02-10-2025, 08:13 PM
Today I decided to take on gutting the big bad cap block.
I gave up on the same one from the 86 before, so I was not sure: the score was 1:1 when I successfully gutted the one from 111 but failed with the one from the 86.
So first I put it on two wood blocks, covered the table with aluminum foil and blasted the can from two heatguns set on Hi.
After 10 minutes I saw no movement induced by gravity. Later I undersrtood why.
Then I took that huge screw I bought over 10 years ago for this exact purpose, and tried to pull the guts with the bolt held with vice.
Nope.
Evebtually I realized I would have to pick at it with screwdriver.
I covered the table with saran wrap, and, using a very large (old, probably 70 years old), square cross-sectioned flat screwdriver, took away the tar from the top.
Then something dawned upon me.
I pushed the screwdriver between two sections (not the largest), and tried to push one out, using the other caps as fulcrum. When the screwdriver slid, I simply did the same, but this time, after sliding it in, I rotated it 90 degrees so its corner cut into the section being pushed out.
And it came out without much struggle!
Within 3-4 minutes (including some cleaning the screwdriver and the can from the debris) I pushed out most sections. The two largest ones persisted a bit, but not for long.
And I did not even dirtied my habds much!
Eventually, after having used heatgun to loosen the paper that was stuck to the can, and cleaned with mineral spirits, this is how it looks now.
Tomorrow hopefully I will replace it (there is no need in paper lining) and attempt alignment.
And, after I am done with this radio, I might, using the experience, take on that 86 can that has been sitting on a shelf for a few years now.
I gave up on the same one from the 86 before, so I was not sure: the score was 1:1 when I successfully gutted the one from 111 but failed with the one from the 86.
So first I put it on two wood blocks, covered the table with aluminum foil and blasted the can from two heatguns set on Hi.
After 10 minutes I saw no movement induced by gravity. Later I undersrtood why.
Then I took that huge screw I bought over 10 years ago for this exact purpose, and tried to pull the guts with the bolt held with vice.
Nope.
Evebtually I realized I would have to pick at it with screwdriver.
I covered the table with saran wrap, and, using a very large (old, probably 70 years old), square cross-sectioned flat screwdriver, took away the tar from the top.
Then something dawned upon me.
I pushed the screwdriver between two sections (not the largest), and tried to push one out, using the other caps as fulcrum. When the screwdriver slid, I simply did the same, but this time, after sliding it in, I rotated it 90 degrees so its corner cut into the section being pushed out.
And it came out without much struggle!
Within 3-4 minutes (including some cleaning the screwdriver and the can from the debris) I pushed out most sections. The two largest ones persisted a bit, but not for long.
And I did not even dirtied my habds much!
Eventually, after having used heatgun to loosen the paper that was stuck to the can, and cleaned with mineral spirits, this is how it looks now.
Tomorrow hopefully I will replace it (there is no need in paper lining) and attempt alignment.
And, after I am done with this radio, I might, using the experience, take on that 86 can that has been sitting on a shelf for a few years now.
People who do not drink, do not smoke, do not eat red meat will one day feel really stupid lying there and dying from nothing.
![[-]](https://philcoradio.com/phorum/images/bootbb/collapse.png "[-]")
