[radeonut]

I wonder if anyone has experience in repairing the knobs in the photo. I've seen this knob on a great number of models so I am deciding whether to repair or find used or reproduction. This radio looks to be the Canadian version of the USA wooden TP-12.

[Old Tube]

Can't tell for sure if the holes in the knobs go through to the other side or not. In any event you should be able to fill it with car bondo and then sand your way to a better look. I do not think this will be hard to do as the basic structure of the knob is intact.

Good Luck,
Don

[radeonut]

Can't tell for sure if the holes in the knobs go through to the other side or not.  In any event you should be able to fill it with car bondo and then sand your way to a better look.  I do not think this will be hard to do as the basic structure of the knob is intact.

Good Luck,
Don

Thanks Don. No the holes don't go through. I was thinking of trying to fill it with something but I've never worked with plastic. The Bondo sounds like a plan.

[OldRestorer]

Those are really icky looking,

Fill em like he said. Then you can repaint or clean them as best you can...

That sure is a weird place for damage though...

[klondike98]

looks like someone put their cigarette out on then end of the knob....

[Ron Ramirez]

Looks to me like they might be made of Tenite, and the resulting shrinkage/damage has manifested itself on the ends of the knobs only. Since this is a Canadian Philco, perhaps they used Tenite for those knobs unlike the USA versions which are Bakelite?

I would clean first, then fill, then paint.

[radeonut]

I've never heard of Tenite before because thankfully I haven't had to fix plastic in the past. I usually stick to wood cabinet radios. After researching about Tenite it sounds like the same stuff used for those pesky warping dial knobs on the Mitchell Lullaby radios which I've worked on before. I'll take up the challenge and post the hopefully good results. Thanks all for the help

[Ron Ramirez]

Your other option is to seek and purchase Bakelite knobs from one of the people who sell knobs, such as Mike Koste, Julie McCall, Kelton Trammell, David Frush, Wilbur Gilroy, Mark Oppat, or others.

http://philcoradio.com/phorum/showthread.php?tid=14950
(scroll down to Philco Knobs & Pushbuttons (original) for names and contact info)

[gregb]

I have seen this type of knob many times and all have been bakelite and I have never seen damage like that either. Seems a little strange to me, someone must have done something to them at one time to cause that. The only Canadian radio I know of that used Tenite for knobs was Rogers.

Gregb

[Ron Ramirez]

well...not being able to actually inspect the knobs myself, I can only go by the photos, which seem to indicate damage caused by shrinking Tenite. Of course the knobs may be Bakelite and somehow were damaged by heat...or something...at some time in the past.

[radeonut]

These don't appear to be bakelite as there is also some warping of the plastic on the underside of the knob. If I don't like the result of my repair, I'll try out those knob suppliers you gave in your post above.

[gregb]

I am not saying they are not Tenite, they very well could be. I have just never seen Tenite on anything other than Rogers radios in Canada.
Gregb

[Arran]

They could be molded out of some Urea based plastic, like Plascon, I don't think I've seen ivory Tenite knobs on a Canadian built Philco before, most seem to be brown or caramel coloured. To me the marks on those knobs look like burn marks, like someone burned them with a cigarette, Tenite usually warps, shrinks, and or cracks.
Regards
Arran

[radeonut]

So I tried to repair these knobs but the farther I went, the more the knobs crumbled. Finally got around to completing the restoration with NOS knobs from one of our well-known suppliers.

[klondike98]

Very nice!