Absolute beginner (in terms of vacuum tubes/tvs) and I will need many tips…

[Madeline12]

Hello!

Newbie here… my previous experience has been with solid state audio gear. However, for some time now I’ve been interested in taking a shot at tube powered electronics. Recently, I came across a Stewart-Warner 9121a from 1951. It’s beautiful, but it’s got some issues… and I’m very interested in restoring it. Some issues I’ve noticed:

1. Sound is present, but there’s some static occasionally and when rotating the knobs. I imagine the pots just need deoxidizing like solid state gear though.
2. No picture. I saw on another thread that holding your hand close to the screen and checking for static is a good diagnostic test. I did not feel any static. In addition, I saw no faint picture produced over the course of a few minutes in a pitch black room.

I have so, so many questions… too many to list frankly. I’ll try and keep it relatively short in this this thread though:

1. First and foremost: the most important thing for me regarding this project is safety, obviously. My hesitancy up until this point is due to the dangers involved with working with tubes. I’ve spoken to someone who’s worked on and studied tube gear (radios and TV) for years, and my uncle who also has worked with tubes and is an electrician. However, I’d love as many resources as I can get to ensure I can do this as safely as possible.
2. At any point, am I able to touch the chassis? I understand it can hold charge even when it’s been off for some time, but I’m having difficulty seeing a way to access parts and tubes without touching it in the future.
3. I’m happy to share a picture if needed, but weirdly underneath the emblem in the interior there seem to be potentiometers with no knobs. There is also one that doesn’t seem to be a potentiometer… more like a screw with threads. These are not the exterior knobs that control the radio/volume/etc. Anyone know what these may be for off the top of their head?

Again, I am MORE than happy to provide any additional info/pics upon request. I greatly appreciate any help or tips people may offer.

Thanks!

EDIT: thought I’d add a pic of the odd pots/screw that were inside the plaque below the screen.