Got a new old radio! GE 210

[TUD1]

I took the plunge and joined my local Historical Radio Society.(Alabama Historical Radio Society) I will be working one on one with gentlemen who have been doing radio restorations for years. I took the Philco in, and they gave me two options: Find a new chassis, or part it out. I obviously was not too enthusiastic about the latter, so I will try my best to look for a new chassis. They said I butchered it when I made a futile attempt at recapping it. But I digress. The first time I went to the meeting, I was taken to the "Annex" or the dungeon where members are free to search for free restoration projects. I do need some advice on making the plastic (not bakelite) cabinet shinier. I will be getting professional help restoring this one. The radio shown is not mine, mine is still waiting for repair at the next meeting.

[Electronic M]

I think the advice they gave you on the Philco is BS. Unless you cooked an RF or IF transformer, or destroyed the tuning capacitor, bandswitch, or dial there are no other parts on that chassis that can not be cheaply and easily bought. There are some people who are frankly TOO LAZY to bother dealing with a set that has had messy and possibly error filled work done to it.

If I had time, the schematic(though I probably do have a copy somewhere), and the parts I mentioned were good and unmolested then I could make that set work even if you clipped half of the unmentioned parts out and threw them away...It can be a drag to do it, but once you've pieced together a good working 20's era set from 2-3 as I have done(more than once) it becomes easier.

If the elmers you have are lazy your best bet is to teach your self restoration on an easy set. Go for a single band AM AA5 or low tube count transformer powered set with LOTS of room between the tubes and cans above chassis as that is usually a good indicator of an open under chassis layout, and avoid late 30's and 40's Zenith and Philco sets (the rubber wiring they used is a b!tch to deal with even if you're used to it).
Start by tracing every line in the schematic and identifying every part in the schematic(the schematic is your road map and the better you are at reading it and following it the easier finding wiring errors becomes), then once you are comfortable with that replace the electrolytics and paper capacitors one at a time doing a test power up after each one(if the set could be powered up safely before the recap).

Once you have successfully done a few easier sets and are good at following a schematic revisit that Philco and scrutinize all your old work for errors (such as connecting a wire or part to the wrong place) and look for problems in untouched areas that you could have possibly caused...Such as dripping solder on a tube socket and shorting two pins together disturbing a rubber wire such that the insulation crumbled and allowed it to short to something.

Keep in mind that Philco set has VERY dense under chassis wiring and sets like those can be challenging even to experienced restorers.

[bandersen]

Cool! I have a 210 too and the wood 212 version. Novus #2 plastic polish works great on the cabinet.

You can read my restoration thread here: http://www.videokarma.org/showthread.php?t=249398

Or watch a YouTube series here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_4G...110273927A25E1

Good luck!

Pardon the mess - this was taken just after I unpacked it.

[DavGoodlin]

Originally Posted by TUD1

I took the plunge and joined my local Historical Radio Society.(Alabama Historical Radio Society) I will be working one on one with gentlemen who have been doing radio restorations for years. I took the Philco in, and they gave me two options: Find a new chassis, or part it out. I obviously was not too enthusiastic about the latter, so I will try my best to look for a new chassis. They said I butchered it when I made a futile attempt at recapping it. But I digress. The first time I went to the meeting, I was taken to the "Annex" or the dungeon where members are free to search for free restoration projects. I do need some advice on making the plastic (not bakelite) cabinet shinier. I will be getting professional help restoring this one. The radio shown is not mine, mine is still waiting for repair at the next meeting.

Yah, I heard that from an older auto-body restorer about my 1967 Grand Prix Convertible. Like you can find them anywhere! I said "it just needs a trunk floor and quarter panels, AND THE FRAME IS EVEN SOLID"

The gentleman that told you that is still in "they're everywhere and cheap" mindset most were spoiled in during the 60s.
I say you will find the parts to do it right, dont give up after hearing one opinion..

I like those GE sets, something special about them, comfy-cozy new England look.

[TUD1]

It was a very successful day at the AHRS. The day bugun with doughnuts, brownies, and a tutorial on radio circuits. Then, President Tom and Marvin (a WWII Vet) used the HP tone generator to run a tone through the AM circuit. At the end of the day, we replaced 4 wax capacitors in the AM audio circuit, and VOILA. The AM is back. We only had FM before, and the AM was totally dead. Next time, I will look for the proper knobs and screws and work on polishing the cabinet.

[N8NM]

Like others have said, don't give up on the Philco, particularly since, if I recall from your earlier thread, it has sentimental value.

It's not a complicated radio, but as previously mentioned, the tight chassis isn't terribly easy to work on. Set it aside, get more practice, experience and confidence and come back to it when you're ready. Since it's by no means a rare radio, even if you need something (eg: transformer) otherwise unobtainable, you can find a parts set to scavange. Many members of the radio club are going to have vast quantities of junkers... Chances are that, in time, you will, too, which is a blessing and a curse (cuz you gotta find room for the stuff.)

There's nothing like the feeling of getting a radio (or TV) going after it's kicked your butt for a while!

[TUD1]

I am going to a look for a new chassis for it. I believe the 41-226 "sled" has the same chassis. I have seen a few sleds here and there. The AHRS has more knobs, tubes, capacitors and equipment than you can shake a stick at. And by joining, you get access to those parts. About finding room for radios, I have shelving going around the perimeter of my bedroom. So antique radio storage should not be a problem.

[Jeffhs]

It's interesting to me how the dial scales on this radio are laid out. The FM scale takes up almost 180 degrees of the circular dial plate, while the AM scale is crowded together on the lower half of the plate. I wonder what GE had in mind. I would think that, with all that space on the dial, the AM band would have been spread out every bit as much as is the FM.

[N8NM]

They both tune over about 180 degs, it's hard to capture in a photo 'cuz the dial is somewhat concave and the lense convex causing reflections to obscure some of it.

[willy3486]

Ha Ha Ha a challenge,bring it on. Seriously I quit listening to the negative crowd years ago. I just got a RCA 65x1 going last weekend. It came from someone who had tinkered and gave up on it. They got the IF transformers all screwed up. Here is a partial list of what I did/found out.
All tubes good but

Tuning cap came apart, the tuner rod came loose and popped out from the set screw.

One IF transformer slug was so screwed up I had to make the opening larger just to turn it.

The volume control was shot, no resistance. I had a spare I put it but it was too short, I cut enough off the bad control and soldered it to the tip of the working one then filed it so the knob would fit. Some wiring was put back on wrong by PO.

Most the the wire the rubber on it was rotted so most wires replaced.

The chassis was probably 50% rusted.

The antenna coil had a rotted, molded back that disintegrated. I made a new back and glued the coil on it.

The dial scale on the chassis was rusted and had to be repainted.

All caps replaced.

Thats all I remember I did to it. But the thing is I could have said it was junk but I was challenged to get it going. I continued until I got it going. Like others have said it probably can be fixed and a lot of parts can be found. If it can be fixed or not depends more on if you are willing to keep trying to fix it and less on someone saying it can't. If it can't be fixed in the long run at least you tried and hopefully learned some stuff you can apply to future projects. I have been restoring old radios for years and I learn something new all the time.

[AlTinkster92]

Beautiful radio!

[StellarTV]

I have had great success bringing out a high luster on plastic parts using a benchtop buffing motor with a loose leaf cotton buff and a stick of plastic polishing compound. Also works great for buffing out brass and other metal pieces with different buffing wheels and compounds.