[hockingcountyhillbilly]

Can anyone enlighten me on how the tuning is supposed to operate? What appears to be some sort of friction wheel just slips without turning the tuning cap. The cap turns freely without effort, but the friction wheel ?? just slips. 

TYIA,

Steve

[Radioroslyn]

Got a pic of what you are describing?

[hockingcountyhillbilly]

Thanks for responding Terry, I'll take a pic tomorrow and post.

Steve

[hockingcountyhillbilly]

    Pics showing where the problem lies: When turning the tuning shaft the little wheel does not transmit motion to the bigger wheel.

[Radioroslyn]

Unfortunately I don't have any '38 Philcos with that tuning scheme around.
I would take a run over to the hardware store and check the O ring dept. Look for something that fit will over the large 1/2 moon section and that will fit between it the the small drive shaft and provide some friction.
Length isn't too important, it will need to be long enough to cover the 1/2 moon and a little more. You'll have to cut it and glue ends together, super glue should do the job or maybe you fit them into the 2nd crimp on the 1/2 moon.

Good Luck!

[hockingcountyhillbilly]

Thanks for the idea Terry, my tuner is now working! Now I have another question: can I, for checkout and alignment purposes, temporarily replace the shadow meter with a 1K resistor? I see that the 38-4 (without shadow meter used a 1K instead in the circuit). 

THIA, 

Steve

[Radioroslyn]

1000 ohms is fine.

[hockingcountyhillbilly]

I finally had time to get back on the radio to check voltages. It's amazing what happens when the RF tube has B+ voltage! This set sounds almost good enough to skip the alignment, but I think it will do much better yet if I twiddle the screws a bit. Thanks all for your help!


Steve

[Radioroslyn]

Well if you feel the urge to twiddle do use a generator and counter or digital rx check the calibration or the generator. If your going to twiddle twiddle smart.

[hockingcountyhillbilly]

Terry,
I do have a generator and an accurate counter, and an o-scope if needed. I haven't been to too many rodeo's, but this isn't my first. 
Thank you for your help!


Steve

[hockingcountyhillbilly]

Terry,
I was way out in left field on the tuning system, it turns out after watching a Utube vid of the 38-5 BOTH leaves of the tuning mechanism belong in the groove shown in my picture. I caught a quick glimpse if it in the vid, and thought to my self "you dummy!" Oh well, live and learn! Also I was unable to resist the urge to "twiddle", and after a full alignment the radio is HOT on both bands!
Thanks for your input,

Steve

[Radioroslyn]

I don't have a lot of '37 and later sets around unless there is something unusual about it. Not a big fan of the chassis in chassis sets or the '39-'42 rubber wire ones.
I did look around to see if I could find a pic of the 38-5 dial drive. But didn't see anything that was really up close.
Glad to hear you got the dial drive sorted properly and chassis all tuned up! Might try to give wtww a listen @ 5085kc around 8pm. just be careful they might melt your shadow meter... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WTWW