[Larry Morrow]

Folks, am new to the forum but am working on a 42-340, have stuffed the caps and its playing well, but am having a hard time on the dial string. Its a two string system that is seperated, there are two wheels (pulleys) on the tuner, the large outside one drives the tuner dial and the inside wheel is driven by tuning knob. with the tuner dial string disconnected its works great, but put the tuner dial string back on and it won't turn the tuner, it just slips and have treated it with some craft store mat placment glue, so it's a little sticky. Did the small pulley on the end of the dial string arragement have a plastic or bakelite bushing in it at one time.

Any ideas or suggestions will be appreicated.

Larry

[Glenn Roberts]

Hi Larry,
Welcome, funny you should post this yesterday. I completed the exact same model yesterday. The pulley on mine doesn't have a bushing of any kind. I did need to adjust the metal carrier for the indicator to get it to move freely. I can send you some pictures of the setup if you would like. I have a question for you, how loud does your radio play. I believe I have a problem because the volume is audible but doesn't seem loud enough.
Let me know if you need the pictures.
Glenn

[Larry Morrow]

Glenn:
Mine plays very loud, Had some problems with mine not playing loud enough and found I had a faulty rectifier tube. I could use the pictures of the dial string set up.

Larry

[Ron Ramirez]

Glenn

Please share the photos with all of us. This is information that could be helpful to a lot of people. Thanks!

[Glenn Roberts]

OK here's a few shots. Please note there are two cords on this, one on the smaller wheel with 2 springs and another on the larger wheel with it's own spring. I hope these help, if you'd like a different view just let me know. It will be out of the cabinet for a few days while I track down the volume issue. I posted them in flickr so you can enlarge them, if needed.

http://w.flickr.com/photos/56089156@N02/?saved=1.

Glenn

[Larry Morrow]

Thanks Glenn for the photos. I must have a spring tension issue, for the sting routing is the same as yours. Will post my results.

Larry

[Larry Morrow]

Glenn:
Now my set has lost volume as well. Have you determined what your volume problem is?

Larry

[Glenn Roberts]

Wow Larry that's odd, recheck all your connections. I found mine it was a blob of dust wedged in the speaker at the bottom once I cleared it all was good. check your speaker connections as well when mine was off I had no reception at all. Mine still "motorboats" a little but only around dusk, which is odd too.

Glenn

[Larry Morrow]

Glenn:
Will check the things you mentioned. Thanks
Larry

[Larry Morrow]

Shortened spring on one of the pullys and with Glenn's pictures corrected the string routing and the dial string works fine. For now the volume issue is working correctly, corrected some small wiring issues, will see if problem reappears.

Larry

[Glenn Roberts]

Way to go Larry! How does it sound? I'm very satisfied with the tone and volume on this set. Time to start the next one.

Have a great Thanksgiving!
Glenn

[Larry Morrow]

Glenn:
Don't have another Philco to start on but have two RCA's. After hearing the way this Philco sounds and going to be on a look out for another Philco. By the way since am giving the 42-340 as a gift, so I put a 1.6 amp slow blow fuse iLan for safety reasons. Has anyone else fused one of their's.

Larry

[Glenn Roberts]

Larry,
I'm having deva-vu when I read your posts regarding this radio, I got mine to rebuild for a gift as well. My MIL likes the console and listens to AM all day on little radios all over her house. I figured I'd give her one she can hear all over the house. This one is loud enough to do that . Surprisingly enough too, according to the rarity guide in Ron's book it's fairly rare too, who would've figured.
Anyway, to answer your question, I didn't put an in-line fuse but I did rebuild the bakelite with .01 safety condensers, and used a new cord with polarity plugs. I don't see anything wrong with using a fuse either. Better safe than sorry.

Glenn

[Larry Morrow]

Glenn:
Were your knobs in need of replacement? Mine are and am on the look out for a economically (cheap) priced set of replacement knobs, don't have to be the correct ones as long as they fit and look decent. Did you have to replace yours? If so where did you find replacments?

Larry

[Glenn Roberts]

Larry,
I had a complete set, but on the Radio Daze website they show a part number KN-PHIL42. These look to be identical to the original at $5. seems like a good deal to finish off the project. I'll post pictures later today of the finished radio.

Glenn