03-27-2008, 05:34 PM
Hello,
I'm restoring my first radio, a philco 112 lowboy.
The radio was found on craigslist for $50. To my untrained eye it looks mostly unmolested.
[Image: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2283/2359...52.jpg?v=0]
I have done a bit of work on the cabinet and it now looks like this:
[Image: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3284/2366...c5.jpg?v=0]
Click for larger image
Next up is a new coat of lacquer.
I am now trying to wrap my head around tube electronics The top of the chassis looks like this:
[Image: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2274/2359...97.jpg?v=0]
Click for larger image
And the bottom like this:
[Image: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3157/2359...0a.jpg?v=0]
Click for larger image
As far as I can tell everything is original. I have avoided the urge to plug it in and have now removed enough components from it that doing so wouldn't get me anywhere anyway.
I've ordered a bunch of capacitors and resistors from JustRadios which will hopefully show up soon so I can move on with the soldering.
This model has a large very annoying 'condenser block' thing which seems to contain all the larger capacitors.
[Image: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3295/2365...90.jpg?v=0]
Click for larger image
I wasn't able to get the innards out using a heat gun, so I moved up to heating the sides with a propane blow torch. That worked quite well and now i have the case free:
[Image: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3064/2365...36.jpg?v=0]
Click for larger image
The heat did beat up the paint a little, so I plan to respray it.
In case anyone has ever wondered, the innards look like this:
[Image: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3184/2365...40.jpg?v=0]
Click for larger image
and one of the capacitors unrolled like this:
[Image: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2375/2365...71.jpg?v=0]
Click for larger image
Am I correct in thinking that none of these capacitors are electrolytics? They all seem to be paper.
I am replacing them all with film capacitors.
There is one coil which looks different from the others:
[Image: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3233/2366...51.jpg?v=0]
Click for larger image
That is the best picture I could get of it. I understand these can corrode? is that what the little dots are? I haven't tested any of them for openness yet.
Anyhow I hope all my rambling is interesting to someone out there...
I'm restoring my first radio, a philco 112 lowboy.
The radio was found on craigslist for $50. To my untrained eye it looks mostly unmolested.
[Image: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2283/2359...52.jpg?v=0]
I have done a bit of work on the cabinet and it now looks like this:
[Image: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3284/2366...c5.jpg?v=0]
Click for larger image
Next up is a new coat of lacquer.
I am now trying to wrap my head around tube electronics The top of the chassis looks like this:
[Image: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2274/2359...97.jpg?v=0]
Click for larger image
And the bottom like this:
[Image: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3157/2359...0a.jpg?v=0]
Click for larger image
As far as I can tell everything is original. I have avoided the urge to plug it in and have now removed enough components from it that doing so wouldn't get me anywhere anyway.
I've ordered a bunch of capacitors and resistors from JustRadios which will hopefully show up soon so I can move on with the soldering.
This model has a large very annoying 'condenser block' thing which seems to contain all the larger capacitors.
[Image: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3295/2365...90.jpg?v=0]
Click for larger image
I wasn't able to get the innards out using a heat gun, so I moved up to heating the sides with a propane blow torch. That worked quite well and now i have the case free:
[Image: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3064/2365...36.jpg?v=0]
Click for larger image
The heat did beat up the paint a little, so I plan to respray it.
In case anyone has ever wondered, the innards look like this:
[Image: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3184/2365...40.jpg?v=0]
Click for larger image
and one of the capacitors unrolled like this:
[Image: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2375/2365...71.jpg?v=0]
Click for larger image
Am I correct in thinking that none of these capacitors are electrolytics? They all seem to be paper.
I am replacing them all with film capacitors.
There is one coil which looks different from the others:
[Image: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3233/2366...51.jpg?v=0]
Click for larger image
That is the best picture I could get of it. I understand these can corrode? is that what the little dots are? I haven't tested any of them for openness yet.
Anyhow I hope all my rambling is interesting to someone out there...