This set uses the 20B1 chassis which is almost identical to the 20A1 chassis in my Admiral 24A12 (http://www.videokarma.org/showthread.php?t=246875) so I've been restoring them at the same time.

I picked this set up last spring. The cabinet is in really good shape except for a ring on top where there is some finish loss.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3567/3615209151_0eba29b4dd_b.jpg

Always use a coaster!
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023/4314030905_083ddd1437_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2462/3615200609_e175ab00e7_b.jpg


The chassis is in pretty good condition too. It's covered in light rust and filthy, but intact otherwise. I can only find evidence of two capacitors being replaced long ago.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4052/4314036341_c746aa8a2c_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3387/3621105048_13f87b2573_b.jpg

The CRT is losing is aquadag coating and is an odd brand "Nat'l Video Corp". It tests very good, but I do get an intermittent G1 short. Tapping on the neck makes it go away. I just might be trying the "remove short" function for the first time.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/4313978615_ea8bec4675_b.jpg

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http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2689/4313978315_02407c9fb8_b.jpg

Here are the two chassis side by side. The one for this set is on the left.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4072/4314657050_588a03baa3_b.jpg

Pretty much the only difference is that this one is wired for a 12LP4
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2678/4313921443_3f3ddfac44_b.jpg

Maybe the short is in the base of the tube. It could be worth your while to desolder the thing and confirm that. It's also worth checking out your crt checker and making sure there are no out of tolerance parts there. I had a tube checker that would occasionally give a "shorts" reading on a known good tube. I traced out the circuit, replaced a resistor, and now it is a lot less finicky.

Yeah, I knew what you mean so I tried two different testers. They both gave the same results - a very intermittent G1 short. Basically I can tap on the neck and the short goes away indefinitely. So if it is in the base, there must be a loose bit of metal floating around. I suppose it is worth checking, but what a PITA :sigh:

Luckily, the chassis cleans up very easily :D Just a little Naval Jelly and a WD40 wipe down.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2505/4314123737_10538b9de8_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4062/4314658626_8c3392229a_b.jpg

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http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2658/4313921727_d04ba4c64c_b.jpg

The turret tuner was filthy too with a thick, sticky film all over it. I used some Radio Shack control contact cleaner being careful not to wipe off the numbers.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2758/4314659486_a39cfd08a0_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2796/4314659786_84e67e62b6_b.jpg

These Admirals are really easy to work on. Having a split chassis is a big part of that. It cuts down on the weight of the main chassis so it's easy to move around.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4042/4314660110_7931f6ecc1_b.jpg

Just about done recapping :banana:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4047/4314137539_332f606bd0_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4053/4314660442_d05efa4363_b.jpg

I still have some cleaning to do, but can't wait to fire it up :naughty:
I'll be doing that later tonight - keep your fingers crossed!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2768/4314660718_acb730ca2f_b.jpg

Got my fingers crossed!!

Got my fingers crossed!!

Thanks to Dan's crossed fingers, I've got some good news!

At first, nothing - no HV, no B+, no filament glow, then I realized I forgot to plug the cheater cord in :o
That's a 5AXP4 test CRT I've installed
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2689/4315369926_5ac9ff8483_b.jpg

With that hooked up, I was treated to a nice CRT glow and loud buzz from the speaker. At this point I still had the HV cage and tube shields off so I shut it down. While replacing those shields, I realized I also had left out one of the 6AU6s in the IF stages :withstpd:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4314633817_6844447226_b.jpg

Now, I've tuned it to channel 6 (OTA analog VHF station) and got some good sound, but the horizontal and vertical sync are all over the place :( I tried a DTV converter box and got no sound and no picture :grumpy:

So I grab an alignment tool and reach around to the horizontal coil and start tweaking it. At one point I get a high pitched squeal, then at last a stable picture :banana:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/4315370304_392cd710cc_b.jpg

Still no sound at all though. I had a similar issue with my 24A12, but not as bad. I went back to channel 6 OTA and can tune in both a good picture and sound. I'll try my blonder tongue modulator later, but next I'm going to try the 12LP4.

:banana:

Congratulations,, that pic with the tubes a glowin is very cool.

Thanks! I've reinstalled the 12LP4 and was treated to a mediocre picture.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2600/4315495328_bdfcef393b_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4028/4315495554_b7ed7b636c_b.jpg

I was going to call it a night, but decided to try one last thing. I had tested all the tubes in this set and they checked out OK. Even so, why not swap them out with the 24A12 set that's playing much better?

:grnbounce :banana: :grnbounce Still no sound, but the picture is much better! I swear this Honeymooners just happened to be on :D

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2691/4315495792_061da2974a_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2788/4315496362_0baecb6923_b.jpg

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http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2712/4315497056_b2d9c07265_b.jpg

If I tap on the CRT, the picture sometimes goes faint so that G1 short really is something to be dealt with.
Also, I need to track down which tube(s) was the culprit.
Finally, still some work to do on that audio :scratch2:

Looks great Bob! That Naval Jelly really works wonders. That recap and new resistors look great too, I also like to install them that neatly:yes:. Very, very nice work:thmbsp:

Great job, even Norton is getting ready to watch Captain Video...:D

That episode of the Honeymooners is priceless.

Nice work Bob! I like the way you present most of your work the same day. I'm assuming you didn't do this all in one day!

That's some ion trap they have on there.

How do you keep the Naval jelly out of places you don't want? Just being careful?

John

Your work is second to none. Your restorations are museum quality for sure!

The lead dress of your replacement caps makes me think you are either a very professional conservationist/restorer or have some form of OCD. :scratch2:

The problem-solution-result style of your pictures is amazing. I can't remember a time when I've ever thought of any repairs I've performed as being worthy of a photo - but every one of your photos tells a thousand stories.

I'm jealous to say the least.

Cheers,

Me too. I love your restoration play-by-play!

Looks great Bob! That Naval Jelly really works wonders. That recap and new resistors look great too, I also like to install them that neatly:yes:. Very, very nice work:thmbsp:

Thanks! Here's a little video I took while recapping this set that shows my technique: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6P-KZyjOa8

Nice work Bob! I like the way you present most of your work the same day. I'm assuming you didn't do this all in one day!

That's some ion trap they have on there.

How do you keep the Naval jelly out of places you don't want? Just being careful?

John

LOL - no I spent about 4hrs/day for a couple weeks. I had just restored another set (http://www.videokarma.org/showthread.php?t=246875) with the same chassis so this one went pretty fast.

Not that I'm done yet - it's that last 5% that's the killer :drool:

All my Admiral sets have that same blue/black ion trap magnet - remember the blue goes towards the face!

Yes, I'm just careful with the rust remover. Some brands are very fluid and it can drip all over. Naval Jelly is very viscous and tends to stay where you put it. It only took about two hours to clean up the front. Two coats of jelly, wipe it down with a damp sponge, dry it off with a paper towel, then a final rub down with WD40.

Your work is second to none. Your restorations are museum quality for sure!

The lead dress of your replacement caps makes me think you are either a very professional conservationist/restorer or have some form of OCD. :scratch2:

The problem-solution-result style of your pictures is amazing. I can't remember a time when I've ever thought of any repairs I've performed as being worthy of a photo - but every one of your photos tells a thousand stories.

I'm jealous to say the least.

Cheers,

Thanks! No, I swear it's just a hobby - I do actually have a full-time job programming websites. It's nice to get paid to surf the web - that's why you might see me online at all hours of the day. I also work from home which is awesome when do time intensive stuff like removing rust or refinishing. I just take a little break to slap on some naval jelly then it's back to work :D


I recorded some video last night while I was working on this set, but I need to do a lot of editing before I can post it. Stay tuned...

Two coats of jelly, wipe it down with a damp sponge, dry it off with a paper towel, then a final rub down with WD40.

I have been messing around with old radios and TV's for around 30 years. I don't think that I have ever run into a more informative and useful thread in my life. Your work is impeccable! I started at around 12 with taking apart my first vintage radio. I have never been able to explain my attraction to this stuff because it seems like most of the antique and 'collectable' world almost completely disregards old TV sets. I have a nice 1950 Zenith 24" remote set that I can't even GIVE away. The problem with this is if you can't give a set away, and you don't have the heart to part it out and break up the cabinet, what are you to do? Unless you have a large building outside of your home for this hobby, the need for space can bring your hobby to a halt. I'm sure many reading this know exactly what I mean. I have a guy that gave me a round tube color set that I can't bring home because of this.

Anyone ever coming through VA can stop by and take home some really decent sets and perhaps some NOS spare parts.

Oh, and I can not believe the way that Naval Jelly makes a chassis look! This makes me want to take apart every old radio and TV that I have and apply that stuff. It looks sand blasted! I have used steel wool a time or two, but it really wasn't worth the time and effort. This looks do'able bigtime! GREAT tip! :thmbsp:

I have been messing around with old radios and TV's for around 30 years. I don't think that I have ever run into a more informative and useful thread in my life. Your work is impeccable! I started at around 12 with taking apart my first vintage radio. I have never been able to explain my attraction to this stuff because it seems like most of the antique and 'collectable' world almost completely disregards old TV sets. I have a nice 1950 Zenith 24" remote set that I can't even GIVE away. The problem with this is if you can't give a set away, and you don't have the heart to part it out and break up the cabinet, what are you to do? Unless you have a large building outside of your home for this hobby, the need for space can bring your hobby to a halt. I'm sure many reading this know exactly what I mean. I have a guy that gave me a round tube color set that I can't bring home because of this.

Anyone ever coming through VA can stop by and take home some really decent sets and perhaps some NOS spare parts.

Oh, and I can not believe the way that Naval Jelly makes a chassis look! This makes me want to take apart every old radio and TV that I have and apply that stuff. It looks sand blasted! I have used steel wool a time or two, but it really wasn't worth the time and effort. This looks do'able bigtime! GREAT tip! :thmbsp:

Thanks! Just doin' what I can to share what I've learned. The fact that most ignore old TVs is part of the attraction to me. I mess around with old radios too, but hate having to pay exorbitant prices for tubes like the 245 or 483 output tubes. Much easier to get a 1B3 or 6BG6 :D It's also a much greater challenge to get one of these setts running smoothly.

As for space - yeah I think most of us are stuffed. I have 6 sets out on the back porch because there's no more room. I won't be getting any more sets until I move to a bigger place or sell a few. I really can't bring myself to part with any though.

One important think I need to mention regarding chassis. Some chassis, and transformers are cadmium plated. Usual they go a bit white/green/yellow over time. Naval Jelly and rust removers in general can clean the cadmium oxide up very well, but it's very toxic and produces nasty fumes! Please wear gloves and have good ventilation if you're going to attempt it.

I've been using non-conductive abrasive pads too. I've seen them sold as a finish stripping pads sometimes. They work as well as steel wool, but without all the little metal bits that can work their way into everything.

BTW this is actually the chassis from another set.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4318351058_09a1934a64_b.jpg

It's going to get stinky :yuck:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2716/4318352004_51048644ca_b.jpg

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Neutralizing with a mild detergent
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4031/4318351756_3994686377_b.jpg

Next, a little Simichrome metal polish
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2649/4317619731_16b03578ae_b.jpg

Final results. Elapsed time about 20 minutes. I'll save the rest of the chassis for another day.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/4317619955_ae56dbc2e8_b.jpg

I finished editing the footage I recorded last night an uploaded them to YouTube. Enjoy.

Part 1 - first power up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDtS1YuHQGE

Part 2 - trying out the 12LP4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UooEyKTiYU

I'm just about done with the rest of this set. The audio is still weaker than I'd like, but at least I have some.

This nasty splice wasn't helping :no: That explains all the noise!
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/4347022740_69093aa48e_b.jpg

I'm not sure what impedance coax to replace it with, but maybe it doesn't matter much at audio frequencies ?
I wonder if anyone carries cloth covered coax ?
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2800/4347023096_3103cd1a67_b.jpg

I'm just about done with the lower chassis too. I used a mini-hack, heat gun and corkscrew to gut those capacitors.
It's less messy than the Dremel with cutoff wheel I had been using.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2795/4347023554_2397e559b2_b.jpg

I also discovered that the tuner was pretty dirty and rusty so popped it out and cleaned it up :)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2708/4347025082_6cffdd7f4c_b.jpg

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http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4347065116_c58493e9d7_b.jpg

Next up - re-coating the CRT dag and restoring the cabinet...

Has anyone tried this product to recoat a CRT ?

I did a little test on a dead compactron. It goes on easily and dries quickly. It's not nearly as conductive as a NOS CRT I have so I'll try another coat. I put it on pretty thin I think.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4005/4346971621_70995ea5bd.jpg

More fine work from the "Chassis Cosmetologist" !!!

You could eat off that chassis! Really spectacular work, I must say.

Cheers,

Has anyone tried this product to recoat a CRT ?
Last year I bought a project set from a guy who used Acheson Aerodag G on the CRT. That project's still in the queue, but the CRT sure looks pretty. I have no reason to think that it won't work fine.

Phil

Were you able to buy a single can? I needed the brush on variety for work and they made me buy a whole case. I use it for mounting targets and only use a few milligrams at a time.

John

Were you able to buy a single can? I needed the brush on variety for work and they made me buy a whole case. I use it for mounting targets and only use a few milligrams at a time.

John

Yes, I just ordered one can from Ted Pella, Inc. (http://www.tedpella.com/SEMmisc_html/SEMpaint.htm#anchor1349940) You'll have to pay a little extra for hazardous shipping. They have lots of other cool lab grade stuff too.

I'd like to give credit to the user that originally posted that link, but I can't remember who :scratch2:

Yes, I just ordered one can from Ted Pella, Inc. (http://www.tedpella.com/SEMmisc_html/SEMpaint.htm#anchor1349940) You'll have to pay a little extra for hazardous shipping. They have lots of other cool lab grade stuff too.

I'd like to give credit to the user that originally posted that link, but I can't remember who :scratch2:

I use Ted Pella, but I don't think it was me. Might of been though, my memory isn't what it used to be.

John

More fine work from the "Chassis Cosmetologist" !!!

You could eat off that chassis! Really spectacular work, I must say.

Cheers,


Thanks! LOL - "Chassis Cosmetologist" - perhaps I should update my tagline :scratch2:

Yes, I used the exact Aerodag G on my 1954 Sylvania. Recoated the whole thing, dried nice and my set has been working nicely thanks to all here on this site for helping me along.

I've got the video rock solid on this set but still no audio :tears:
All I get is static which does increase with the volume control. I can also touch the volume control wiper and I get a hum. I've gone over the audio IF stages pretty thoroughly, so I decided to try aligning it by following these instructions:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2753/4428052613_19d6c9d4d8_b.jpg

Here's the gear I used. A 3 AAs soldered together for the -4.5v AGC bias voltage. An EICO 232 VTVM and a Hickock 615 sweep and marker generator. Finally, an HP 45600B scope and demodulator probe.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2687/4428818740_b7f72b727c_b.jpg

I think I did everything correctly. Here's the ratio detector response curve, but still no audio :( Just a buzz that occurs when bright white portions appear in the video.
I know it's backwards, but I think that's just the nature of my sweep generator / scope - the key points match up more or less.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4428052749_f5c212d55d_b.jpg

Any ideas ? I bet it's something really stupid!

Here are some more videos I recorded while performing the alignment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdzK3P78D5Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR-3U_8LoOk


-

I've got sound :music:

After performing the audio IF alignment, I started working my way back towards the antenna. I discovered that the trimmer cap in parallel with the fine tuning control was rotated fully clockwise which bottomed it out. I slowly backed it out and briefly heard some sound. Slowly I zeroed in on the sweet spot. This is a really critical adjustment - just slightly off and no more sound. It also allowed me to shift the best picture and sound to the center of the fine tuner control. Previously, I had to rotate the fine tuning fully clockwise to get a good picture.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2615/4441706858_9dd2bd35f2_b.jpg

I also replaced that old shielded audio cable with the crappy splice. I have plenty of volume now, but there's a faint buzz. I think that's coming from the horizontal / HV circuit. Maybe some better shielding will help :scratch2:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4044/4440928889_81dfa5a72b_b.jpg

I also accidentally smoked a resistor :no: While working on the sound, I had push some parts to the side and shorted two leads together. Instant flash and smoke. What a horrible stench :yuck: It's a day later and still stinks in my workshop.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4441706626_75d169159e_b.jpg

That happened to me when I was working on the Sylvania. I was lucky though, it ended up repairing the open tap on the volume control. Go figure.

The volume has worked perfectly ever since.

John

Now that the set is working, it's time to move on to the cabinet. There was a nasty water ring on top and numerous digs and nicks all over.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2428/3616015634_3ca1db472e_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023/4314030905_083ddd1437_b.jpg

First, I broke it down.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2731/4445195848_44d4fcc304_b.jpg

Then, I carefully stripped just the top. I'm going to try to salvage the sides and front.
No one makes reproduction labels to my knowledge.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4445176008_d34238ca83_b.jpg
That went well.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2685/4445176128_6b7ddb9c1b_b.jpg

Now time to fill that grain. This mahogany veneer has a really open grain. I was inspired by jeyurkon (http://www.videokarma.org/showthread.php?t=207219&page=8) to try shellac as a grain filler.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4050/4444405379_9f167613a6_b.jpg

I used about 15 coats sanding it down every 5th coat.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/4444405567_8bc4cd49d6_b.jpg

It worked well, but took forever. I think for grain this open something like Behlen grain filler would be easier.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4444405769_b3dc895ffa_b.jpg

Now for the toner lacquer. I took a gamble and tried some stuff I picked up from a local antique ship that's going out of business. I'm not sure how old it is, but it's a great match for the old finish.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2799/4445176852_3df86c33a3_b.jpg

Arg - disaster strikes :mad: The finish split all over :tears:
Could be the toner was too old, could be the air was too cold and dry (I did this in February), could be the shellac interacted badly with it ?
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/4445177064_0e2360978c_b.jpg

Time to start over!
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4445218764_36f8c3602f_b.jpg

Hey I like the detail, instructions, and photos on refinishing your TV.
Keep on showing us more.

Alrighty then - you asked for it :D

Cabinet refinishing take two.

I finished stripping off the cracked lacquer and filled the grain with shellac again.
I'm going to use some Mohawk toner this time.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4444447371_3c495f3768_b.jpg

Here's a couple coats of toner. I used it sparingly, but it's pretty dark stuff.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2699/4444447455_df952bba73_b.jpg

Here it is after three coats of clear gloss. It's a tad darker than I'd intended, but no cracks :)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2761/4444447609_0c6acbe736_b.jpg

I also took care of the metal back cover.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2682/4445195954_dc68ec3efc_b.jpg

I used Naval Jelly to remove the rust, rinsed it off well, dried it immediately with a blow drier and applied two coats of clear lacquer.
You really don't want to leave raw steel exposed to air for long after using a rust remover or else a film of corrosion will return.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2729/4444424925_291e8dddba_b.jpg

Now for the rest of the cabinet. Once that's done, I'm going to try rubbing out that lacquer with some pumice and rottenstone.

I've never seen splitting like that before-the dull finish looks like lacquer going bad when there is too much moisture in the air. But that would be a rare thing in winter. Given that nitrocellulose lacquer's chemical relatives aren't the most stable things on earth (dynamite, nitrate film) I wouldn't be surprised if your can of toner just went bad.

I've never seen splitting like that before-the dull finish looks like lacquer going bad when their is too much moisture in the air. But that would be a rare thing in winter. Given that nitrocellulose lacquer's chemical relatives aren't the most stable things on earth (dynamite, nitrate film) I wouldn't be surprised if your can of toner just went bad.

I think you're right. I had a second can just as old and did some test on scraps of veneer. It either split or cracked into little "puzzle pieces".

I'm glad it wasn't the shellac after you put 15 coats on! I'd be in trouble for suggesting it.

John

I'm glad it wasn't the shellac after you put 15 coats on! I'd be in trouble for suggesting it.

John

Apparently, that's a time honored technique: http://www.hardwoodlumberandmore.com/Hardwood/Finishing/Shellac/GrainFillingWithShellac.html

It actually went pretty fast the second time around. I used aerosol shellac. Each coat dried in a few minutes :)

I've moved on to one side and the front.

I'm just going to sand down the existing finish a bit and spray toner lacquer over it. Sure it will end up a bit darker, but it saves a lot of time.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4446435380_3f2c456b9d_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2761/4445660979_88b5204e6c_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4047/4446435708_3b16919df8_b.jpg

Now for the front. I'm not going to mess with the control, control area. Someday, I may get some custom decals created and refinish that too.
For now, I'll put a few clear, gloss coats over it for protection.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2695/4447012648_ed13fea112_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/4446238747_533a884a1e_b.jpg

One side left.

What was the color of that spray toner lacquer?
Was it Red Mahogany?
I saw a Mohawk can in one photo.

So you sanded the sides and sprayed one or more coats?

Good job! :thmbsp:That cabinet looks great -- just like new. It's amazing what a coat or two of stain or toner can do for the looks of a vintage TV.

Where can the toner you used (or a similar brand) be found? You gave me an idea when I saw those pictures. I'd like to refinish my desk in the same color as your TV's cabinet (the desk is 18 years old and is starting to show its age; time to refinish). Mahogany and walnut are two of my favorite types of wood; I have three Zenith radios here, one in a walnut cabinet, the other two in mahogany, and I just love the way they contrast with the rest of my furniture. If I like how it turns out on the desk, I think I might refinish my TV stand in the same color.

Thanks in advance.

Mohawk toner is available from AES, http://www.tubesandmore.com/ . If you do an Internet search, you can find other suppliers.

I'm careful about toning lacquer since I bought a couple of "house brand" cans from a local paint store. The stuff was awful, more like cheap paint or liquid shoe polish.

Phil

RadioDaze also has Mohawk products.

http://www.radiodaze.com/

I used Mohawk Deep Red Mahogany M100-0384 and M102-0420 Clear Gloss from Altura Paint Center http://alturapaint.com/mohawk-ultra-classic-toner-p-73.html

Only $4.95 a can :D

I originally picked it up for my Philco 49-1040, but it worked well for this set too.

One of these days I may get some custom gold decals created. Maybe this place http://www.solidesign.bizland.com/ :scratch2:
It's not cheap though. Maybe some of you guys need these decals too ?
Perhaps we could pool our money for the setup fees :deal:

I also need the same size Admiral logo for my 19A15S
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3193/3679742857_aee5b39444.jpg

How do you handle the fumes from the lacquer spray?

John

How do you handle the fumes from the lacquer spray?

John

I spray out on my enclosed back porch with a window cracked open. Pretty much I just hold my breath while spraying. I'm only doing small sections at a time that take 30 seconds or so to cover.

Since all my other projects have stalled while I wait for parts to arrive, I decided to re-coat that CRT.

Scraping of the remains of the old coating with a CD. Works fairly well and doesn't scratch the glass.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4065/4506363823_01d3d351de_b.jpg

Cleaned with lacquer thinner, mineral spirits and windex.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2029/4506364043_b280661521_b.jpg

Masking with painters tape. I have an RCA CRT mat under the tube.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2738/4506364197_c4ea0229eb_b.jpg

Almost ready to go. I noticed the ultor mask was off center and adjusted it.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2259/4507002778_c82701144f_b.jpg

A few coats later.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2109/4506364693_742525d189_b.jpg

Purdy :D. Gotta be careful though - that coating is really soft.
It measures about 45K with my probes several inches apart. I think that's fine.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2070/4506364991_3a3023a5ff_b.jpg


Here's some video if you'd like to see the process: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg-WcFgSXHg

-

That jug is too pretty to hide inside a cabinet. Leave it out as a work of art. :yes:

Very nice work. I noticed you have actual aquadag in a can, not the Grainger SlipPlate that others have mentioned.

That jug is too pretty to hide inside a cabinet. Leave it out as a work of art. :yes:

LOL - Thanks, but back inside it goes.

Very nice work. I noticed you have actual aquadag in a can, not the Grainger SlipPlate that others have mentioned.

Thanks. I think I used up about half the can. I need to do the same treatment on a 10BP4 - there should be enough left.

OK, just to remove any doubt of my insanity, I stripped down the cabinet and refinished it again!

Why? Well, I wasn't happy with how dark it was and I knew I could do better with the grain filling.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4822217203_3350faa7a4_b.jpg

Next up, Behlen water based brown grain filler. It's a little messy, but does a decent job.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4822217411_bc9a74b4e7_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/4822834230_908a22dfbc_b.jpg

I also carefully wet sanded and buffed the scratched faceplate.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4100/4822218169_21bb93264c_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/4822835336_19d435af31_b.jpg

I like to use stain to give a good color base then toner to fine tune it. Here's some Red Mahogany being applied.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4822217849_7615ff3306.jpg

I used Mohawk Deep Red toner before. This time I picked up Mohawk Red and Dark Red. Dark Red turned out to be perfect :banana: Lesson learned: always do test samples before a major project.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4822887866_b5b5015710_b.jpg

That left the screen & control area. I pondered these options:


wiping out the labels :thumbsdn:
try to touch up and clear coat :scratch2:
shelling out big $$ for a custom decal set :scratch2:


Then, Reece posted his excellent Firestone restoration project (http://www.videokarma.org/showthread.php?t=247848&page=2) in which he made custom gold decals. I contacted him and he was able to make an excellent set for me :banana:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4822835982_2c7f0b95f8_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4074/4822219285_a74cc4f53a_b.jpg

Very soon, I'll strip down the front, refinish and apply the decals. Reece made a few extras for when I screw up :D

That faceplate came out great! What grade of sandpaper did you use? Did you buff it by hand?

I'm a little confused by the Mohawk colors. I used Classic Brown Mahogany and it came out much like your dark red. When I look at the color chart it appears that the brown was intended to be applied much lighter than I did and on a test piece a light coating does appear to be brown.

The deep red on the color chart looks more like the brown I was looking for and is about the same shade.

I also made mine too dark but I lightened it up with 600 grit sandpaper before the final clear coat.

Your cabinet came out great! It takes a real perfectionist to strip a cabinet they just finished and start over.

John

That faceplate came out great! What grade of sandpaper did you use? Did you buff it by hand?

I'm a little confused by the Mohawk colors. I used Classic Brown Mahogany and it came out much like your dark red. When I look at the color chart it appears that the brown was intended to be applied much lighter than I did and on a test piece a light coating does appear to be brown.

The deep red on the color chart looks more like the brown I was looking for and is about the same shade.

I also made mine too dark but I lightened it up with 600 grit sandpaper before the final clear coat.

Your cabinet came out great! It takes a real perfectionist to strip a cabinet they just finished and start over.

John

I used #600 - #1500 followed by Novus #2 and Novus #1. All by hand.

I'm still confused by the Mohawk colors! I suspect the base color plays a big role with some of the toners.

A couple coats of Mohawk Deep Red looks almost black. I used what I had left on my recent Haillicrafters project for the base and front trim.

Mohawk Red Mahogany / Cherry is far to light. Two coats of Dark Red Mahogany on lightly stained veneer was a perfect match. Go figure.

I did wait about 3 months before redoing it :D Also, keep in mind I only stripped the top before. This time I stripped the rest too.

It's finally time to apply the reproduction decals I got from Reece.

First, I needed to remove the old ones.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4123/4885559005_8f933bd8d2_z.jpg

Luckily, I was able to sand them off without damaging the finish underneath.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4886162606_59738b2809_z.jpg

I sprayed on a few coats of Deft sanding sealer and sanded it smooth. Then, touched up the trim around the bezel and applied a coat of Deft gloss. Now it's ready for the decals.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4886162684_af4f101d3e_z.jpg

I taped a bit of enameled wire across the control area as a reference.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4134/4886886226_2ca0ed03c2_b.jpg

That just leaves the logo.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4886283961_28ab1c047f_b.jpg

The logo was a really pain. I repositioned it at least 5 times. That blemish in the middle is part of the underlying wood and original finish.
Next I'll apply a couple more coats of clear lacquer to protect the decals and hide the edges. Then buff out the whole cabinet and maybe call this done finally.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4886886594_fe4cfecb00_b.jpg

That's amazing! Beautiful work.

John

Thanks. I've had nothing but trouble trying to photograph this shiny mahogany surface. Sometimes the camera won't focus because of the shine I think, sometimes they come out really dark, sometimes too red.

That last photo is the closest, but even that's not quite right. That strip around the screen bezel is actually dark red mahogany, but it comes out looking almost black in these photos.

That is one sharp TV. It is making me really want to get started on my Admiral TV/AM/FM/Phono.

Rod

I've just read the entire thread, and watched the videos. The Admiral is a real beauty, and I commend you for your tireless efforts. I love it!

Bruce

Finally, on to rubbing out the finish. I think 11 months is long enough to let the lacquer cure :rolleyes:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6008/5916404413_00a7e0772e_z.jpg

There was a lot of overspray on the sides so I had to start out with some 400 grit first. Then, some 600 grit wet sanding and steel wool.
I think in the future I'll make some effort to shield surfaces from overspray to save some time and effort.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6015/5916404665_5621109d6b_z.jpg

Next, pumice stone. I used the opportunity to try out an idea I've had for a while.
I haven't found a local source of good felt pads and they can be a little pricy online, so I tried large felt furniture pads.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6028/5916964820_45d9ae36de_z.jpg

They actually work pretty well on large flat surfaces, but for angled our curved surfaces the thinner flexible pads are still the way to go.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6123/5917342014_18162f6fbc_z.jpg

After about two hours work, one side is done :drool:
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6018/5916405275_354e83f66f_z.jpg

I fired this set up for the first time in months so I could compare it to another 20B1 chassis I'm currently working on.

Two problems became apparent immediately. One, the picture was barely visible. Plenty of brightness but very faint like viewing a very weak station.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7132/13470673264_a98e83055d_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/mwmHRj)

Two, the horizontal linearity was shot.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7223/13451486334_baf889240f_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/muEofb)

I tracked the first issue down to a dirty socket for the 6AG5 RF tube in the tuner causing the filament to not light.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7079/13470325965_101c91fdd4_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/mwjWBp)

The second to a burned out 8500 ohm horizontal damping resistor.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2910/13451118465_e008a76cd4_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/muCuTB)

That's an oddball value so I used a 10K in parallel with 56K.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7436/13451116735_571d757945_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/muCunM)

That's better :)
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7361/13469031395_c3c328320f_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/mwdiMe) https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3678/13469385604_3f04f78c03_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/mwf85h)

Looks very nice!

You know my motto -- when it comes to tube pins & sockets, there's no such thing as too clean :)

Phil Nelson
Phil's Old Radios
http://antiqueradio.org/index.html

Thanks. From now on I'll follow that advice and clean all my sockets :yes:

This is my second set that sat idle for many months and had problems on start up. Perhaps I should rotate them more often.

Bob, I restored an Admiral 26R12 a few years ago. I really didn't have much time to use it and have since moved it to Florida. I decided to get it out and connect to the cable in my bedroom. Heck, why not? Our cable still has a lot of analog stations... starting with channel 2 ;).

I was greeted with no HV and a glowing 6BQ6GT Horizontal Output tube. I figured the oscillator was not running so I just put a brand new 6SN7GTB in it. Bingo! Working well. And, since in the home in Baltimore did not have analog cable, I only had channel 4 working. I was able to adjust the slugs in the tuner for each channel and it actually worked well.

After running for a couple of hours, I heard the set groan and looked at the back. There was a light show inside of the 5U4G. And a not too wonderful smell. (I have spare transformers etc.) So, one of the replacement electrolytic capacitor may have gone south. Don't have time right now to check. But as the Kingfish said, "Always Something!"

Glad that you got it sorted out. I actually look forward to finding and fixing the problem even if it entails opening up that filter capacitor can again.

BTW, I agree. We need to rotate our equipment. I have found the same "Problem" with my HH Scott amplifiers. More rotation necessary.

Looks very nice!

You know my motto -- when it comes to tube pins & sockets, there's no such thing as too clean :)

Phil Nelson
Phil's Old Radios
http://antiqueradio.org/index.html

Phil, what is the best method and cleaning supplies that you have found for cleaning tube pins and tube pin sockets. I want to do my sets.

Thx.

I spray DeOxit into the socket then insert/remove the tube a few times while wiping tube pins clean.
Here it is all back together. Hopefully, it will stay that way for a long while :yes:

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7365/13473083684_08203658d3_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/mwz5oh) https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3759/13472319745_6e0818b1f5_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/mwvahV)

You guys are really amazing.

Jealous is an understatement!

Wow!!!

That has to be better in many respects than when it left the factory. Especially the shine on that cabinet!! Looks like you just pulled it out of the carton.

Admiring your Admiral. :D

I spray DeOxit into the socket then insert/remove the tube a few times while wiping tube pins clean.
Here it is all back together. Hopefully, it will stay that way for a long while :yes:

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7365/13473083684_08203658d3_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/mwz5oh) https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3759/13472319745_6e0818b1f5_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/mwvahV)

Thanks Bob. Set looks incredible!! Love it!

Phil, what is the best method and cleaning supplies that you have found for cleaning tube pins and tube pin sockets.DeOxit, in a word. More details in this article:

http://antiqueradio.org/FirstStepsInRestoration.htm

In addition to the tiny stainless brush mentioned there, CAIG makes nylon brushes:

http://store.caig.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.202/.f

Brushes aren't absolutely necessary, but sometimes you find a stubborn socket.

Some people get into religious discussions about why this or that cleaner is superior or inferior, etc. I think the precise flavor of cleaner is far less important than the activity itself. Even something as simple as isopropyl alcohol is vastly better than leaving the dirt & oxidation in place and hoping for the best.

Regards,

Phil Nelson
Phil's Old Radios
http://antiqueradio.org/index.html

P.S. Playing your restored TVs and radios from time to time is a VERY good idea, and I need to do it more often, myself. Nothing is more disheartening than firing up a treasure to show to a visitor and having it misbehave. "Worked great the last time I played it." Yeah, right :)

Thanks!!!!

Beautiful job! I don't recall seeing a better example of that classic set. Next to the 10" bakelite it's my favorite Admiral console. You just can't the way those Admirals play!

As usual, great job, Bob, on cabinet and chassis. Very nice picture on that tube.