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SubjectOther:     Philco 40-150 Restoration
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Username:         Luther
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Thank you for putting up this site. I'm fairly new to radio restoration, but I got the bug.

I recently picked up a 40-150 that I am going to restore and could not get enough of your pictures and descriptions. Thanks for posting! I just hope my project turns out half as good as your two 40-150 projects.

I had a quick question. How did you go about restoring the metal dial bezel? Did these radios also have a plastic bezel cover to protect the dial glass? My metal bezel is a little rusty/pitted and I'm not sure I need to get aggressive and buff it, paint it or find a replacement. I'm happy to send pics if you are interested in seeing what I'm starting with . . .

Thanks again

Luther

Luther,

Thanks for the kind words. The bezel is metal. I strip them with stripper or chuck up a wire brush in the drill and remove paint and rust. Sand the rust spots smooth. If it is pitted go the auto parts store and pick up some of the body finisher (not the two part Bond but the stuff in the squeeze tube). Smooth over the rust pits with a bit of filler/finisher on your finger and sand smooth when hard. I spray several light coats on the bezel with GM Gold automotive paint. There are a few hues available across the auto manufacturing line. A hobby shop should have a few different hues of Gold.

On the restoration - There are three mica caps. Two 370 mmf (pf) #23 and #24. These two are typically white ceramic rectangular, with wide solder straps, covered in brown wax. They are located on either side of the push button array. The third is #22 255 mmf (pf) is a "domino" type wire leads. These caps are (or will drift) usually off enough to screw up your alignment. The dial scale will not line up. Just replace them. You should replace all the rubber covered wires also. LEAVE a tube in the grey soft loctail 7J7 socket. It WILL crack when you pull on the wires. I know from experience.

Schematic http://www.nostalgiaair.org/Resources/331/M0013331.htm

Replacement mica example: http://www.radiodaze.com/capsmica.htm 360pf is close enough to 370 and 220 close enough to 225. and here: http://www.justradios.com/mica.html

Where are you located?

Good Luck,

Paul .

From: Luther

To: Paul

Sent: Sunday, September 09, 2007 11:31 PM

Subject: RE: 40-150

Hi Paul:

Thanks for the quick response!

I’m in Deep River, CT

I’ll be sure to replace those MICA Caps – I’m waiting for a bunch of Caps from justradios.com – seems to take a long time shipping stuff from Canada. I already printed a couple of copies of the schematic on 11x17 paper. (Have access to a big Xerox Docu Center)

Here are a couple of photos of what I’m starting with – The cabinet has one chip of veneer missing in the speaker grill scroll work. There are a couple of minor gouges on the front that I hope I can fill or feather out. The Chassis was absolutely filthy but does not have a lot of rust – just a little on top below the push button assembly.

I was happy to see your pictures – I was worried about the missing adjustment screw on the tuning capacitor, but after looking at the schematic and your shots, I don’t think it was present on the 40-150. (21B in the diagram)

Somebody had replaced the main filter e-caps with a pair of 16uF 450v condensers vs. a 16uF and a 12uF as the schematic calls for, but other than that, I can’t see too much evidence of repair or repair hack jobs.

I’m going to take my time with this one and try to do it right. Thanks for the tips on the bezel – did you ever consider putting a plastic repro dial cover on the bezel?

Thanks again

Luther M
Microsoft Technology Specialist |

Luther,

I saw your pictures. I have restored about 5 to 8 of these chassis. Three of these 150 cabinets. That will be a beautiful radio once restored.

I have not considered adding a plastic cover. The glass dial scale is good enough for me. Use a new gasket on the glass edges before reclamping into place. Electrical tape works in a pinch or thick cardboard or that Dr Sholes callus, heal or toe padding you cut to shape. Radiodaze carries extruded U channel gasket for this application. You do not want it to rattle and shatter the glass scale with metal to glass contact. I suppose a bead of clear silicon RTV sealer will do too. Put a tiny bead on both front and back sides. Let it dry. Thin it out as needed with a razor. Clamp gently, sealing the screw threads (before insertion) with Glipt (old fingernail polish).

I do make up the station button IDs on my computer. I use Excel using a black cell color and white font. Once sized properly I spray the paper with clear or yellow toned lacquer. It protects and yellow ages the look. Then cut out with scissors and use scotch tape on the back to hold them in. Print out several dups. You will go mad trying to precision cut the tiny squares.

If you are looking for the push buttons, grill cloth and a new control decal set you can get them from Radiodaze.com.

I have done business with JustRadios and like them. You can wait some time before the shipment gets to you. Radiodaze is in New York. I am in Pittsburgh. It is much quicker. Just Radios does offer the service of picking a cap kit just for you radio. That can be handy for the one off restoration.

You can use the 600 volt rated hook up wire found in the electrical department of HomeDepot and Lowes. It is stranded and comes on small spools. I like the solid wire for redoing the Philcos (Radiodaze.com 600 volt rated 20 ga solid! Color does not matter. One spool should do it. I only see the cloth covered wire at radiodaze. You don't need the repro cloth covered for this vintage radio. If I find a source I will let you know.). Solid is easier to work with.

You need stranded wire when you wire a connection that is on something that moves (i.e., Pilot lamp, tuners, grid lead clips on tubes, power cords, etc). That is where the HomeDepot/Lowes wire comes in handy. Pick up some CRC brand contact cleaner. I use it exclusively. Not that I am in love with CRC. It is just sold where I shop and works great on the band switch tuning cap, volume controls. DO NOT use the CRC cleaner degreaser. It will fuse all you plastic parts and melt plastic gears. I know. The hard way. This is not the biodegradable cleaner that does little.

To clean the knobs use Clorox Clean up and a tooth brush. Soak them overnight if they don't clean up easy. I put the rubber chassis bumpers in automotive break fluid for the duration of the restoration sometimes taking months. It seems to help. You will probably need to visit your local Mom and Pop hardware store to acquire rubber components and rubber science lab hose to make up tuner bracket standoffs. Or Radioshack used to carry assorted grommets. I use those.

Capacitors - You can practically double the values (uf and volts) of the Electrolytic and be OK. You can not do that with the other caps. especially the mica caps found in the RF IF sections. Increasing the working voltage will not hurt anything on any capacitor in any circuit. I inventory only 630 volt caps to replace the wax paper caps, 450 volt electrolytic for power supplies (160 for transfomerless AA5s) and 5% 1/2watt resistors. Most resistors in these vintage radios are only 1/4 watt. But look huge.

I circled the 370pf caps that should be replaced when the dial scale does not match after and alignment. The black block has two caps inside that need replaced. UL safety caps are recommended. See Just Radios. They can be found at Mouser.com but difficult to match up.

BTW - Don't mess around with the resistors. Replace them too. Especially the power resistors found just off of the rectifier tube and the electrolytic that is NOT at chassis potential (grounded to the chassis). I find plenty of out of tolerance resistors in vintage chassis. See: http://www.ppinyot.com/Airline14WG/Airline.htm for a comparison table.

I will be at Kutztown PA Vintage Radio swap meet and Auction this September 21 and 22. That may be a real trip for you. But you can find (hundreds) all sorts of vintage radios, restoration parts and tubes in one place.

Sorry if I go on.

Paul P.

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Paul,

Read your comments on the EMUD 60 with interest. Sounds like you did a good job. I have an EMUD 60. I too have a 196 schematic (and one for the 60). Unlike the RIDERs info, I find the alignment instructions more difficult to follow. Instead of giving you tube number, for example, it simply says FM Convertor Tube, with no I.D. for convertor on the diagram. I have a signal generator, voltmeter, etc. I now have the radio playing on all three bands with tubes checked, caps replaced, etc. Any chance you could translate a few of the alignment instructions for me as I go along? Your advise would be greatly appreciated.

John , Murray, KY

John,

I can't be of much direct help at this time. But go to http://www.radiomuseum.org/ and ask the guys in the forum. They are tremendously helpful.

I think I may have used a Grundig alignment procedure and simply "Winged" it. There are a lot of similarities. And you may imagine with experience it can be relatively easy to figure out what control affects what band and portion there of.

Also see this particular discussion about Grundigs and look at the associate alignment procedure.

http://www.radiomuseum.org/forum/grundig_5088_usa_componant_and_alignment_questions.html

If that does not help, post a question.

I will try and dig out the Emud papers in the shop this week.

I can not translate German. I just make an educated guess as to what they are talking about and reference it to the schematic and use that to figure out the trimmer's function.

Good Luck,

Paul.

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Comments:

Hi Paul,

I found your site after researching information on the Philco 40-150. I first would like to say that you did a great job on the restoration of that set and I am wondering how you got the chassis so shiny? What process did you use? The tuning condenser looks like brand new. Also, what did you finish the brass bezel with? Thanks much for your reply,

Bob

Bob,

Thanks for your kind words.

How did I get the chassis shiny? Elbow grease, a comfortable chair, Steel wool (non soap), dollar store brass wire brushes, Scotch pads, Clorox Clean up, Brasso, and a wire wheel in the cordless drill. Some times in a tight chassis I use a Dermal moto tool and a wire wheel bit.

For rust, the wire wheels and plain sand paper with the ubiquitous "Elbow Grease".

Tape up your tube sockets, the holes on the square IF cans and tuning capacitor (close the plates to cut down on the chance that it may get bent) so wire fragments do not short out the electronics. Or you will have a light show when you plug it in.

The trick is patents and a lot of cleaning supplies. Wax brass after shining up or it will tarnish again. A good automotive metal wax or paste wax helps. I also spray the chassis with clear lacquer spray from a can.

Use an old tooth brush and contact cleaner or denatured alcohol on the tuning capacitor (condenser). BE GENTLE. Then fold a piece of masking tape so the sticky is out. Slide it between the tuning condenser plates. DO NOT BENT the VEINS!!!! And flush it out with contact cleaner. I use CRC brand Contact Cleaner found at Home Depot and Lowes. Do not use CRC electric cleaners. They melt vintage plastic and wire insulation. I learned the hard way.

Get all the old dried grease off of the tuner ball bearings. Apply a little electronic grease or lube. I use a small drop of 4 in 1. Clean off what gets on the tuning capacitor parts or it will affect the operation. Do not over clean the tuning condenser or you may damage it. A little tarnish will not affect its performance.

Do not brush and mica that you see under adjustment screws on the tuning capacitor. Stay away from them. The mica will easily break and flake causing a short and a dead radio. You may have to flood them with contact cleaner if oil or dirt gets on the mica while cleaning.

You can try and touch up rusted spots (once completely wire brushed) with galvanizing spray, silver paint or your favorite western PA auto body technique. Again at Home Depot electrical department.

Just take it easy, protect everything including your lungs with a dust mask (that green metal oxidation/dust is supposed to be nasty) that you do not want small steel wool wires to fall into. Blow out the chassis and have fun.

There is no special magic or technique in cleaning a chassis. Just patents.

Good Luck,

Paul