going on there.  Is there some kind of insulator around the switch contact that fits around the shaft?  I have the insulating washer that fits between the hub and the contact, and think it is installed right.  But it looks like the contact is touching the crank at all times, and can rub against the sides of the crank mechanism. 

I took lots of pictures as I disassembled, but really don't know if it was assembled properly as the radio was dead when I got it.

I will take another look at it next weekend.

[Nathan Slingerland]

Yeah - I don't trust myself to remember details for re-assembly - that's why so many pictures. There should be a sequence of pictures for the dial disassembly.

I'm afraid I don't recall specifically about a shaft insulator - but you might find Service Bulletin 273 helpful for this - it gives the details on automatic tuning and be downloaded here:
http://www.philcoradio.com/phorum/showth...p?tid=5938

[Chris h]

Thanks Nathan. This is most useful! I thought I had all the service bulletins for this model, but I didn't have this one. I will give it a good read and see what I am missing. I may have to do a little fabrication.

Thanks again.