My Vintage Radio Collection

[RetroToday]

Well, luckily I DO have the tubes, tho they're untested. I hope I can find the Gold Escutcheon (that sounds like the name of an Indiana Jones movie, don't you think?), and the smaller buttons. But, as I said, it may be a while before this gets done.

Good to hear you have the tubes.
Even if the tubes don't work and the radio isn't restored right away, it will still be a great conversation piece to show visitors.

You could be very lucky with the tubes as they have the potential to last a VERY long time.
Other components degrade much quicker because they don't have the benefits of being enclosed in a vacuum.

 

[MrNewportCustom]

Two, maybe three years ago, I found a portable tube tester that belonged to my father. It had either six or eight sockets of different sizes and configurations. I wish I could remember where I'd put it.

If you need to borrow it, PM me (just to be certain I get your message) and I'll see if I can dredge it up and send it your way, dh.


Lee

 

[dhermann1]

Yeah, but they're only good for testing portable tubes.
But seriously, folk. I have place in Manhattan where I expect I'll take it. Thanks for the offer.

 

[MrNewportCustom]

Yeah, but they're only good for testing portable tubes.
But seriously, folk. I have place in Manhattan where I expect I'll take it. Thanks for the offer.

I'll bet your tubes fit into your pocket better than my tester does.

Glad you have somewhere to take it.


Lee

 

[Ripper]

This is a radio I am currently restoring.I dont have any actual pictures but it is this exact radio.

http://www.radiophile.com/air62600.htm

I will post before and after pics when I get her finished if anyone might be interested. [huh]

 

[kpreed]

Great looking radio! Good luck on your Airline.:eusa_clap Look really forward to your progress photos.

 

[Ripper]

I appriciate that ! I will post as soon as she is done !

 

[RetroToday]

This is a radio I am currently restoring.I dont have any actual pictures but it is this exact radio.
I will post before and after pics when I get her finished if anyone might be interested. [huh]

I'm interested! That radio's a beauty. Tuning eyes remind me of the alien's machines in "War of the Worlds" - a death ray ready to fire.
Just wondering, is the photo finish in good shape?

 

[Ripper]

It has a few light scratches but nothing bad. I cant wait to get her going ! I'm curious if the shortwave will work. Stay tuned !

 

[KilroyCD]

I just picked this up today...

I got a Philco 46-1226 like the one pictured (not mine, but mine is as nice) at an auction today. It cost $55, and the best thing of all is IT WORKS! :eusa_clap I need to take a photo of mine and post it.

 

[dhermann1]

As I always tell people, make sure the capacitors have been replaced. If you have an audible humm, then this is an indication they need attention. But regardless, old paper capacitors are a serious fire hazard and should always be replaced by someone who knows what he's doing.
VERY nice.

 

[KilroyCD]

As I always tell people, make sure the capacitors have been replaced. If you have an audible humm, then this is an indication they need attention. But regardless, old paper capacitors are a serious fire hazard and should always be replaced by someone who knows what he's doing.
VERY nice.

I'm aware of the fire hazard. Fortunately, there is no hum, and I'm taking the added measure of unplugging it when not in use.
On a related note, I got one of those repro Crosley radios with the "bakelite" (probably in all actuality ABS plastic) case at another auction the other day. That one humms like it doesn't know the words. I'll have to have the capacitors checked on that one.

 

[RetroToday]

...I got one of those repro Crosley radios with the "bakelite" (probably in all actuality ABS plastic) case at another auction the other day. That one humms like it doesn't know the words. I'll have to have the capacitors checked on that one.

Umm, do those repro Crosleys even have capacitors? [huh]
If so, I think they would be close to microscopic size and wired into a circuit board.

A repair person would probably recommend just to go out and buy a newer repro of the same Crosley radio and throw the humming one out - Sorry to say, but the labour charge would probably cost a lot more than buying a new one.

btw - Nice Philco!!!
And, dhermann1 is extremely correct about the capacitors. I tell everyone the same thing when I hear a vintage radio was purchased.

Get those replaced as soon as you can, not just because of the fire hazard. Doing that now will save you more expensive repairs to your radio down the road. Those control a lot of the electricity flow into the radio components....

Too much energy = fried, expensive parts = you being very upset

 

[Ripper]

I got a Philco 46-1226 like the one pictured (not mine, but mine is as nice) at an auction today. It cost $55, and the best thing of all is IT WORKS! :eusa_clap I need to take a photo of mine and post it.

Nice ! I need to get a big "floor model" some day. I need to get my 3 going first. I am currently colecting parts for my Airline. Ill post pics when done !

 

[Mr. K.L.Bowers]

My "Radio Shack"

Here are several photos of my Philco radio collection. With the exception of three radios they are all 1937 models. I converted this room to my “Radio Shack to keep most of my collection together. There are still three others in various rooms of our home and one in my office. About 80% of them are operating and once a month I exercise them all at once using my transmitter located in another part of the house.

 

[LindyTap]

Wow, that's quite the collection Mr. Bowers. Simply amazing, it must have taken years to compile. I like that the rest of the room is decorated in period decor as well. On a side note, I recently bought a 1947 Arvin 555. It's bakelite, and has a few grease spots on it. (from having the capacitors changed you will all be happy to know) Being my first bakelite radio, I was just wondering what to use to polish/clean it. I heard from someone that you can use turtle wax, but I just wanted to double check if anyone has any alternatives or suggestions.

 

[RetroToday]

Wow, that's quite the collection Mr. Bowers. Simply amazing, it must have taken years to compile. I like that the rest of the room is decorated in period decor as well.

I second what Lindy says, WOW! :eusa_clap

I don't have a dedicated room for my collection, they're all sort of spread throughout the house. What you've done is great. I also love the nostalgia you've collected too, it's very similar to the stuff I have to go along with my radios.

Thanks for sharing those images.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Mr. Bowers, do I see a Philco 37-10 at the lower left in your bottom photo? I have that same model in my living room -- picked it up at a junk shop over twenty years ago for $5, fixed it up, and it's been my primary radio ever since. Back when there were things worth listening to on the short waves, it was a great performer!

 

[russa11]

That is a impressive collection. I particularly like the chair side radio that I see in the pictures. Very nice radios you have.

 

[Mr. K.L.Bowers]

Thank you very much. I have been collecting radios and phonographs since high school (many years ago) and have scaled down my collection over the past few years. I decided to concentrate on 1937 Philcos. 1937 and 1938 were the best years for Philco. I already had several 1937s so I decided on that year.

LindyTap;
I have used car polish in the past on bakelite and plastic sets with varying degrees of success. If the cabinet has started to pit, you will have a bear of a time getting the polish off. If the finish is still smooth, it should improve it. Try it on an inconspicuous spot first. I have also ruined cabinets. There are two schools of thought on the caps, some people change them all without testing them and some test them all and only replace those out of tolerance. I usually only replace the bad ones, especially if they are in an area hard to reach, like a lot of the 37 Philcos.

Retro;
I know we have talked about radios in the past, I just didn’t have the room together to send you photos before. I believe I have every ad Philco ran for 1937 there somewhere. Some are a real slice of 1936 / 37 with the radio stars and politics of the day. The map is a radio map of the United States, Mexico and Canada. It shows all the radio stations and their strengths from a blazing 50 watts to the 1,000 + super stations. Again this is stuff I have been collecting over 30 years.

Lizzie;
Your right, it is a 37-10! Unfortunately that is one of the non-playing radios in the collection. It needs a power transformer, which I have but just haven’t found the time to repair it. That was one of my latest purchases in a shop near my home, only I paid $35.00 for it and it will cost much more to get it playing again. I am using it as a kind of a desk under the phone right now.