[LedHed]

I recently acquired my next project. It's a little rough, but the price was right and I think it'll be a real looker and from what I have read a great performer when done!

I think I am up to speed on the bakelite block condensers, are there any other pitfalls with this set I should be aware of?

It looks to be all there except for the electrolytics clamped into the top of the chassis. The replacements are wired underneath, and appear to be quite old, but the cans are nowhere to be found. Shadow meter is present and intact, as is the dial scale. Water soluble ink on this one?

Just lots of dust and some surface rust. I will post pictures soon.

[TA Forbes]

Hello: yes, do not attempt to clean your dial with water or cleaners. I use mineral spirits to clean mine. Test whatever you use on a small part of the dial, like where the part number is, in order to be sure.

The dial drive rubber is often dry rotted, there are threads in this site that deal with how to repair this.

Definitely replace the "old repair" electrolytics. Be aware that 8mF electrolytics #87 and #88 do not have their negative sides going to ground. Additionally, 10mF electrolytic #75 has its positive side going to ground and it's negative side connected to the negative sides of #87 and #88.

Your version of the 16 also has a filter bank located inside a large metal can. The five caps in the can should be replaced. Make sure you diagram where and what was disconnected from the lugs on the bottom of the can. I like to use a piece of hard copper wire (like what you use to wire a house) to make a "buss bar" connected to the negative lug on the inside-side of the bottom of the can. This makes it easier to connect the negative side of your five replacement caps.

Make sure that you verify the resistance values of resistors in your set. The 16B cathedral still used the variety of resistors that age badly.

Good luck with your set, the 16B is an outstanding radio!

[Chuck Schwark]

Hello: yes, do not attempt to clean your dial with water or cleaners. I use mineral spirits to clean mine. Test whatever you use on a small part of the dial, like where the part number is, in order to be sure.

The dial drive rubber is often dry rotted, there are threads in this site that deal with how to repair this.

Definitely replace the "old repair" electrolytics. Be aware that 8mF electrolytics #87 and #88 do not have their negative sides going to ground. Additionally, 10mF electrolytic #75 has its positive side going to ground and it's negative side connected to the negative sides of #87 and #88.

Your version of the 16 also has a filter bank located inside a large metal can. The five caps in the can should be replaced. Make sure you diagram where and what was disconnected from the lugs on the bottom of the can. I like to use a piece of hard copper wire (like what you use to wire a house) to make a "buss bar" connected to the negative lug on the inside-side of the bottom of the can. This makes it easier to connect the negative side of your five replacement caps.

Make sure that you verify the resistance values of resistors in your set. The 16B cathedral still used the variety of resistors that age badly.

Good luck with your set, the 16B is an outstanding radio!

Quick and simple Bakelite block re-stuffing:

http://www.philcorepairbench.com/capbuild.htm

Chuck

[LedHed]

Thanks for the tips on the resistors and the filter bank. I'm sure you have saved me frustration and angst over that! With respect to the electrolytic caps, are the 8uF and 10uF values still recommended or is there a substitution that works well for that set?

Rest assured I will have all the information from The Philco Repair Bench at my finger tips as I start work on in.

Thanks again, as I start to work on it I will post pictures in the appropriate areas.

[codefox1]

You can use 10 MF for both. Get 450 VDC types and observe polarity. I would try to combine everything in one order, all the paper caps (just use 630 volt types everywheew and definiitly I would add a set of carbon resistors, really costs so little and makes a big difference when you get done and fire it up.

[TA Forbes]

Yes, thanks, Chuck, I forgot to mention the Philcorepairbench.com site as well. Between it and this site you will find the answers to your questions.

Also (I have zero connections to Chuck's site) I strongly recommend his schematic/info service. For a minimal amount you get quality, high resolution copies of all pertinent Philco info for your set. Many of the online schematics out there are tough to read and do not pertain to your specific code set.

[Glenn Roberts]

Yes, thanks, Chuck, I forgot to mention the Philcorepairbench.com site as well. Between it and this site you will find the answers to your questions.

Also (I have zero connections to Chuck's site) I strongly recommend his schematic/info service. For a minimal amount you get quality, high resolution copies of all pertinent Philco info for your set. Many of the online schematics out there are tough to read and do not pertain to your specific code set.

+1 on Chuck's Info..

Glenn

[Chuck Schwark]

Yes, thanks, Chuck, I forgot to mention the Philcorepairbench.com site as well. Between it and this site you will find the answers to your questions.

Also (I have zero connections to Chuck's site) I strongly recommend his schematic/info service. For a minimal amount you get quality, high resolution copies of all pertinent Philco info for your set. Many of the online schematics out there are tough to read and do not pertain to your specific code set.

+1 on Chuck's Info..

Glenn

Thanks for the votes of confidence. I just looked and I've been running The PRB since 1997 - back when the internet was fresh!

Geeze, time flies.....

Chuck

[Art Hoch]

I've had experience recapping those bakelite cap blocks. I had difficulty pushing the old tar out of the block. Wouldn't come out easy like the picture/instructions showed. So I finally heated the tar enough it began to run out on its own. Kind a messy but finally accomplished the results. Good workbench in the garage project!

[TA Forbes]

I have an old soup pot that I keep water simmering in on the stove when I am re-stuffing bakelite blocks. I keep them in the water for a few minutes and then all the contents easily pry out with a screwdriver. Still messy, but effective.

[jerryhawthorne]

I have found in most cases on the bakelite caps that I don't have to even remove the wires. Just use a hand drill with the right size bit and a slight twist will remove the wires coming up from the caps inside. Then I remove the bolt holding the whole thing down and lift the block with the wires attached as high as I can. A heat gun applied to the bakelite case and the internals will come out with a push from the wire holes. Re-install caps, bolt down and solder the leads. Simple and easy. Only on a few have I had to disconnect one or more wires from the tabs to get enough room to heat, remove and install new caps. Whole process, maybe 10 minutes.

Jerry

[codefox1]

I have a few crappy 99 cent store soldering irons that I use for melting out tar and harvesting old tube sockets, etc... I use a lamp dimmer to control temperature, and file down tip every once in a while. Toss it when tip is used up.

[gary rabbitt]

Hi Guys,
I use the same method as Jerry. Break the thin wires with the drill bit on the rivets, flip the block over, then I use a small embossing (heat) gun. The small tip with concentrated heat is great to heat up the blocks and not the other parts of the set.
[Image: http://www.stamp-happy.com/images/EP0046.gif]

You can get them at JoAnns or craft stores for under $20.

They (blocks) usually get soft enough to push right out with no mess.
Very rarely though, I will run across a block where the tar is a lot harder than the rest. Almost crumbly when warmed a bit. Maybe a harder batch of tar that day? Those you will have to sometimes pick out with a small tool.

[jerryhawthorne]

Thanks Gary for the hint on the smaller heat gun. Will have to have the wife pick one of those up on her next (frequent) trips to Joannes. Like that better than my giant paint stripper heat gun that is not nearly as focused.
Jerry

[AI2V]

Somehow I just don't understand the problems with emptying the tar from the blocks. It takes me less than 30 seconds for a complete emptying job- that's not an exaggeration! . With reloading and cleaning up, the entire process takes about three minutes and it's ready to re-install.

I put the block in a vice with wooden jaws, heat it with a heat gun until the tar just appears to be just melting at the edges and put the heat gun down, and then pry out chunks of tar with a small screwdriver. There's no actual tar melting- it's simply softened and taken out in three easy chunks- the soft covering tar, the caps with most of the tar, and the remaining little pieces (if any). Time never exceeds 30 seconds.

I'm looking to buy a 16 right now; I keep telling myself that I don't want any more large radios but this one is local, not in very good condition, and probably cheap.

Pete