View Full Version : Very early Motorola VT71 scored


bandersen
07-14-2011, 01:02 AM
I just picked up this set tonight. It's a Motorola VT71 with what I believe is the very first run of the chassis TS-4.
It has a 7F8 osc/mixer and two large metal 0.3 mfd @ 6000 volt caps mounted on the chassis. It also has channel #1 :banana:

Overall it's in quite good condition. The bottom cover is there with all the metal caps over the adjustment holes. It has the metal back, all the knobs, plastic faceplate is in very good shape. The only problems are a few veneer chips and the usual melted CRT mask. I actually had that large veneer chip in my hand when I picked up the set, but can't find it now :( Hopefully, it will turn up.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6029/5935667905_6aa8a7ec50_z.jpg http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6009/5935668383_a3c3fe4bd7_z.jpg http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6129/5935668697_9d6a4a6bd7_z.jpg http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6138/5935668995_40fd12ded5_z.jpg http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6027/5935669539_d356ac4393_z.jpg


Looks like it was at a garage sale and everyone passed on it.
The masking tape is really stuck on there good. Does anyone have any tricks for getting it off without damaging the finish ?
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6005/5936226514_a97a3a7344_z.jpg

Could this really be the 2,425th VT71 to roll of the line ?
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/5936228090_cce7d01c1a_z.jpg

The channel selector on these sets only has 8 positions.

You always get 1, 2 and 7.

The dealer would configure the other five (3/4, 5/6, 8/9, 10/11, 12/13) for your area.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6001/5936228710_6c1444f0d8_z.jpg

bandersen
07-14-2011, 01:07 AM
Here's a peek at the inside.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6130/5936228996_f5e6f98082_z.jpg

I really hope these are originals and not an ugly repair job.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6150/5935670469_92995e4e8d_z.jpg

There's the 7F8 up towards the front. Later sets used a 12AT7.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6006/5935670753_db868a6c59_z.jpg


Ah, those caps do appear on the tube chart so I bet they are original.
Weird. The earliest schematic I could dig up is the the TS-4B and it doesn't have these.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6145/5935671083_8d69176a04_z.jpg

That's all for now. I'll try to find time tomorrow to pop the chassis out and test the 7JP4.

ChrisW6ATV
07-14-2011, 01:11 AM
Very nice. Both of my VT-71s are TS-4Ds, I think, and both have channel 1 and no fine-tuning control.

bandersen
07-14-2011, 01:30 AM
Cool. I didn't realize they had so many revisions with channel 1 and no fine tuning. The oldest I have is a TS-4H with fine tuning.

I just noticed the hum adjustment in the bottom cover. That's something else I don't see on the TS-4B schematic :scratch2:

Electronic M
07-14-2011, 01:31 AM
Wow! I've never seen such a primative version of that chassis before.

bandersen
07-14-2011, 01:34 AM
Aw nuts, I checked in the Riders index and this chassis appears to be covered in volume 1 which I don't have :(

bandersen
07-14-2011, 01:42 AM
I found a scanned copy of Riders vol1 TS-4 chassis at the ETF. It appears that this is the TS-4 "late" version which uses a 6AL5 and 6SQ7 in the audio circuit. The TS-4 "early" uses a 6S8GT.
I was hoping it was the very first version, but it's still pretty darn early :yes:

Red Raster
07-14-2011, 03:05 AM
Nice find, Early and unique and hope a good crt sweetens the deal.
Wow! the crt is connected using individual wires with sockets pushed on the pins of the crt base.

AndrewM
07-14-2011, 05:00 AM
Nice little Motorola, shame we don't have early sets like these where I live.

I find turpentine useful for softening the adhesive on masking tape so that it can be removed. It doesn't harm most finishes but it would be wise to check first.

Sandy G
07-14-2011, 05:13 AM
Seems like SOMEBODY was making "replacement" masks for these-I THINK I've seen 'em on The E Place.. Every one of these I've seen has had that problem...

Zenith26kc20
07-14-2011, 09:08 AM
My Motorola book has the 7F8 schematic but the 6KV caps are large tubulars under the chassis but not in the usual place. Those don't appear to be oil caps. That's the first time I noticed no fine tuning. That must have driven the owner a bit nuts as drift occured during warmup. My Sears B/W has a number of 7F8's also. LOVE the CRT connectors!
Can't wait to hear of the progress on this one!

VintagePC
07-14-2011, 09:12 AM
Nice little Motorola, shame we don't have early sets like these where I live.

I find turpentine useful for softening the adhesive on masking tape so that it can be removed. It doesn't harm most finishes but it would be wise to check first.

If you don't want to risk turpentine, use Windex or glass cleaner with a bit of ammonia in it. That stuff will eat smoker's tar off of painted finishes, but be prepared with an old rag and a bit of elbow work to get the gummy bits off.

Masking tape is a PITA to remove unless it's been applied within the last day or so.

IsthmusTV
07-14-2011, 10:26 AM
Nice find, Bob! I've also has some success using WD-40 to remove masking tape adhesive (particularly the petrified variety). I let it soak for an hour or two and then gently scrape with my thumb nail.

Good luck with the restoration!

-Clark

Eric H
07-14-2011, 10:54 AM
Re: Masking Tape, Naptha, a.k.a Lighter fluid should take it off without damaging the finish.
Squirt it on, let it soak a while and scrape it off with a credit card or some other non metal scraper.
I use this all the time to take old tape and stickers off of record labels.

Eric H
07-14-2011, 10:59 AM
Wow, I just noticed the 6kv caps mounted above the chassis!
Never seen that before either.

I have a channel one VT-71 with no fine tuning and I don't think it has those either, I'll have to take a look.

That has to be a very early one.
I wonder if they moved those caps because they found out having 6KV above the chassis was a bad idea? :yes:

earlyfilm
07-14-2011, 11:14 AM
re: Removing petrified masking tape.

First thing is to determine what finish your wood cabinet has.

By the 1940's all production lines were using lacquer, however a few small-run cabinet makers were still using shellac, so you gotta test the finish in a spot that won't show, which in your case looks like the cabinet bottom.

Shellac can be re-amalgamated (remelted) with alcohol, so flip the empty cabinet on its top and test a finish spot on the base with rubbing alcohol which is 70% alcohol and 30% water. Put an old can lid over the test spot to keep it from drying out during the 5 minute soak test. If the finish on the test spot does not turn soft after a 5 minute soak or turn white after it drys, then assume that your finish is lacquer.

If there is no change to the finish, to remove the tape, use either pure alcohol with a little Windex, or rubbing alcohol and add a trace of dishwashing soap and soak it until the tape can be rubbed off with a paper towel. Use plain Windex to remove the mess left behind. (Windex D or Windex with ammonia is the best product to use, but organic vapor rules are making this product almost impossible to find in some areas. If you have trouble, look for it at industrial suppliers.)

If the test spot was softened or whitened by the rubbing alcohol test, you have the more rare shellac finish. Get some dry cleaning fluid (it is a known carcinogen) and test that on another spot on the base. If it does not harm the finish, then use the dry cleaning fluid in the same way as before, but wear protective gloves this time, and do it outside and avoid breathing the vapor.

On a shellac finish, once the tape is removed, you can use pure alcohol to re-amalgamate the finish, and then top it off with a fresh coat of shellac. If there are bare areas of the cabinet, to even out the wood color, I'd suggest using alcohol as a shellac stripper, unless there are decals under the finish that you wish to preserve.

James

bandersen
07-14-2011, 11:55 AM
Thanks for the tips. I'll start with the least aggressive solvent and work my way up.

Nice little Motorola, shame we don't have early sets like these where I live.

I find turpentine useful for softening the adhesive on masking tape so that it can be removed. It doesn't harm most finishes but it would be wise to check first.

Funny thing is, the seller picked up the set in Ohio near as he could remember. I got it from him in the far western suburbs of Chicago. Now it's back to my place about two miles from from the old Motorola plant where it was made :)

Seems like SOMEBODY was making "replacement" masks for these-I THINK I've seen 'em on The E Place.. Every one of these I've seen has had that problem...

Yes, renovatedrdios.com has them. He was lucky enough to find a mask in good enough condition to make a mold. He actually has reproduction VT71 knobs as well :)

My Motorola book has the 7F8 schematic but the 6KV caps are large tubulars under the chassis but not in the usual place. Those don't appear to be oil caps. That's the first time I noticed no fine tuning. That must have driven the owner a bit nuts as drift occured during warmup. My Sears B/W has a number of 7F8's also. LOVE the CRT connectors!
Can't wait to hear of the progress on this one!

Here's a link to the Early Television Foundation's scan (http://www.earlytelevision.org/images/motorola-vt71-rider-tv1.pdf) of this set in Rider's vol 1.

Which Sears set do you have ? I picked up a Silvertone 8132 a while back and it's like nothing I've ever seen before inside - bunch of octals, dual push button tuner...

Wow, I just noticed the 6kv caps mounted above the chassis!
Never seen that before either.

I have a channel one VT-71 with no fine tuning and I don't think it has those either, I'll have to take a look.

That has to be a very early one.
I wonder if they moved those caps because they found out having 6KV above the chassis was a bad idea? :yes:

Careful when you reach in to change out a tube!

Electronic M
07-14-2011, 02:11 PM
Today 05:13 AM
Sandy G Seems like SOMEBODY was making "replacement" masks for these-I THINK I've seen 'em on The E Place.. Every one of these I've seen has had that problem...
Then would you like to see my blond TS-4H It's original unobtainium mask is still good.:thmbsp::banana:

I'll have to visit renovated radios as some of my knobs are missing, not to mention the back.

Tom C.

Komet
07-14-2011, 02:53 PM
Very nice find!

bandersen
07-14-2011, 05:33 PM
Then would you like to see my blond TS-4H It's original unobtainium mask is still good.:thmbsp::banana:

I'll have to visit renovated radios as some of my knobs are missing, not to mention the back.

Tom C.

The mask in my blond set was in pretty good condition too. Not deformed at all, just a bit crunchy

Very nice find!

Thanks!

I found the time today to pull the chassis. It looks like it's complete.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6016/5937793019_7cf70607c0_z.jpg http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6018/5938349496_989ca720a6_z.jpg

Here's the HV coil. I like the primitive spot welded cover. Later versions were a single piece of stamped aluminum.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6018/5937827079_8a1c684c91_z.jpg http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6150/5938383838_173df011fb_z.jpg

As for the underside, it's somewhat different from later revisions. Here's a TS-4J for comparison.
The two large metal HV caps are for the horizontal deflection plates.

One thing I find odd is that this set has all plastic insulated wire. Every other TS-4 and TS-18 chassis I've worked on used cloth insulated wires :scratch2:
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6139/5938350160_e9b249d1e8_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70039806@N00/5938350160/) http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3480/3314746113_b3cbdba0fc_z.jpg

All the non HV caps are Solar "sealdtite" branded as Motorola. They don't look to be very "sealed tite" anymore ;)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6026/5938457226_fa811071df_z.jpg http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6128/5938466730_407fd806fd_z.jpg

pugs5061
07-14-2011, 05:58 PM
I noticed there aren't any "Do It Right" stickers on this one. You better be on the look out for factory mistakes!

pugs5061
07-14-2011, 05:58 PM
Great set by the way!

Sandy G
07-14-2011, 06:09 PM
That big orange doohickey is a selenium rectifier, ain't it ? They go out, too, usually makin' a very smelly mess when they do. Yeah, I'd say those caps have seen better days.

Eric H
07-14-2011, 06:57 PM
This just gets more interesting, have you found a date stamped on it anywhere?
Most of these do have one either on the back apron or on top somewhere.

HadYourPhil
07-14-2011, 07:34 PM
The first one sold was the TS-4B. The first one with fine tuning was the TS-4H. The last chassis in that run was the TS-4J, with an "early" and "late" version.
This comes from my Wallace's Telaides book. My set is a TS-4D.

bandersen
07-14-2011, 08:04 PM
I noticed there aren't any "Do It Right" stickers on this one. You better be on the look out for factory mistakes!

Roger that. The seller claimed it worked fine, but had lost the power cord so couldn't demonstrate it :rolleyes:

That big orange doohickey is a selenium rectifier, ain't it ? They go out, too, usually makin' a very smelly mess when they do. Yeah, I'd say those caps have seen better days.

Yep, there are two of them forming a voltage doubler right of the AC line.
I learned the hard way how bad these suckers smell when they let go. It's something you never forget!

This just gets more interesting, have you found a date stamped on it anywhere?
Most of these do have one either on the back apron or on top somewhere.

Nope, no dates anywhere. Yeah, I know what you mean though. All the other VT71s I've seen have a month and year.

I started putting together a little database form the sets I have seen.
Here's all I have so far.

It sure makes it seem likely that this set fits in nicely at the top of the list.

Can anyone else supply some serial #s and dates ?

TS-4 serial # 2425 (manufacture date: ??? )
TS-4D serial # 23149 (manufacture date: ???, 1948)
TS-4H serial # 45354 (manufacture date: July 26, 1948)
TS-4J serial # 52186 (manufacture date: Oct ??, ????)
TS-4J serial # 61454 (manufacture date: January, 5 1949)
TS-4J serial # 67607 (manufacture date: January 10, 1949)
TS-4J serial # 86923 (manufacture date: April 23, 1949)


The first one sold was the TS-4B. The first one with fine tuning was the TS-4H. The last chassis in that run was the TS-4J, with an "early" and "late" version.
This comes from my Wallace's Telaides book. My set is a TS-4D.

Do you know the serial number and date of your set ?
Yeah, I have that Telaides too. I found the TS-4 in Riders volume 1. There's an early and a late version. The late matches my chassis.

pugs5061
07-14-2011, 08:23 PM
Interesting, I have a TS18A serial number 338581 built on 11/29/49. I wonder if Motorola made 250,000 sets between the last one Bob listed and my set or if they started a new numbering system for every chassis type?

Eric H
07-14-2011, 08:30 PM
From a Timeline of Motorola History.
Their first set was made in 1947, more than 100,000 units were sold the first year.
If 2425 is the serial number it must be from the first week or two of production!

Eric H
07-14-2011, 08:37 PM
I just looked at my set with no fine tuning and channel 1 on the dial, it's chassis is Copper plated. It's serial# 23723 and it's a TS-4B or 4E can't quite make it out.

I have a bare chassis serial# 56000 something and it's a TS-4J, it has fine tuning.

I'm thinking yours is just a plain TS-4 with no suffix, just like it says on the label?

From your list above it looks like they were cranking out about 6000 of them a week in 1949!

bandersen
07-14-2011, 08:37 PM
OK, now I'm even more confused. I studied the Riders schematic more closely and my set is a combination of the TS-4 early and TS-4 late.

The TS-4 early has the big 0.03 mfd HV vertical caps and 6S8GT in the audio.
The TS-4 late has 0.005 mfd HV vertical caps and 6AL5 + 6SQ7 in the audio.

I have the big 0.03 mfd HV vertical caps and 6AL5 + 6SQ7 in the audio !

Also, thanks to your tips I was able to get the masking tape off :banana:
Window cleaner with alcohol and ammonia did a good job on most of it.
Then, alcohol on the residue. After that, Howard's RAF and Feed n' Wax.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6144/5938841256_7b70c31623.jpg http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6124/5938841452_5b13af5c0b.jpg http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6124/5938841686_2d1b3742c1.jpg http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6127/5938287473_05ce75db78.jpg

Not too shabby. Of course, all the dings, scratches and chips are still there, but it beats refinishing.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6027/5938287833_7db961a166_z.jpg

Notice it doesn't have any side caps near the control panel ? That's another difference I just discovered.
All the other VT71s I've seen had those caps that covers screws which hold on the front near the bottom like this.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3383/3485510414_77515981c4.jpg

However, in the set, the control panel is held on from behind by screws.
I think the earlier design is much nicer looking.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6030/5938337605_9f32611910.jpg

bandersen
07-14-2011, 08:39 PM
Interesting, I have a TS18A serial number 338581 built on 11/29/49. I wonder if Motorola made 250,000 sets between the last one Bob listed and my set or if they started a new numbering system for every chassis type?

That's the first 6 digit serial # I've come across. I bet by 1949 sales were pretty good.

From a Timeline of Motorola History.
Their first set was made in 1947, more than 100,000 units were sold the first year.
If 2425 is the serial number it must be from the first week or two of production!

I figured they sold many 100,000s of these sets overall. I wonder if the did restart the numbering with each revision as suggested. Maybe even every month ?

Glenz75
07-15-2011, 06:34 AM
Nice looking set Bob :) Underneath reminds me so much of the oddball TV that I'm currently working on, same solar caps and mica caps etc.. All very interesting...Cheers!

Zenith26kc20
07-15-2011, 10:17 AM
My Sears with the 7F8's is a big (read: HEAVY!) set with a row of vertical pushbuttons for a tuner. I had help putting it on a shelf up high and now need help getting it down (soon). I started on it a bit ago and got side tracked by work.
I am curious.... That Motorola has .03 capacitors in the vertical. My Motorolas have .005 in them. My Motorola book shows the underneath couplings in the place that yours are but does not show the top ones. If the chassis mount ones are 6KV, they must be insulated better than just a cardboard sleeve (?). I had to use ceramic disc capacitors the first time to get the correct voltage rating. It amazes me how many of these little sets survived. When I first got into TV these were already considered "unfixable" due to horizontal frequency problems. The owner of the shop where I worked at the time laughed when I adopted one. He said "you'll never get it working"! It still works today!
Keep us well posted on this one!

bandersen
07-15-2011, 11:55 AM
Nice looking set Bob :) Underneath reminds me so much of the oddball TV that I'm currently working on, same solar caps and mica caps etc.. All very interesting...Cheers!

Thanks. Yeah, they are strange little sets for sure. It's been a while since I work on one and my first impression when I saw this chassis was that there just aren't enough tubes :)

My Sears with the 7F8's is a big (read: HEAVY!) set with a row of vertical pushbuttons for a tuner. I had help putting it on a shelf up high and now need help getting it down (soon). I started on it a bit ago and got side tracked by work.
I am curious.... That Motorola has .03 capacitors in the vertical. My Motorolas have .005 in them. My Motorola book shows the underneath couplings in the place that yours are but does not show the top ones. If the chassis mount ones are 6KV, they must be insulated better than just a cardboard sleeve (?). I had to use ceramic disc capacitors the first time to get the correct voltage rating. It amazes me how many of these little sets survived. When I first got into TV these were already considered "unfixable" due to horizontal frequency problems. The owner of the shop where I worked at the time laughed when I adopted one. He said "you'll never get it working"! It still works today!
Keep us well posted on this one!

Ah, that does look just like my Silvertone 8132. Yes, very heavy! Also very weird and cool design. I picked mine up a few months ago and haven't touched it yet. I'm really itching too, but am determined to stay focused and finish off some projects first.

The 0.03 caps are metal cans with the can as one side of the caps and a single lead coming out of one end. So, yeah, the whole can is at a high potential. The cardboard sleeve is about 1/16" thick.

The horizontal caps also have a metal jacket, but one HV lead comes out of each end and the can floats.

bandersen
07-15-2011, 03:12 PM
I almost forgot the best part, the 7JP4 tests very good :D The life test is rock solid too.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6013/5938352596_ff0b9240c0.jpg http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6026/5937795713_55a02c2c72.jpg

mbates14
07-15-2011, 10:26 PM
looking forward to the restoration of it, and youtube videos.

bandersen
07-15-2011, 10:42 PM
looking forward to the restoration of it, and youtube videos.

It's uploading right now :D

Sandy G
07-16-2011, 10:01 PM
Wonder if anyone at Motorola, Admiral, et al ever thought people would STILL be "Fussin'" over these things 65 years later ?!?

mbates14
07-17-2011, 08:34 AM
I doubt it, but then again, who knows, they may be part of the modern age and use computers now? and see this stuff?

bandersen
07-17-2011, 04:59 PM
It's too dang hot to do any soldering in my workshop so I'll do a little cabinet work. Although I did just use some Howard's products on it and it looks OK, I decided to go a step further, but not strip it.

Unlike the other VT71s I've worked on, this one doesn't have a control panel with metal tabs on the ends. Rather it's held on from behind.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6022/5947559107_c3cc234ff2_z.jpg

Nice and gooey :) It's still doing a decent job of supporting the CRT though so I'll leave it in place until I can get a reproduction from Renovated Radios.

I suppose I could unmount the CRT, but it's a pain to remount them. I'll just put some newspaper over the face to protect it.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6141/5948114322_9a2b99f2de_z.jpg

First, I very lightly sanded down the old finish to get rid of the worst of the alligatoring. Then applied 5 layers of sanding sealer with more sanding between each layer. My goal is to fill in all the defects while preserving the color.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6005/5947580977_cdcaa95462_z.jpg

As for the control panel, I'll sand off what remains of the old decals and replace them. I have a nice set of repro. decals from Radiodaze, but the channel lineup isn't quite right.

On the left is a set I made a while back for a blonde set using an inkjet printer and special water slide decal paper. I figure I can carefully cutup the gold set to get the channels #s right.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6132/5947559725_4bffb29d81_z.jpg[/url]

Zenith26kc20
07-20-2011, 11:00 AM
This set is fascinating to me. I spent a good bit of time looking over my Motorola service book on the TS-4's the last few days and no pictures of the .03 caps on top of the board are shown or mentioned.
Also, unless I missed someting, no .03 mfd's are listed in the sweep circuits. One variation does show a .0005 horizontal coupling. The high voltage cage is pictured correctly as well as no fine tuning. All of my TS-4's have fine tuning.
Keep us informed. I want to see this one play!

bandersen
07-20-2011, 12:34 PM
Mine is a cross between the TS-4 early and late found in Riders Vol #1. You can download a scan from the Early Television Foundation (http://www.earlytelevision.org/images/motorola-vt71-rider-tv1.pdf).

I wonder if those 0.03 caps could still be good ? I think they're oil filled and those tend to last a long time. I also really want to retain the original look and they don't look easy to rebuild.

If I do need to replace them, I'd like to get some nice ASC caps like I used in my Hallicrafters. They are 0.022 mfd @ 6,000v caps from Allied Electronics. Not quite 0.03 but they worked fine.
Sadly, they're out of stock of just about all ASC HV caps :(

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4543616939_c643bfcf2b.jpg

bandersen
08-03-2011, 12:01 AM
I'm just about done with the cabinet. One of the last tasks was to apply the decals.

These were fairly easy.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6021/6003880651_97ff0a6ce3.jpg

Now for the tricky part - cutting them up for the channel #1 lineup.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6016/6004426398_38d229807b.jpg


http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6005/6004426616_fd45fedae4.jpg

Here they after a few coats of lacquer. The 7 and 5-6 are slight askew, but I doubt most folks will notice.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6134/6004500122_bf1d5ef5e1.jpg

kvflyer
08-03-2011, 08:44 AM
Looks good Bob as usual. I have 5 of these little guys. So far, I have only restored one of them. Don't remember the version but it doesn't have channel 1. Another one that I have is a blonde cabinet. Still sitting in queue. And another one has channel 1 but one of the coils below was physically damaged. I have an 8" Motorola, can't remember the number that may well become a donor chassis. The CRT tests excellent as well. All in all, most of my 7JP4 tubes are adequate with two rather weak but not dead.

I especially like the decals that you came up with!

bandersen
08-19-2011, 09:55 PM
Time to tackle the old, melted CRT mask. Most of it peeled away. I then used water and a small brush to work the rest loose.

Yummy :yuck:
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6071/6060963492_6c5116209d_z.jpg http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6088/6060410835_6b7251069b_z.jpg


Here's the new reproduction mask installed.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6081/6060411029_b9a511df12_z.jpg

The original brown paint had mostly flaked off the bottom. I recently read a tip that the Rustoleum "camouflage" series works well for cabinet bottoms, backs and insides.
First, I removed the feet and masked off the cabinet and label.
Then, sealed it with shellac and sprayed on a couple light coats. It's very flat and I think looks pretty good.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6183/6060411315_9b2d72ef1d_z.jpg http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6185/6060432307_513f0bd590_z.jpg

The rest of the cabinet is just about done too. I think one more round of 1000 grit sanding and a final coat of semi-gloss lacquer will do it.

What I did was patch the veneer chips and lightly sand the top layer of the old finish. Then fill in the voids with lacquer sanding sealer. Finally, put on a few coast of semi-gloss lacquer. My goal was to retain the original patina, but fix up the biggest flaws and protect it.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6190/6060997136_9a2e8bd922_z.jpg http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6084/6060985032_d79db10ef8_z.jpg http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6079/6061034476_51dce4b223_z.jpg

If you're wondering why the remote controls to the right are upside down - it's so they don't scratch my vintage coffee table :)

mbates14
08-19-2011, 11:10 PM
If you're wondering why the remote controls to the right are upside down - it's so they don't scratch my vintage coffee table :)

LOL and here you are working with a TV on top of it. lol. :banana:

bandersen
08-19-2011, 11:21 PM
True, but I do have a towel under it :) Plus I'm not really doing much work on it in this room - it's just a good area to take photos.
Those plastic remotes banging down on the table again and again and sliding around are really rough on the lacquer finish.

miniman82
08-20-2011, 12:54 AM
Ask me how I know you're never gonna have kids, Bob. :D

kvflyer
08-20-2011, 08:29 AM
...

If you're wondering why the remote controls to the right are upside down - it's so they don't scratch my vintage coffee table :)

Bob,

Looks great. I have used water to get that nasty old gasket off too. I found that info a few years ago either here or on ARF. You have more tenacity than I.

As as to the remotes, I do the same thing whilst they are sitting on the bed so that the buttons do not get pushed by the cats...

TheNixer
08-22-2011, 03:32 PM
Wonder if anyone at Motorola, Admiral, et al ever thought people would STILL be "Fussin'" over these things 65 years later ?!?

My answer is a big NO. I nearly stalked the relatives of Ross Siragusa (Admiral) for some history and even some old photos. I think they were happy to have the interest in the beginning but other than a PDF of Siragusa's life there wasn't much else. Including interest. Craftsmanship and design in the 40's blows away today's standards but the motive was the same. If they didn't make money they wouldn't survive tomorrow. There didn't seem to be much sentimentality to it. Models were always changing and everything moved along at a fantastic pace.

I'd love to know what within us makes us appreciate these old sets. I'm the only person I know in my day to day life that prefers and enjoys my '49 Motorola over an LG 52" HD TV.

old_coot88
08-23-2011, 10:14 AM
I'd love to know what within us makes us appreciate these old sets. I'm the only person I know in my day to day life that prefers and enjoys my '49 Motorola over an LG 52" HD TV.
It's a touchstone to something intrinsically and quintessentially American, designed and created by Americans, representing America at the zenith of her greatness. I get the same feeling you describe looking through the 'Popular Science'/'Popular Mechanics' genre of magazines from that era of when i was a kid.
Bill(oc)

kx250rider
08-23-2011, 11:07 AM
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 3
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If someone were to offer up a rare TV for the show, can we be assured that a vintage electronics expert would be on hand to guide the project? With all due respect, and I am a fan of the show; I was a bit disappointed in the restoration of the Thunderbolt Air Raid Siren. I collect and restore air raid sirens as well as vintage TVs and radios, and although the physical restoration of the sheet metal was excellent, the siren was incomplete (missing the entire Roots blower, motor and housing, and the RCM cabinet and controls), and this was not explained in the show. I understand that the watching public might not be aware nor care of those details, but I would venture to guess that most owners of vintage TV sets would want to be assured that if you took on a project like a TV, that you would be sure to keep correctness and completeness as priorities.

Charles

kx250rider
08-23-2011, 11:10 AM
Wait a minute: How'd my reply go in the wrong thread?

kvflyer
08-23-2011, 03:39 PM
Wait a minute: How'd my reply go in the wrong thread?


I dunno!

Anyway, why do I have 5 of these sets? Well, I remember one being in basement when I was a kid. Dad worked on sets and I just remembered how cute it was! Fast forward, One of the ones that I have is now restored and works well. I still have 4 in queue. One is a blonde cabinet and one has channel 1. So, I guess I am like the rest of us that just wants these little guys...

http://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=144209

Eric H
08-23-2011, 07:29 PM
Wait a minute: How'd my reply go in the wrong thread?

Possibly because I deleted that post as SPAM?

KentTeffeteller
08-23-2011, 09:47 PM
Sandy G,

If I recall correctly, the first TV station you could easily receive was WBTV in Charlotte, NC. Which signed on before the debut of WJHL-TV in 1953. The difficulty of reception and the expense of the early TV sets limited their acceptance when the VT 71 was first built.

bandersen
05-07-2013, 08:54 PM
I was rearranging my VT71s and took the opportunity to snap some photos of all three side by side. The blonde is a work in progress and it's logo and CRT have been removed.

Left-to-right: Very early version with walnut cabinet, mahogany and blonde

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8533/8701916003_58c3a75494_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70039806@N00/8701916003/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8137/8703037682_4a9b89d2b5_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70039806@N00/8703037682/)

ChrisW6ATV
06-04-2014, 01:49 AM
Bob-

Here are my serial numbers and dates of my two VT-71s. The older one is not marked TS-4D after all.

Walnut
#5782
January 30, 1948
Steel chassis

Blond
TS-4D
#24874
March 30, 1948
Copper chassis

On both of mine, the bottom control with the metal cap is called "audio adjust".

I am going to start restoring the walnut one now. It does have the round discs on the lower sides near the front. (I thought it was mahogany until I looked at your three pictures. I am very poor at recognizing wood types.) I had bought a restored VT-71 cabinet on Ebay a number of years ago, and it is definitely mahogany, comparing to your three sets. Now, I guess I have an excuse to find a third one of these (one of each finish).

ChrisW6ATV
06-04-2014, 02:28 AM
My walnut set's cabinet shows the 7F8 tube, but the chassis itself does not have one, it appears, but rather a miniature tube (another 6AG5?).

I am going to restore the blond TS-4D now instead, I decided. Its cabinet is in very nice condition with good decals, so maybe its CRT will be strong if I am lucky. Around 1980, I had it partially working, but that was before I knew I needed to replace every paper capacitor. I remember that I put 6000V disc capacitors in it; those will be replaced again with some ASCs that I already bought.

bandersen
06-04-2014, 02:43 PM
That should be a 12AT7 tube. Should like you might have a mismatched cabinet and chassis.

I'm curious to see of photo of that walnut cabinet. I've only seen two ever in walnut - mine and the TS-4B on ebay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1940s-Motorola-VT-71-Table-Top-7-TV-Very-Early-TS-4B-Channel-1-/231248127775). Neither have the side plugs.

ChrisW6ATV
06-06-2014, 12:19 AM
I will take pictures of it, along with my mahogany empty cabinet, and post them in the next few days.