Heathkit GR-53A color TV

[DaveWM]

yep that is the RCA type, not gooey green (like jelly really).

if you can dig out big chucks and its relatively pliable, then you will need to wait for a very hot day, let it sit out in the sun and start in with the clothspin wedges. very gently is the key just let slight pressure do the work. it can take a while but you will see finger shadows develop reaching inward, just go back and gently tap in a little more and then walk away. If you can I would let it soak for a couple weeks just to make it a bit easier.

[StellarTV]

Strange that the tag on that tube seems to indicate that it 'employs integral implosion protection' which is what I believed to be the metal band which surrounds most of the later square CRTs. Never seen a tag where the 'integral implosion protection' sticker implicates a bonded faceplate.

[marty59]

That's an RCA tube, they used that label in the mounting band area.

[Ralph S]

News update: Last night I placed the tube on sponge rubber and toweling atop a lazy-Susan bearing which made it possible to rotate the tube as I injected distilled water containing a few drops of dish detergent to aid wetting. Using medical syringes, the injections were spaced about 1 inch apart and went in about an inch in the resin between the safety glass and the tube face. On average I was able to get in 1 to 2 CCs of liquid in each position. By the time I was finished getting around the circumference, I was able to easily remove almost an inch wide strip of resin from completely around the tube. I then soaked the tube overnight up to just above the gap between the safety glass and the tube face in the same solution. This morning I decided it probably wasn't necessary to waste a lot of water filling a tub, but rather simply keep the gap filled with liquid and refill it as needed. We'll see how this works. So far, so good.

The resin in this tube doesn't seem to be as rock hard as DaveWM described in some of the tubes he worked on, but I bet that exposure to air promoted hardening when the clear edge tape was removed and the time between removal and water application could be measured in hours or days. In this case, the water application was pretty soon after tape removal. This is pure conjecture on my part. Thoughts anyone?

[DaveWM]

I have had them both ways some times its rock hard others its some what rubbery, no idea why. the rock hard is impervious to heated wire (I tried a red hot SS wire from a variac foam cutting bow, did not even faze it). They are the ones that need the long term soaking the most, it causes the hard stuff to soften up to the rubbery state.

If you decide to use a large round garbage can (typical to hold it face up) make sure its a strong can and that its both well supported and will not fail from heat itself (buddy of mine did this and the can got soft and let the CRT fall out as it crumpled from the heat).

Good idea to perform the removal over soft grass unless you are going to stand by it for however long it takes. I would typically walk away for 15-30 min at a time between taps of the wood wedges.

Every tube will be different some easy some not, the worse the cat the better. as its only the clear part that is really stuck to the CRT.

[Electronic M]

I've found that one of the big ~5 gallon hardware store water buckets will work well for roundy tubes and 23" viewable tubes and often have enough room to hold all the neck hardware and convergence board(which I leave on my tubes when doing a cataract removal if I had them adjusted properly before the job). As long as no kids, animals, idiots, high winds are present you generally do not have to worry about it tipping over.

[ChrisW6ATV]

For the one (so far) cataract removal I did, I bought an old-fashioned metal garbage can to hold the CRT. I also put one or more cinder blocks or other bricks in the bottom before the CRT went in.

I did that CRT using the heat-gun method, but had the tube sitting in the sun face down a while to get the whole thing warm before it went into the can.

[Rod Beauvex]

I know the thread is kind of stale now, but here is a picture of the set from the 1967 catalog.

VK shrunk the pic, I have a bigger copy.

http://www41.zippyshare.com/v/73419121/file.html

[ChrisW6ATV]

Thank you for posting that catalog page, Rod.

It sure would be nice to build one of those today!

[Rod Beauvex]

Sounds like a scary prospect. I find the inside of my Pioneer SX-82 to be scary enough. Aye, the things we actually used to plug in. :p

Personally, I'd rather have the GR 295, sold in the 67 - ? catalogs. Or the later GR-2000, which I always though sounded impressive.

I made a (now corrected) mistake. I clipped that from the 1967 catalog, not the 1958. I don't even think Heath had a set in 58, but I've not looked at the catalogs lately.

[Ralph S]

Latest news: Over this past weekend I took advantage of unusually warm weather here in CA and decided to go for it: i.e., to perform the de-cat operation! It turned out to be faster and easier than I had expected. The tube had been soaked for about 3 weeks and the access to insert the wedges (door jam shims and paint stirrers) was very easy. The tube was positioned in a padded galvanized steel, 14 gallon garbage can face up and the wedges inserted. I kept a kitchen timer going and every 1/2 hr. tapped the wedges where need to keep them just tight. About 1 hour in, I went to make another tap, but the safety glass had already popped and was free to remove. The temperature at the face of the tube was close to 120 degrees as measured with a common thermometer. The PVA layer was easy to remove and any residue was removed with soap and water. GoofOff aided desolving any remaining small spots left of the PVA. The reassembly of the safety glass to the CRT faceplate was straight forward and all was completed in about 2 1/2 hours.

The following day I reinstalled the CRT in the chassis and fired it up. I had put marks on the neck of the tube for the placement of the yoke, convergence assembly, etc., which made it very easy to get back to a starter picture. I did a quick purity and convergence, etc., and the pictures below show you what the results are as of this moment. I'll give it another convergence once-over after the set is in its cabinet. I think it coming back very well for a set that's 60 years old!

[DaveWM]

wow that looks great!!

on the removal process as the glass starts to let go it accelerates and the contract point will shrink rater quickly until its about the size of a quarter, then it will "pop" and the lens will literally pop up.

Nice job

[Dangler]

That has a great picture. I've seen modern sets that don't look that good.

[old_tv_nut]

Holy Moses, that looks great!

[Ralph S]

Ok, this is my last (?) message re the Heathkit GR-53A, it's also a reply to Kevin Kuehn who wanted to see the set in its cabinet.... Well here are two photos of the set in its cabinet with and without doors open. Where did that cabinet come from, Kevin? A plugged nickel to the first person to get it right.