Philco 38-7 console

Saw a Philco 38-7 console on Craigs List a few weeks ago for $40, everything is there. The cabinet needs a light sanding and clear coat. I said "What the heck I don't have one", so I brought it home. It will be my next project and I'm wondering if anyone has one of these or restored one. Any "gottcha's"? It definitely has an odd tuner control, kinda' like an Etch-a-skectch on steroids. If you have any comments or gudiance on this model, send it my way.

http://www.radioatticarchives.com/radio.htm?radio=1981

Thanks,
Ben

Philcos used rubber insulated wire which is almost always dry rotted. If they are not already rotted, they will be in the future. So while you're replacing the capacitors & out of spec resistors, go ahead and either replace the wires or cover them with heat shrink.
Dave

Excellent advice. Thanks

Most, if not all Philco capacitors are in bakelite blocks with tar filling.
With a little work, following schematic, and, parts list, you can figure out what is in them, carfully remove tar, gutt them, clean them, and, install new caps.
Alot of work, but, saves alot of mess trying to do it other ways...
I even gutted my dead shorted electrolytic in the set I'm working on now....
Bill Cahill

I have replaced the caps in the bakelite blocks a few times and that is a bit messy but not nearly as messy as cleaning out the electr cans. I cut them open with a drimel, heat them with a propane torch then fill them with naptha and the tar washes out easily. I prefer putting the elect caps back in the cans, just makes a better looking and less crowded job. Started on the chassis last night. Tested the tubes, right off I could see the power and rectf tubes were blown. New tube on order today.

I agree with Ben, on the electrolytics, I use a dremel with a cut off wheel and remove the base. The insides will pull out nicely. For the bakelite blocks, the are really simple and not messy to deal with, I just did 8 of them on my Philco 111. Take a heat gun on high and spend less than a minute heating around them while they are still mounted. With the cotton wire, no problems. If you have the rubber, well probably needs replacing any how.
I start prior to heating with a drill that matches the inside diameter of the grommets the wires come up through. With my hand drill, a half a turn and you can feel the wire breaking off.
Heat around the block with a heat gun and test after maybe 30 seconds of heat by pushing through the hole with an open large paper clip or any thing stiff of about that size. When the temp of the block is hot enough and you push, you will see and feel the block head down to the chassis. Take out the block with the attaching screw and watch where the star washer falls, it depends on what angle the chassis is setting. They are darn hard to find. Don't ask me how I know.
Pull out the whole tar and caps block. If you have heated it properly, it will come out in one chunk. Put in the cap, caps or cap resistor combo. Turn it back over and bend the wires over to hold parts in place. Mount it in place and remember the star washer for a good ground. Solder the wires and your done. I can do one in 5 minutes and never remove any wires.
Good luck and you will have a nice radio.
Jerry

duplicate, sorry.
Jerry

I have one. How is yours comming along?

Mine has been finished so quite some time now but I failed to take completred picture of the inside of chassis. Maybe next time. Here's the finisehed outside. Note the cloth. I think it goes very well.

https://servimg.com/view/17421296/88

Wow looks great!!!!

Here's my take on the bakelite block issue...

I didn't want to mess with 'em. I mounted terminal strips and used the original screw hold-downs, only I used spacers so the threads of the screw only protruded as much as the original even tho there were no blocks in place. The individual components were mounted to my new strips for easy servicing and from above the chassis, no one can tell!

http://prepostmodern.com/philco80/philco80.html

Very nice and quite creative.