1937 Philco Radio Restore

skrol
skrol Posts: 3,453
edited January 27 in DIY, Mods & Tweaks
I have inherrited a couple Philco radios from 1937. One is a stand-up type (37-650) that belonged to my grandparents and the other is a table-top cathedral style (37-60) that was my father's. The cathedral radio is in good working condition and decent cosmetic condition. The stand-up needs work. Functionality is unknown and I'm not going to attempt to power it until I check some things and make proper preparations. Cosmetically, it isn't horrible but needs help. Jessie already gave me some initial advise, for which I am very grateful.

I started the thread originally in the Electronics forum but thought it better to continue as a project in the DIY forum.
https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/202283/1937-philco-radios#latest

I want to get the 37-650 cabinet looking decent but don't plan on stripping the old finish. I believe it is a nitrocellulose lacquer. Then I would like to get the receiver working, if it isn't yet.

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Stan

Main 2ch:
Polk LSi15 (DB840 upgrade), Parasound: P/LD-1100, HCA-1000A; Denon: DVD-2910, DRM-800A; Benchmark DAC1, Monster HTS3600-MKII, Grado SR-225i; Technics SL-J2, Parasound PPH-100.

HT:
Marantz SR7010, Polk: RTA11TL (RDO198-1, XO and Damping Upgrades), S4, CS250, PSW110 , Marantz UD5005, Pioneer PL-530, Panasonic TC-P42S60

Other stuff:
Denon: DRA-835R, AVR-888, DCD-660, DRM-700A, DRR-780; Polk: S8, Monitor 5A, 5B, TSi100, RM7, PSW10 (DXi104 upgrade); Pioneer: CT-6R; Onkyo CP-1046F; Ortofon OM5E, Marantz: PM5004, CD5004, CDR-615; Parasound C/PT-600, HCA-800ii, Sony CDP-650ESD, Technics SA 5070, B&W DM601
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Comments

  • xschop
    xschop Posts: 5,199
    Is that a coaxial driver?
    Don't take experimental gene therapies from known eugenicists.
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 9,114
    edited January 28
    If you need some help with repairing that, I received some great assistance from Antique Radios forum for older tube receivers.

    Do you have a variac (variable ac voltage transformer)? After a thorough inspection, old gear should be brought to life slowly. It's good to use an amp meter or a dim bulb tester (with appropriate wattage bulb) in series with variac to indicate problems before full voltage applied. In other words, seeing unit exceeding rated amperage draw before full voltage applied means stop applying voltage, shut off and diagnose what's causing it. (Though some like the smoke method of identifying bad components). Having tubes tested for condition is also helpful.

    https://antiqueradios.com/forums/

    Killawatt plugged into variac output set to amps.

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    Dim bulb testers can be simple to complex adding multiple incandescent bulbs to match higher loads with built in amp/volt meter. Incandescent bulbs can be hard to find now. Some like the bulb over the amp meter as you have to watch the meter and components for smoke while a suddenly bright bulb is a bit more obvious.

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    Killawatt set to volts. I was comparing readings on the dim bulb display to the Killawatt. I can add second bulb with flip of switch. This dim bulb tester was built for a friend following someone's smarter than me design.

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    Post edited by SCompRacer on
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
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