05-24-2012, 12:33 AM
I've only taken one console cabinet apart to this extent, and it was similar but by no means the same as this Zenith. The only reason that I did was because it had been stored in a rather humid basement and most of the joints were very loose and needed regluing alond with some of the veneer which was near impossible to work on while the cabinet was together. Even so I was extremely careful in taking the cabinet apart and it was not easy to do even though have have dismatled earlier floor model cabinets and other furniture before. Pretty well what I had to do was search for every screw, nail, and other fastener and remove them, then I had to gingerly tap and or wedge things apart with a thin bladed putty knife.
It was a Canadian General Electric JK76, and while I managed to get it apart with minimal damage I still haven't finished the project. I would not recommend taking a cabinet apart unless you have a very good reason to do it like extensive moisture or physical damage. In fact I walked away from a 1941 era Canadian Westinghouse set listed on Craigslist because it would have required something similar and the seller was very unrealistic about the asking price.
She figured that she already had that factored in when she set the asking price of $120 dollars just because she foolishly paid $200 for it 20 years ago, had it in her rec room, and then had it stored in a shed to deteriorate for 10 years. 20 years ago it likely still worked and did not have mouse droppings in the back, to me it wasn't worth $50. As I keep explaining to people new to this hobby, it's not just how much a radio costs to buy it's how much it costs to restore it, this Westinghouse would have needed at least $200 worth of work to put it right and it wouldn't have been worth $225 once it was done.
Regards
Arran
It was a Canadian General Electric JK76, and while I managed to get it apart with minimal damage I still haven't finished the project. I would not recommend taking a cabinet apart unless you have a very good reason to do it like extensive moisture or physical damage. In fact I walked away from a 1941 era Canadian Westinghouse set listed on Craigslist because it would have required something similar and the seller was very unrealistic about the asking price.
She figured that she already had that factored in when she set the asking price of $120 dollars just because she foolishly paid $200 for it 20 years ago, had it in her rec room, and then had it stored in a shed to deteriorate for 10 years. 20 years ago it likely still worked and did not have mouse droppings in the back, to me it wasn't worth $50. As I keep explaining to people new to this hobby, it's not just how much a radio costs to buy it's how much it costs to restore it, this Westinghouse would have needed at least $200 worth of work to put it right and it wouldn't have been worth $225 once it was done.
Regards
Arran