[Ron Ramirez]

Seeing Mike the Druid working on his RCA T8-18 made me want to get started on my T8-14. Only thing was, I wasn't quite finished with my Hammarlund HQ-129-X at the time. That project now having been completed, it is time to dive into my other Radiofest 2019 acquisition - my T8-14.

   
As it looked when I brought it home from Radiofest (with a side trip to Clear Lake, Iowa).

   
Partial rear view of the set. Notice the Rating B on the rubber stamped rectangle on the back of the chassis. Also notice the oversized power transformer. More about that later.It has a tag attached to the speaker wiring...

   
Good to know it was OK for shipment from the RCA factory to the RCA dealer...and then from the dealer to the original owner...and from there to knows how many subsequent owners...and, ultimately, to me.

   
A look at the tag inside the cabinet showing the tube layout. While Mike's T8-18 has a tuning eye, my T8-14 has a separate oscillator tube. The entire front end of the T8-14 is laid out sort of like a junior version of a "Magic Brain" chassis. In addition to this, the ratings are explained. Rating "B" indicates it was built to operate on 25 to 60 cycle AC. This is why the transformer seems oversized - it is a 25 cycle transformer.

more...

[Ron Ramirez]

Let's unplug the speaker, pull the chassis, and take a good look at this thing.

   
Front view. You can see that dial scale will require replacement.

   
Top view of chassis.

   
Underside of chassis.

   
Isn't that a lovely AC cord splice? NOT.

I did this last weekend. Thursday was another chemo session, so no more work will be done to it for at least a week. For now, however, click the link below to see the schematic of this radio (WARNING: 22.3 MB):
https://philcoradio.com/images/phorum/T8...ematic.jpg

Also an under-chassis view may be viewed by clicking the link below (WARNING: 16.1 MB):
https://philcoradio.com/images/phorum/T8...hassis.jpg

[rfeenstra]

Why couldn't philco have printed wiring diagrams like that!

[Ron Ramirez]

Yeah, it makes me wonder sometimes if I should have listened to Doug Houston years ago and switched my allegiance to RCA. But Doug liked his Philcos, too.

Be aware though, Rob, that RCA began cutting back on their documentation around 1938-39 or so.

I'm finding lately that I really enjoy working on a good RCA radio, which (so far, knocking wood) usually results in a great payoff in terms of a great playing radio.

The score so far:
T7-5 - Very good, very pleasing performer.
6T2 - Meh, but I do need to go back in and lubricate the tuning shaft assembly (it currently has too much backlash on top of being tight/difficult to turn) and possibly retouch the alignment once I get a better signal generator.
C15-3 - Amazing. Simply amazing. A truly great (and underrated) radio. Rob, this one replaced the Scott Philharmonic in my home office. No Hi-Fi reception but is amazing in every other way.
T8-14 - We shall see, but this one has great potential.

[mikethedruid]

Wow, Ron, what a nice radio! How is your speaker? I hope in better condition than mine. My cone has been repaired years ago, already hads some little cracks when I got the radio, which I repaired, and then proceeded to self destruct while I was aligning the IF. I have new cones on order, 2 different kinds, hopefully one will work. One will arrive next week, it's already in Knoxville, the other is coming from China. I hope the one that will arrive next week will work well, otherwise I'll have an even longer delay. My chassis work is done. The radio seems to be working quite well on all three bands. The cabinet is mostly finished too. Looks a LOT better than when it arrived. Tung oil is a great finish to use if you want to recoat an old radio with something better than poly. It actually makes my set look like it still has the original finish, just in excellent condition. I am waiting on the decals to put on the last coats of tung oil after I put them on. I am also waiting on the new dial. when I get it the chassis work will be done. I really look forward to following your progress on this radio. Except for the tuning eye, since yours uses a separate tube for the oscillator, your set is better than mine. They are both really communications receivers in civilian clothes. It should be a great performer.

[rfeenstra]

Hmmm. Maybe I need to keep my eyes open for a C15-3. Judging from what I've seen on a Google search, it seems like a desirable addition to my eclectic collection! My "collection" has no focus or direction. Just a bunch of old radios. One more wouldn't hurt.

[OldRestorer]

That dial is scary!
Luckily I am 95% sure the writing is printed so you can wipe it down without pulling off the writing.
Plus Radiodaze sells them..

[Ron Ramirez]

Mike (Druid) - I have not yet pulled the T8-14's speaker. It's safer in the cabinet right now. Later on, when I'm feeling better, I'll pull and inspect it. If needed, it will go to Rich Stamer at Sound Remedy in NJ, who also reconed my T7-5 speaker and did an excellent job.

My cabinet will obviously need to be refinished, and has some veneer loose on the left and right bottom edges (one small piece is missing on one side, also). I prefer lacquer. It's what the factory used, and I've learned how and when to apply decals so the lines do not show when the job is complete.

They are both really communications receivers in civilian clothes. It should be a great performer.

Agreed, and thank you. As I said, I think this T8-14's front end is sort of a junior version of a 1936 Magic Brain set.

[Ron Ramirez]

Hmmm. Maybe I need to keep my eyes open for a C15-3.

While a C15-3 would be an excellent radio to look out for and (arguably) a better looking set to boot, I think if you want an excellent example of a high tube count RCA then you should hold out for the following year's (1937) version, the 15K. The 15K has a much plainer cabinet than does the C15-3 but it also has two features which the C15-3 does not - high fidelity reception and push-pull 6L6 outputs. The C15-3 (1936) does not offer high fidelity reception and its push-pull outputs are 6F6 tubes, but it is still a great radio in its own right. Plus, I think the cabinet of the C15-3 looks better..."classier"...than the 15K.

[Ron Ramirez]

That dial is scary!
Luckily I am 95% sure the writing is printed so you can wipe it down without pulling off the writing.
Plus Radiodaze sells them...

Kirk, I think the dial scale on this set is a lost cause and I do plan to purchase a Radio Daze replacement.

[mikethedruid]

Ron, I already wrote this in the Radio Daze thread, but in case you missed it Radio Daze does seem to carry a dial for the T8-14. Here's the link: 
http://www.radiodaze.com/rca-t8-14-t9-10-11328/
Hope this helps.

[Ron Ramirez]

Mike

Oh I saw it alright (no I did not miss it), but after Russ' experience and their obvious issues with their graphics department, it makes me wonder if any of the graphics they (supposedly) have on hand are actually still available?

I guess the only way to find out is to order it and see what happens.

[Ron Ramirez]

I found the answer to my T8-14 dial scale problem.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/233275686721

This person is selling remaining stock of old dial scales which were printed (silk screened) by the late Clinton Blais. They are not cut or drilled - you have to do that, which is probably why they are selling for about half the cost of Radio Daze's dial scales. So I took a chance at that price and bought two for slightly more than the cost of one RD dial. If I mess one up, I'll have another. If I don't mess one up (and I hope I don't), I'll have another available to someone who may need it.

[Jake Blake]

I saved that seller. . . . never know when he may have a Philco dial I'll need.

[mikethedruid]

Thanks for the tip, Ron. I ordered a dial for my T8-18. I already have one on order from Radio Daze, but who knows when that will arrive. They mailed my decals today, so they should be here within a week. No word on the dial though.