[mikethedruid]

My next Philco project is going to be a 41-81T, portable, battery powered radio. I picked it up very reasonably on ePay, which was a pleasant surprise. I was expecting to be outbid. When I received it and opened it, I found that the original Philco battery was still inside ! Even more amazing is that the battery has not leaked, and so I have one with good outside graphics, which I have scanned, so I can make a cover for the replacement battery unit I will make for it. Here are some pictures of it on my work bench.
[Image: https://33.media.tumblr.com/c5503dc8bd4f...1_1280.jpg]
[Image: https://33.media.tumblr.com/0750bac62203...1_1280.jpg]
[Image: https://33.media.tumblr.com/da165c1935b1...2_1280.jpg]
Should keep me amused for some weeks.

[klondike98]

Very cool!!! Hard to believe the battery was in that good condition.

[Ron Ramirez]

It's hard for me to believe the Tenite grille is in such great shape!

[mikethedruid]

I know, I was amazed at the condition of the INSIDE too when I opened it, and all the plastic is perfect. This is going to be such a fun project. First thing I am going to do is make a battery replacement that is exactly the same size and shape as the original battery, with replaceable modern batteries inside.I will use the connector from the old battery. I'm going to take pictures and document that project, as well as the electronic restoration of the radio in the electronics section.

[morzh]

believe it or not I see many Transitones with grills in good and actually perfect shape.
Most of those, howver, are the kind where the color is marbled or spotted, like this one. Even-colored ones, I see more of those in bad shape.

[mikethedruid]

My 41-81T is done. I finally made the new handle for it. I ordered a brown goat skin from eBay. but didn't get to the sewing store until today to get leather needles for my old Pfaff 130. Today I made the handle, pretty simple, five thicknesses of leather wrapped so that the final layer ends on the bottom, and the loops for the rings are double thickness. The only hard part is with work that thick, one has to lift the presser foot with each stitch, and reposition the work by hand. It isn't perfect, but it is better than the worn through, broken original.

Tonight I tested it out. The sunspots must have been kicking up some strange skip, because I was receiving a lot of Central American stations, and far away US stations too, like WTCS, a little 1000 watt station down in Fairmont, WV. Not bad on the built in antenna from here in Providence.

I cleaned the fabric covering with gentle detergent and water on a sponge, and dried it well and quickly. I also polished the leatherette with brown leather polish. This is the final product.

[Image: https://38.media.tumblr.com/135b56a78bdb...2_1280.jpg]