[Dubis7]

Hi all,

While I'm waiting on a tube to come in for my RCA television, I decided to get to work on a project I've been itching to do for awhile. This is an oddball radio, an FM only set from 1949 or 1950, if I've understood the schematic correctly.

I'm in the midst of replacing some crumbled wiring, and planning to start on the paper and electrolytic capacitor replacement soon. I had to order a new resistor and 1N4004 diode to replace the sand resistor (I think that's what it's called? It's powdery) and the silicone rectifier (I had already ordered the dropping resistor for that, but apparently ran out of diodes, go figure.)

Anyway, I had some questions about the tuner. I was in the midst of replacing the broken dial string, which is quite possibly the worst part of radio restoration I've ever experienced, when I noticed that the rubber mounting grommets under the tuner are deceased. I actually believe I have rubber grommets that will fit in those slots, but I can't wrap my head around this tuner. Apparently it's not a variable capacitor - the schematic lists it as two distinct variable coils. They have these long posts that go above the tuner, and what appears to be a masonite board glued onto the posts connecting them to each other. The glue has failed, and while I can see where the board is supposed to go, it's basically free floating, though I can't slide it off without removing the glue further. The coils seem to move together just fine without that linkage, and I'm not seeing where this is an electrical connection, but I'm at a loss as to what exactly I'm looking at. That's not to mention the bizarre roller setup to move the coils - it has two cylinders, but only one seems to rotate while the other just helps to keep the posts in place.

Is anyone familiar with this kind of tuner design? Am I going to find myself in adjustment hell if I mark where this board is supposed to sit, pull it off, replace the grommets, and glue it back in place? Also, if anyone is familiar with it, are there any recommended points to grease/oil/contact clean?