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Nathan's 112 Highboy
#1

Today I'm excited to kick off the restoration of my 1931 Philco 112 Highboy!

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4466/3754...45ec_z.jpg] [Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4447/3691...5c91_z.jpg]

This was the first time I bought anything from willeezwarez on eBay.
Willee ships via Greyhound which keeps shipping costs down (he also eats some of the shipping cost as a way to entice bidding).
He does an *awesome* job packing these big consoles. Here's how it arrived:

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4387/3721...64ea_z.jpg] [Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4348/3654...3201_z.jpg]

Now Greyhound shipping takes a long time. Seriously. I bought this on July 22. I brought it home from the Greyhound terminal on September 20.
Tracking was really spotty - it basically just looked like it sat in Chicago for the better part of 2 months - and still showed as in Chicago after it arrived.  Icon_rolleyes

The important thing is that it arrived safe and sound. Icon_thumbup
#2

Here's what I've found so far in my initial inspection this morning:

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4714/3924...8237_n.jpg]

This is the 'late version' with dual 47 output tubes (above serial #174001).
Ron's annotated schematic is here.

Speaker

Measures good. No tears. Icon_thumbup
  • Field coil: 3.1K
  • Output transformer: 376.8 / 417.3 ohms

According to Ron's speakers.xlsx spec sheet this is a type H-4 speaker (3200 ohm field coil), 2635 output transformer (800 ohm primary).

Chassis - Top

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4754/2817...b7de_z.jpg]
  • 'Push-pull Input Transformer’ (#45, Part No. 5662) appears to be a contemporary replacement
  • Original 6uF electrolytics (#65, #68) have been removed (later Philco branded replacements are under the chassis).
  • Volume control potentiometer is a replacement
  • Dial cord broken

Even though the dial cord is broken I was fortunate in that the original cord and springs are present. I measured the original cord to be 0.065" diameter.
[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4611/3995...3eb5_z.jpg]

Even better I happened to have two 6uF mershon caps in my parts box:
[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4604/3905...1e45_z.jpg]

Chassis - Bottom

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4760/3924...86b2_z.jpg]
  • Some mousy bits
  • Two tacked on paper caps
  • #51, 15K resistor previously replaced with wire wound
  • Wire hanging from Part #2 first RF coil. Primary measures open.  Icon_problem
  • #66 filter choke open (Part No. 5643)
  • #6 capacitor block is 3615W - should be 3615J. Evidence of hackery as middle pin connections are there but floating.
  • #19 is 3615L - should be 3615J. Middle pin connections floating.
  • One scary floating wire coming off of the filter block.

Despite the mouse detritus there's not much evidence of destruction. Just one chewed wire that I could find:
[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4769/3905...ba5d_z.jpg]

The original #51 (15K resistor) likely suffered from the problem of being under-rated (described by Ron in this previous thread).

The open filter choke is a slight bummer but shouldn't be that bad to replace. According to the 1936 Philco Quality Radio Parts Catalog the specs are: 4H, 130ma (150ohm DC Resistance). Hopefully I have something on a parts chassis that will be a good replacement.

All resistors except #35 and #10 (both 99K, 1/2W) measure within spec. As usual it's these 'standard type' resistor that have the most problems. This chassis mostly has the 'metallized type' (metal end caps) which have been noted to be more reliable.

I found a 3615J block in my parts pile. I may have another one someplace - or I can use a different block with a similar physical configuration.
[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4629/3995...5583_z.jpg]
#3

Not too bad.

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.
#4

OK - time for a progress report!

Filter Caps

My first step was to replace the replacement filter caps:

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4660/2508...de81_z.jpg]

Lately I've switched to using large value film caps rather than modern electrolytics based on the advice I've read here. These are 400V rated caps (I bought these by mistake). I expect that's still OK for this radio since the original caps (not the replacements) were rated 400V (Part No. 4916). But next time I will buy 630V caps to be on the safe side for other models.

Anyway, here they are installed:

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4765/2817...4105_z.jpg]

I used a 4-position terminal board to mount them.

Filter Choke

Next up that open filter choke.

   

The original is Part No. 5643. So 4H, 130ma, 150ohm.

I have a model 90 parts chassis which uses the identically spec'd Part No. 4819. Unfortunately the filter choke had already been stripped.

Next best option: model 18 parts chassis. It uses a 32-7115 filter choke. It's pretty close - rated 5.25H, 125ma, 170ohm - hopefully close enough?
Anyway, I went with that. Physically the model 18 filter choke is very close to the original on the 112:

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4623/3995...c4d0_z.jpg]

And installed:

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4663/3905...fd51_z.jpg]

It's too cold to paint it right now - pretty will have to wait.

1st RF Coil

During my initial inspection I noticed a wire hanging from Part #2 first RF coil (the 10K resistor in parallel with the primary is already removed in the below pic).

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4747/2608...13f0_z.jpg]

That there's your problem:  Icon_lol

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4612/3992...24c8_z.jpg]

There was just barely enough bit of the lead remaining to solder to. Full disclosure: in a stroke of brilliance I forgot to unsolder the other side of the primary coil before pulling it from the main form.  Icon_redface
So both sides of the primary needed to be repaired. D'oh.

I drilled two 1/16" holes in the cardboard mounting piece to provide some physical stability for the new leads:
[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4720/2817...bbc4_z.jpg]

Installed back in the main coil form:
[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4615/2817...19ec_z.jpg] [Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4697/2608...949d_z.jpg]

All back together - and it no longer measures open!

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4752/3995...8b6e_z.jpg]

Test

I replaced the mouse-chewed wire, installed a set of tested tubes and connected everything up for a first test on the variac...

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4769/2817...2d06_z.jpg]

And at around 90VAC... it lives!  oh_yeah

Still lots more to do but an auspicious start.
#5

One of my favorite designs, good luck with your resto!

Gregb
#6

Good catch on the coil and broken wire. Looks like your down to a recap of the rest of the chassis. I like the cabinet style also..
#7

Thanks guys!

Yup - I'll tackle the filter can next.

I'll need to figure out how that dial cord is supposed to go too. Anyone happen to have a picture of that for a 111 / 112?
#8

Tonight I recapped the filter can. First step was just to desolder the wires and carefully label everything (the schematic shows the terminals from the bottom of the chassis - makes sense).
[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4625/3909...a933_z.jpg]

I used a soldering tool to break the internal wires connecting to the terminals. The top of the can then pops right off:
[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4762/3996...10f1_z.jpg]

I then used a heat gun to warm the sides of the can.
[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4619/2612...0f24_z.jpg]

Usually it's just a matter of softening the tar connecting the block to the can a bit.

This can was easier than some others that I've done - the block slid right out:
[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4652/3928...1ab6_z.jpg]

The can had a small amount of rust so I decided to throw it into an Evaporust bath overnight. Evaporust works best at warm temperatures. Since my workshop is the garage and it's ~40F out I brought the container into the house and placed it next to the heat vent.
[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4709/2612...00e8_z.jpg]
[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4715/2512...94de_z.jpg]

Now to replace those caps. The new caps sure are a lot smaller.
[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4604/3909...5f2c_z.jpg]
[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4764/3928...4eb1_z.jpg]

And soldered back into place (just held in place with tape at the moment since the top of the can is soaking).
[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4768/2512...5a3b_z.jpg]

I then checked that the 112 was still operational. It was.  Icon_thumbup
#9

Next up - a couple of the hacked up bakelite blocks.

#9 capacitor block is a 3615L (middle of below pic) - should be 3615D. The taped together connection with the 70K resistor original went to the middle terminal of that block.

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4722/3924...b0c8_z.jpg]

I had a 3615N block in my parts bin that I turned into 3615D just by rotating one of the terminals.  Icon_lol
Philco probably could've saved some more pennies by not making so many different (but similar) blocks!

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4744/2612...3d83_z.jpg]

#6 capacitor block is 3615W (lower left of below pic - with Zenith cap) - should be 3615J. Evidence of hackery as middle pin connections are there but floating.

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4722/3924...b0c8_z.jpg]

This was a seemingly easy fix as I found a 3615J in my parts box. I restuffed it and installed it:
[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4622/3909...9831_z.jpg]

Done right? Well...I put the set back on the test bench and it was pretty clear that I broke it.  Icon_problem
It turned out that I didn't pay close enough attention to that Zenith paper cap that I removed. When looking at layers of past repairs it's hard to guess exactly what's going on without tracing everything out - which is what I did next (should've done that to begin with). That Zenith cap was in fact a stand-in for 1/2 of #25 - a dual 0.25uF cap in a metal can. I didn't notice during my initial look through but one of the leads of #25 was clipped off:

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4602/2512...f1c4_z.jpg]
That lead originally went to the middle terminal of #6.

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4748/2512...fe6b_z.jpg]

I restuffed #25 and put it back on the test bench.

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4763/3996...311a_z.jpg]

The 112 came back to life.  Icon_clap
#10

I meant to mention at the top - here are some previous 111 / 112 restoration threads that have been a great resource so far:

morzh's 111 thread: http://philcoradio.com/phorum/showthread.php?tid=9096
audin's 112 thread: http://philcoradio.com/phorum/showthread.php?tid=1040
FStephenMasek's 112 thread: http://philcoradio.com/phorum/showthread.php?tid=16774
#11

I'm not sure if this applies to your radio, but here is the dial string schematic I made from my Model 95.


Attached Files Image(s)
   
#12

Thanks very much Kestas! I'll see if it's a match tonight.
#13

Nathan,,,,are these units ( 112) ,,,Good or Great players,,,and sensitive or not,,,there is one in Jersey shore for $200.00 ,,is that a Good Price,,,Thak You for your tome ,,Ken
#14

Hi Kenneth!

Heh - 'tome'. It is getting to be that.  Icon_lol

Mine is still in process so I'll defer to the man himself (Ron) and his comments on the 112 (and electronically similar 111):

http://philcoradio.com/phorum/showthread...0#pid62940

Ron Ramirez Wrote:Five words - You're going to love it.

In my opinion...the 111 and 112, along with the 1932 model 15 (which is essentially the same radio only with 6.3 volt tubes) are the very best AM-only radios Philco ever built. RF stage, two IF stages, and a "normal-maximum" switch for sensitivity. They are amazing performers. Actually, I think the 111 and 112 are both better than the 15. Again...my opinion. Anyway, there is a lot to like about these sets. Great performers.

The only drawback: They only tune as high as 1520 kc, and as low as 550, so you lose part of the modern AM band on both ends (mainly the high end). But as long as you don't have any AM stations you want to listen to at 540 kc or above 1520 or so, yep...you're going to love it.

Sounds like a good performing set.  Icon_thumbup

As for the price - from what I gather $200 is kind of steep outside of the West coast:
- http://philcoradio.com/phorum/showthread.php?tid=17825
- http://philcoradio.com/phorum/showthread.php?tid=17756

$200+ would be about going rate here on the West coast - although I've seen only one over the past several years (and it was poorly refinished). That's why I bought one from Willee - I'd been searching for a while for this model (one of my favorite Philco consoles) and he had one with a cabinet in great shape. I'm still happy with what I paid even though it was quite a bit more than $200 with shipping.
#15

Progress report!

Filter Can

After leaving the filter can in Evaporust overnight I retrieved it and rinsed it off:

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4663/3999...c261_z.jpg] [Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4745/2615...53c4_z.jpg]

It wasn't real rusty to begin with but the rust it had is gone. I mounted it back on the chassis.

Tone Control
Standard deal here.

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4756/3931...1e6c_z.jpg] [Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4609/3912...1ed9_z.jpg]

I removed the tar block and used a terminal to connect the replacement caps. I like this method because it's easy to work with and doesn't require any permanent modifications to mount.

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4604/3931...91f8_z.jpg]

Other Stuff
Around the same time I rebuilt the other metal can capacitors.




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