[Mike Gessner]

Hi Radio People,
I found this site searching the web about my old Philco radio. Best I can tell, it's a 1942 table top model. It is is excellent condition as far as the cabinet goes, and it still lights up and the sound, though staticky still comes out. My father bought me this years ago from an antique dealer. The cabinet on this is really nice, no waterspots or deep scratches at all. The glass and lettering are very nice also. I don't know alot about these old radios, but they sure are pretty. You don't see craftsmanship like that anymore. I'll try to upload a pic soon, so you all can see it. Be Well, Mike

[OldRestorer]

"DO NOT PLUG IT IN" (and dont use 409 on the dial)

This is what I learned the day I joined. It could burn up or blow tubes.
The capacitors under the chassis (metal piece with the tubes on it) and some of the resistors are most likely bad. Pics would be good, the guys here usually can pop out the brand and model pretty quickly. Oh and welcome.

Kirk

[Radioroslyn]

Get a pic of it up here and we can tell you all about it.
Terry

[hsusmann]

Also beware of rubber coated wire. I have heard that this is the vintage where they used it and now it is all brittle and crumbly.

[morzh]

Mike

The short question is:

Are you willing to restore the radio, dealing with electronics of it (it is preferable you know something about electricity, but if you don't - we helped people like that, though it will be somewhat difficult and require lots of attention and cautiousness on your part as you are dealing with voltages that can kill) or do you have someone to take care of it or are you looking for someone like that?

But as said before, DO NOT try to plug it in until it gets clean bill of health, it matters not that it lights up and hums, it could go in flames or it could kill the power section and then it is as good as any piece of junk.

And yes - the pictures!

[klondike98]

Hi Mike, Welcome to the Phorum!

[exray]

Hi Mike and Welcome.
Yes, pix please. We are radio voyeurs

[Mike Gessner]

Hi Everyone, Thanks for the kind welcome! Here are a few pictures of the radio. Yes, it would be nice to restore this radio, however I don't know enough about doing it myself. Mikey
           

[Arran]

It may be that someone has worked on that set before, I noticed that it has a newer power cord with brown vinyl insulation, the original was rubber, and they usually go rock hard and crumbly. The insulation used on the power transformer leads was cloth covered, those are usually fine so long as they are not disturbed. What does go bad is the insulation on the wire going into the IF transformers, that should be looked into, as well as some of the point to point wiring.
Regards
Arran

[Raleigh]

It is a model 42-350. The cabinet looks to be in great shape. It's an early AM-FM model, with the old pre-war FM band. It won't pick up today's FM stations, but the AM will work well when it is restored.

I restored one. There is quite a bit of wire inside with rubber insulation that could be dangerously brittle, unless someone else has done restoration work on it.

It is a good idea not to plug it in until you take the chassis out and see what's what underneath. Even if it has been well cared for, some of the old parts just go bad over time and need to be replaced. If they fail and create a short circuit, they could damage parts that would be hard to find and expensive to replace.

The folks on the forum can walk you how to restore it, if that's what you want to do.

Check out this site for the basics of old radio restoration. http://www.antiqueradio.org/begin.htm