RCA Non-Bonded Safety Glass removal?

[Kevin Kuehn]

What’s the trick to remove the brass trim that holds a non-bonded safety glass in an RCA CTC-10 cabinet? And is it the top or bottom piece that comes out? Thanks

[ChrisW6ATV]

From my RCA Field Service Guide:

-Some models have a flat metal trim at the top of the cabinet in front of the safety glass. To remove the safety glass, remove the seven screws holding the trim, tilt the glass outward at the top and lift up and out of the bottom channel.

-All other models have a "U" shaped channel in front of the top edge of the safety glass. To remove the safety glass, pry off the top channel starting at the extreme ends. Insert the blade of a small screwdriver in one of the vertical slots in the middle of a retainer at the top of the safety glass. Slide the bar to the right to release the retainer. Tilt the glass outward at the top and lift up and out of the bottom channel.

Does that help?

[Kevin Kuehn]

Thanks, Chris

I do have that same book/directions.

The ends will pull down, but I can't get them to release, so I'm afraid of bending the metal channel. I guess I don't understand the holding mechanism inside that strip. Not sure if I should be prying downward, or outward on that brass channel.

[Phil Nelson]

Let me know if you figure it out. The bottom piece on my CTC-7 glass bezel has some minor dents, so I was thinking of swapping the top & bottom pieces.

I wonder if you need to remove the CRT and work from inside. There's nothing on the front that resembles "vertical slots in the middle of a retainer at the top of the safety glass," unless that's revealed after you remove the channel.

Phil Nelson

[Kevin Kuehn]

LOL! Guess I’m not the only one that’s too chicken to use brute force. I took the directions to mean that the center retainer releases the glass after the fact that the channel is removed. I really doubt the CRT needs to come out; Can't imagine going through all the CRT convergence and purity just to clean the glass.

[ohohyodafarted]

John Folsom and I wrestled over this issue a few months back on a ctc7 set. Neither one of us could figure out how to remove the glass without removing the crt from the back side and taking all the trim appart. It appeared that if we were able to remove the trim at the top of the glass, there was a high likelyhood that the trim would get bent or damaged in the process.

If there is a way to do this without destrouing the retaining strip at the top of the glass, I would shure like to know how you did it. It does not seem possible to remove the trim without damaging it. But a person would have to asssume that RCA must have provided a method to get the safety glass off so a person could clean the inside, without removing the crt and all associated hardware.

Has anybody actualy done this from the front and if so what is the trick????

[Kevin Kuehn]

I figured it out.

First, you want to roll the brass U trim outward from the top edge, while pushing up on it from below. I found a putty knife works well for this, something narrow will dent the wood. You need to lift it off those tabs along the top the retainers.

Next, slide the outside of the retainer mechanism to the right, then fold the retainer outward from the slots behind (they fold in the center). There are two retainers, left and right of the CRT center.

Be ready to catch the safety glass when you remove that second retainer. Mine about fell forward into my lap before I realized it was moving.

The bottom trim looks to be the same U channel as the top, I have not figured out how it's retained. It's holding mechanism seems different than the top.

[Kevin Kuehn]

Originally Posted by Phil Nelson

Let me know if you figure it out. The bottom piece on my CTC-7 glass bezel has some minor dents, so I was thinking of swapping the top & bottom pieces.

Finally got the bottom trim off.

The bottom trim comes off a little different than the top. After the safety glass was removed, I was then able to push inward on the top edge of the trim. I started on an outside corner, using inward rolling motion, while at the same time pressing down. You can also roll it in the middle, to help it release from the center two tabs. The top edge hooks over the retainer; the bottom is pressed under those four little tabs. It takes a little messaging to get the bottom lip to slide past those tabs.

[miniman82]

It's a major PITA to get that top brass piece off, let me tell ya. You just have to be extremely careful when prying, it comes off easier from the bottom. Reason is the trim snaps over the retainers that sit in the cabinet from the top and bottom, and once it's in there it's in there good. You might have better luck trying to get one side up, then attempt to slide it off one way or the other. If you can get it to clear the edge of the cabinet without bending, you'll likely be able to get it the rest of the way off.

[bgadow]

I ran into this same arrangement on a bw RCA console. I don't know why they had to make it so complicated. I'm pretty sure I bent something getting that one apart. RCA sets that are a little older use a different arrangement which I seem to recall is easier to deal with.

[Kevin Kuehn]

What I don't understand is why the RCA field service manual is so vague on the removal process. I'll bet they sold a lot of replacement brass trim over the years.

[Phil Nelson]

So, if I'm following all this . . . the top trim (U channel) piece can be removed without removing anything else, but to remove the bottom one for a swap, I would need to remove everything, including the glass.

Are the top & bottom pieces even interchangeable? This is looking like more fuss than it's worth, especially since my glass doesn't look dirty in the first place.

Phil Nelson

[Kevin Kuehn]

Originally Posted by Phil Nelson

So, if I'm following all this . . . the top trim (U channel) piece can be removed without removing anything else, but to remove the bottom one for a swap, I would need to remove everything, including the glass.

Can't say I tried removing the bottom with the glass on, but I think it will be much easier working from the top first. Also, you can't take the bottom retainers off to remove the glass for cleaning.

Originally Posted by Phil Nelson

Are the top & bottom pieces even interchangeable? This is looking like more fuss than it's worth, especially since my glass doesn't look dirty in the first place.

Phil Nelson

They are interchangable.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Kevin Kuehn

What I don't understand is why the RCA field service manual is so vague on the removal process. I'll bet they sold a lot of replacement brass trim over the years.

That's why RCA always tried to sell service contracts with their sets. They used to have those clips inside, all around the CRT. Another PITA, those tuner indicator belts.

[ChrisW6ATV]

This trim removal was probably the sort of thing you learned in an RCA-supported training session.