[Ron Ramirez]

My first radio project since Christmas...I have three Fisher receivers on hold for now...

I've agreed to sell my 37-690 back to the person I bought it from. I had done nothing with it while I had it.

I pulled the power supply chassis out recently to look it over, and I didn't really like what I saw.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00001.jpg]

Two bakelite blocks missing...two with terminals broken...all aluminum can electrolytics disconnected and new electrolytics stuffed under the chassis, none of which are rated higher than 450 WVDC. (The original 10 uF caps were rated at 475 WVDC.)

I also noticed that one section of a two-section Candohm resistor had been replaced - and wired in series with the original Candohm terminals.

In short...it does not meet my standards, and I don't want to see it leave here until it has been done over, and done right.

I've replaced one missing bakelite block so far. I have also ordered new electrolytic capacitors from Just Radios - mainly 10 uF, 500 WVDC for the main filter caps. These will be installed in the original aluminum cans for a cleaner appearance.

Now I wait for the Just Radios order...

[morzh]

Ron

I understand your disdain for it....but you are selling it to THE SAME PERSON YOU BOUGHT IT FROM!!!

Why bother?

[Eliot Ness]

I think because Ron considers that person a friend, and since that person doesn't work on his own radios Ron is merely returning a favor.

You or I would do the same thing Mike, because someday that radio may be sold as once belonging to Ron Ramirez, and any shoddy workmanship would be a poor reflection, no matter how unjust.

[morzh]

A friend...OK then.

The whole thing was too complicated for me to grasp otherwise.

Should I understand it so the radio then was sold as working to Ron?
Or it was never played since?

It's a good thing I have no big recognizeable name
Then again, I do not sell my radios. I buy them.

So if anyone wants to sell me a 37-690, I won't hold it against them if it has yellow caps underneath.
Better yet, it should not work at all
And you won't have to do deedly-squat about it.

[Ron Ramirez]

Because Ron considers that person a friend, and since that person doesn't work on his own radios Ron is merely returning a favor.

Exactly.

But, H**l, just because I owned the radio for a while doesn't mean anything.

I have no disdain for the set...I just decided to cut back on consoles. The 38-690 stays, and the 37-690 will leave. That's all.

And the radio did work before I started doing this. I just didn't like how that power supply chassis looked "under the hood." And knowing how my friend enjoys playing his radios as well as looking at them...I want to be sure it is all in proper order before it leaves here.

Now, it may have a yellow cap visible here and there when I'm done. While I do have standards...I'm also not a fanatic.

[Eliot Ness]

Yeah, it's not like you don't have enough tubes in the three remaining big dog sets that I know about to heat your house in the winter even w/o the 37-690

I'm not sure if this was the case with Ron, but often when a radio changes hands among friends we often say "now, if you decide to get rid of it, let me have first dibbs." There are a few sets I have sold or traded that I probably would have otherwise kept if they weren't going to a friend.

[morzh]

Ron

I meant the disdain for yellow caps and such, obviously 37-690 is not a set to have disdain for

38-690.... really? Next time you want one it won't be on the market. Or do you have two?

[Arran]

Personally, in the unlikely event that a 37-690 and a 38-690 should come into my possession, I would be more inclined to keep the 37-690 then the latter. The reason being is that I like the cabinet design more, a cabinet with doors is much less pedestrian. Also the audio amp is a little different in that it uses push pull power triodes rather then beam power tetrodes, I don't know if there is any advantage in band coverage between one set verses the other.
Regards
Arran

[Eliot Ness]

I think both the 37 and 38-690's have their cabinet pros and cons and a lot of it boils down to personal taste. I think Ron had the perfect situation where having one of each he was able to pick a favorite, and I applaud his ability to do so, but I doubt I'd have the same will power as Ron when both were such nice examples. It'd be like asking a mother to pick just one of her twin babies to keep

[Joeztech]

Ron, I agree it is the right thing to do. Getting the power supply in best condition will help the radio last many more years. Both the 37 and 38 models look nice. I would not hesitate to restore one if one were available in this area. Due to space considerations though, I would be more inclined to look for a tombstone model or a slant-front table model.

Joe

[Ron Ramirez]

I received a note from Dave at JustRadios that the caps will ship today. So once they arrive, I can resume work by rebuilding the electrolytic cans, and then proceeding from there.

[Phlogiston]

I use the NP film caps rated to 630V to restuff cans up to 15uf and sometimes up to 22uf. That way no one will have to worry about failure, or polarity, anytime soon. Yah, they cost more, but if someone unplugs the FC speaker and turns the radio on, nothing pops.

[Ron Ramirez]

So, where do you get these, Russ? That would have been my preference, as long as they would fit in the old aluminum cans.

[Phlogiston]

AES

http://www.tubesandmore.com/products/cap...nd%3DSolen

[morzh]

Aren't they a tad expensive?