[rfeenstra]

Russ, did you just get it?  Post a picture.

[Phlogiston]

It is just a Phantom - 19 tubes no FM, but it has a nice cabinet. I will do some clean up today and evaluate the chrome. It does have all of the original knobs and a speaker. There is one shield with a cap missing but I have one.


   

[rfeenstra]

Another Scott saved! Now, back to work stripping the rest of the Philly chassis. Lots of rivets to drill.

[rfeenstra]

The chassis is ready for the plating shop.  I'll wait until the amplifier/PS comes back to be sure I like their work.  The first photo is of the assembly with all rivets and screws removed.  Then the entire assembly lifted out of the chassis.  The challenge will be to get it all re-installed without wiring errors.

               

[rfeenstra]

Well, bad news. I sent the amp/power supply chassis and the covers for the transformers to Badger Metal finishing in Milwaukee to be rechromed. When I didn't hear from them in in the projected time, I started calling and emailing with no response. A google search gives evidence that they are out of business - probably shut down by the EPA. They have my parts a nice chunk of my change! This is not good as I will have to try and locate another amp chassis for a late Philharmonic. Could be tough. This calls for many four letter words!

[Eliot Ness]

That's just awful news!  Hopefully after the chaos of their (possibly) untimely closing settles down someone in the company will attempt to contact customers who had their projects in house when the doors closed.

The only thing I can suggest is if you get the chassis back or find replacements is Advanced Plating in Tennessee.  They have been a large presence in plating for car restorations for years.  They aren't cheap, but they are good.  I've seen their work on display for years at car shows and it looks wonderful and while I've never had them plate anything, I did have a piece for my car powder coated and they did a very good job.

[Ron Ramirez]

So sorry to hear this Rob. As John said, I do hope you can get the originals back.

John Goller told me about Advanced Plating a few years ago when I acquired my McMurdo Silver MP VI. He highly recommends them. I have yet to use their services, though. The power supply chassis of my MP VI needs to be rechromed. Eventually...maybe...

[Phlogiston]

Boy, does that sound familiar. At least I got the strat chassis back - after a year. I have had more bad experiences with platers than good ones. Lots of parts damaged or destroyed.

My philosophy now is to choose reputation over location (shipping) or even cost.

Good Luck

[mikethedruid]

Perhaps the lesson here is to accept the patina that comes with age. Clean the parts involved, but leave the patina, and concentrate on the electronic rejuvenation. Get them back to working as well as they did the day they left the factory, but leave the look of age which they proudly wear. Only make those cosmetic changes needed to make them presentable, but don't try to make them look new again. Most people who see an obviously well aged item which operates as well as the day it was made are more impressed than they would be with the same performance from a shiny, new looking object. I have many examples of that, my Edison Opera model cylinder phonograph, my floor model Victrola, and many of my radios.

[Phlogiston]

Sure, let it rust - sorry, build patina.

After all, it is cheaper and easier.

Most people see a rusty chassis as less (adverb here - valuable, desirable - so on) than a chassis with the chrome intact, which is why people always talk about it.

If a chassis has rust on it, it IS STILL rusting.

The polish the rust approach is less of a concern with common radios or those that can never be valuable enough to justify such an investment. We are not talking about one of those radios.

Believe me, it will only take a year or two to get fresh dirt on it - patina.

[rfeenstra]

This shop came with high recommendation. I was told they even did plating for Harley Davidson. Yet, the EPA probably has its sights on most small to medium shops. As said, all I can hope for is that once the dust settles, customers will get parts back, but probably not the investment.

[Eliot Ness]

Russ, every member has a right to their opinions so I don't think you need to be so condescending in your remarks.

[Phlogiston]

Not condescending, factual.

The way I see it Rfeenstra has put a lot of time and money into this project. Telling him, and us, that the lesson is - that maybe it would have been best to not bother? Sorry, can't agree with that.

[Ron Ramirez]

Interesting that Badger Metal's website is still up. I know, that means nothing - after all, antiqueradioknobs.com is still up and the owner (Larry Bordonaro) has been dead for several years now.

[Phlogiston]

The last one that I used was Advanced Plating - not an endorsement but they did a good job on the last chassis in reasonable time and at reasonable(?) cost. They are in Nashville. 800-588-6686.

Radios don't seem to be a problem for them, but, if you know that you have a zinc or aluminum part it is better to work that out in advance rather than trusting that they will take special precautions on their own. One plater did the cans just fine but burned off the little 1/4' studs that hold them on (brass).