'56 Hoffman Color-caster - Page 3 - Videokarma.org TV - Video

kx250rider · #1 01-01-2010, 10:42 AM

What a great job at cleaning!!!! I know how much work that is, and especially if that one had the heavy waxy greasy coating on the PC boards.

Charles

Ralph S · #2 01-01-2010, 11:58 AM

There is no doubt in my mind that this is the CTC-5U (deluxe chassis) designed and manufactured by RCA. The boards are the same, the wire runs are the same, the fuse locations are the same, the HV cage and control locations are the same and the date stamp on the plastic CRT shroud is identical in style and ink "slop" to my CTC-5U. In fact, the two chassis were made within a few weeks of each other! Hoffman obviously bought the naked guts from RCA and packaged them in their own cabinet. This set should be a beauty when its been recapped and brought up to snuff!

*zenithfan1* · #3 01-01-2010, 12:44 PM

You did an excellent job on that! Those boards are sucky to clean. The dark spots on the bottom of the board is "tube scorch" Be really careful when removing or installing tubes in those sockets as the board can crack. It's best to squirt a small amount of deoxit under the tube to loosen it up if it's tight in a socket on a burned board. The tube wiggles right out with no stress on the brittle parts. You have a great set, I look forward to seeing it work.

David Roper · #4 01-02-2010, 02:48 AM

The anode is in the tube, the wire with the suction cup on the end is the HV lead. I can't quite tell from that picture, but I have to wonder if the insulating sleeve used to go though the cage opening and has slipped down from where it's supposed to be.

*zenithfan1* · #5 01-02-2010, 09:35 AM

Good luck on getting it done. Be careful with that cabinet, it has a printed finish on it. Stripping it would be a big no-no. I think touching it up and matching the color is about all that can be done with these types of "finishes". I have a CTC9 Anniversary model that has a finish almost the same color as yours and I have to hide all it's blemishes. I'm practicing my theories on non-important stuff first.

Cruiseomatic · #6 01-02-2010, 10:02 AM

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Cruiseomatic · #7 01-03-2010, 03:16 PM

Got the cabinet as good as I can get it right now. Its not perfect but I think it will please someone on here. I have some pictures of it. I think it looks good.

What has me worried is that screen surround has residue coming off like auto paint does when it gets old and begins to oxidize when you apply a rubbing compound or something. Edit;Well when I moved it more paint came off now its fading badly and went from gray before water hit it to light gray with white mixed in. The actual white in the middle needs work too.
I thought about masking areas off and re-painting them to original colors, If only I knew what they we're. Such as what shade white or gray they used. Other then that the cabinet looks pretty good.

Let me know what ya'll think.

*zenithfan1* · #8 01-03-2010, 03:36 PM

It looks great! Did you try the OxyClean on the speaker cloth? It looks brighter and cleaner. Good work!

sampson159 · #9 01-03-2010, 05:40 PM

looks good.the cabinet can be touched up very nicely with a detail brush and some dark shellac.use an artists brush and do it by hand,painstaking but worth the effort.i have done this many times with very good results.do not strip this.it is good enough to do a simple touch up on.i am glad to see how nice this cleaned up.

Cruiseomatic · #10 01-03-2010, 06:50 PM

I did a light vacuum and light oxy-clean and another vacuum. Looks alot better. On the cabinet though,I cleaned as well as I could get,Lots of Old English polish and some TLC detail. Now on the left side is a small hole in it and like can be seen in the pictures,parts of veneer broken off. But I'm slowly getting it. Monday the chassis is getting "New" life. I say new in quotes because It could end up with new but original style wax/paper caps back in it. They are new because they were never used once. Might have good shelf life,Don't know. We'll see. I also heard Sprague, The ones who made Orange Drops went belly up. Is this fact or fiction?
Thanks for the help guys. As ya'll can see it really is being taken to heart and applied. If I could get the screen surround painted then all I'd be waiting on is the chassis. Is that just a normal gray and white or is it a special shade?

Carmine · #11 01-03-2010, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cruiseomatic

If I could get the screen surround painted then all I'd be waiting on is the chassis. Is that just a normal gray and white or is it a special shade?

I'm sure the gray is a metallic. Take it to a professional auto paint jobber, they should have lacquer in a can for $5-7 that would be a very close match.

Cruiseomatic · #12 01-03-2010, 07:27 PM

After alot of brushing and TLC It went from this:

To this:

Charlie · #13 01-03-2010, 10:53 PM

You say you might be re-capping this set with NOS paper/wax caps? That might not be a wise move. Even if these caps weren't previously used, they likely won't hold up for very long. Paper/wax caps weren't the greatest even when they were new... and they don't get better with age. If you want to keep the chassis looking original, you should restuff the old caps with new ones.

Cruiseomatic · #14 01-03-2010, 11:32 PM

How does one "Re-stuff" old caps and electrolytics?
Steve, On the knobs that one that broke inside went back together really nice and now you can not even tell it happened.

miniman82 · #15 01-04-2010, 02:59 AM

Definitely get rid of the nasty old caps, even the Micamold ones: trust me on that one!

Restuffing article: http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl...ntage&n=171603