[pdieten]

Bragging about my latest find. I've been wanting one of these four-column jobs. Didn't expect that what landed in the house would be a 91X, but it turned up eight miles away on FBMP and now it's mine. 

Code 225 seems to be missing from the library, unless I just missed it. If anyone sees data for it, let me know. I know it's at least the second one on this Phorum. I can tell you it's a single-band, dual-speaker model. I'm told it plays when plugged in, though I find that neither the power switch (NFG) nor tuning knobs (missing dial string) work. Had to take it apart in the garage to get it downstairs. 

Good enough cabinet condition to not have to strip and refinish. It would have to be, this looks really hard to refinish...

   
   
   

[klondike98]

Nice looking! This annotated schematic from our library shows parts that are slightly different in the early and later models.
https://philcoradio.com/library/index.ph...chematics/

[GarySP]

Nice grab! It appears to be a 19X cabinet. This wasn't unusual. Philco often retrofitted to other cabinets as inventory dictated. Take care, - Gary

[pdieten]

Thanks all. To be honest I don’t know what to make of it being in this cabinet style but I like it a lot. I specifically wanted one of the four-column cabinets.

As for code 225, I have the chassis on the bench and have found this is a single band set with the 4-point tone control. So I’ve had to use the code 121 documentation on the RF part, and the code 126 documentation for the audio section. Very confusing at first but it’s working out fine. Other good news is that I was able to repair the power switch (someone had taken it apart and reassembled it wrong.) I'll put it back in after the dial is restrung, the Amazon guy is bringing the string today.

This is how I found it under chassis. I’m in the process of removing all the tacked-on caps and restuffing the Bakelite boats. Going well so far, except that I dropped the 36 tube cathode resistor to 8200 ohms and yet still only one of my five 36 tubes (all used) will oscillate all over the dial. Going to have to order a couple of NOS ones I think.

   

[dconant]

Hello,

I have a Philco 91 code 121 (one speaker). I found more info here that might be of some help. Might want to follow code 221.

https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archiv...33-PQR.pdf

Scroll to Philco page 3-39.

Dan

[pdieten]

Yeah the 121/221 documentation was correct for the RF end of the radio. It left me scratching my head when I was looking at the audio end and finding a bunch of parts that weren't on the 121 documentation. Then I had to pull the 126 schematic, which was correct for the audio end. Thanks, Philco...

In other news, stringing that dial is a righteous pain in the keister, especially since it had been taken apart and reassembled previously. I ended up needing to brush liquid solder flux on the pulleys to get any traction, but it works great now. Nice being able to tune the radio with the knob and turn it off and on with the switch. Just have to rebuild the tone control and fix the shadowmeter and dial lamp and the chassis is all set. Finishing everything now allows more of my 36 tubes to work correctly too. I'm very pleased with it.

[pdieten]

And the chassis is all done, all caps and bad lamp wiring replaced, power switch repaired and in place, dial string tuner working perfectly, alignment done, the shadow meter tuned up. Looks so much cleaner with the caps restuffed instead of tacked on, doesn’t it?   Turned into a great working radio and didn’t even take that long to do other than the stringing. 

Added some wiring for an undercabinet light like the 15X had. I know the 91X didn’t have one, but I want one too…

   

[NostalgiaRadioTime]

Congratulations, Paul! That was quick...you made short order of that chassis restoration! And no coils to rewind...bonus! Definitely will look cool with the added front light for the speaker.

[radiorich]

Hello Paul,
Well, done it looks great !
Sincerely Richard

[pdieten]

Thanks all. Yeah, I was motivated to do this one and they're generally easy to work on.

I don't do a lot of early-'30s Philcos, because I don't actually like the looks of most of the table sets - this was only my sixth (a 20B, a 70B, two 90Bs, a 14X and now this 91X) and none of them had any coil problems at all. I think I'm going to quit now while I'm ahead.

[Paul Philco322]

Nice job there. A very distinguished looking radio. Would like to see a photo when done with added light. Paul B.

[pdieten]

Cabinet goes fast when you don’t have to refinish most of it. All but the front of the pedestal got a treatment with Howard’s and a coat of Johnson Wax (I’m really going to miss that when this tub runs out) but the pedestal had to be stripped and refinished due to excessive finish loss. Needs to be rubbed out tomorrow. The light works great and looks exactly as I hoped. Might just get a slightly shorter bulb.

[NostalgiaRadioTime]

Beautiful job, Paul. That light really makes the set stand out.

[Paul Philco322]

The light is really very cool. Super job. Paul

[morzh]

These cabinets do provide some improvement in sound quality.
I have a 111 and 112X, which is the same radio, the latter with an inclined speaker board.
The 112X sound quite a bit better, the speakers being the same.

PS. Nice set-up for the radio.