[docace2000]

Hello ALL, I'm VERY new to this forum as well as VERY new to working with the old "Vintage" tube style radios.  I do have a H.S. electronics education so I do know my way around a soldering iron.  I have some separate issues to deal with on this project: The cabinet is in all one piece but the wood finish veneer is SHOT and will need to be COMPLETELY refinished as well as the fabric screening.

AND the radio does attempt to turn on but nothing more than a hum is coming out of the unit.  All but 1 of the 4 (!) of the speakers is completely gone and the one still "standing" is mostly disintegrated but  there is still enough of the paper is there to make the humming sound.

So my questions are this:  I would like to have a Tube Tester of my own to have around to check the tube as needed.  What is the bare minimum type I will need to check all the 11 tubes on this unit?  I went on e-bay today and I'm completely lost as to what kind of tube tester I will need.  If I find I really like this hobby, I may find in the future that I would to do more projects (even more challenging) than the 116X I have now.  Any advice you can give in this area would be MOST helpful. ( I DON'T have a problem buying a decent Tube Tester in the $100 to $200 as long as it's working now )

Question 2: Where can I find replacement fabric screening for the radio and a replacement "Philco Radio" wet decal that was near the radio dial at the top of the unit?

Question 3: are there any books that you might recommend for me to help me get up to speed with working with tube radios in general?

I still have the radio in the trunk at the moment but I will be posting pics as I go with the project.

ANY input or help will be kindly appreciated from all that I'll be encountering along the way as this project moves forward! 

Thank you all for anything you can do for me!