Decided to complete one more restoration before I close up and pack the workshop for the eventual move to a new home (yes antique TV collecting has become so addicting that I'm selling the apartment for a home with more display space :)). I decided that my current favorite table top in my collection, the Tele-Tone TV149, would be my next set.
The cabinet is out at my refinishing "guy." It was in good enough shape to reamalgamate, repair, and refresh the original finish on the set. I was pretty happy to hear that the original finish could be saved, both for originality and cost savings :deal:. I'll post pictures when the cabinet returns.
The chassis was also in very good shape with no rust to be found. My first chore was to check the tubes and replace those that were bad or on the edge, 7 of them to be exact. Then I went through each resistor in the set one by one and checked for tollorance. Seventeen resistors were out of 20% spec, and a handful had more than doubled their value. After replacing all out of spec resistors with original carbon resistors I turned my attention to the electrolytic capacitors. I'm in the replace all electrolytic capacitor camp so they were all removed, insides removed, and rebuilt with modern caps. Then I rebuilt all of the paper caps in much the same way. For this set I started dipping the rebuilt paper cap in beeswax to further blur the line between original and restored. I have a thread in TV/Radio Tech Forum if you missed it.
I am pleased with the look of the work so far.
Before:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7242/6887379090_90cd8410e7.jpg

After:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7251/6887378580_e76cc3a25b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7182/6887377810_e3bb4d48fb.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7063/6887376498_6515e33c72.jpg

You can see in that last picture that is 4 modern caps in the set. There was non-original caps in the set for these values so I did not have anything to rebuild. Bandersen was nice enough to send me 4 caps of the correct value but I was unable to rebuild them so I'll have to go on the look for 4 more .01uf 600v wax caps to rebuild.
After a nervous first time turn on (still a nail biter for me) I was greeted with sound and a raster with very little vertical deflection.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7210/7033470541_1f3d1e5d96.jpg

This seemed like a good place to rest and post my progress. I'll return to fight another day and tackle the deflection problem.

You're doing the right thing. Walk away from it, don't fool w/it for a day or 2, let yr head clear. You're SO close, don't make some silly little goof that could bollix up all yr work so far. Or worse, you could get mad & REALLY screw things up...I'm a Kraut, have a fierce temper, which has NOT served me well on several projects...If you catch my drift...(grin)

You're doing the right thing. Walk away from it, don't fool w/it for a day or 2, let yr head clear. You're SO close, don't make some silly little goof that could bollix up all yr work so far. Or worse, you could get mad & REALLY screw things up...I'm a Kraut, have a fierce temper, which has NOT served me well on several projects...If you catch my drift...(grin)


That is so true. I cannot tell you how frustrated I have gotten working late at night when things are not going well. Trying to sort out computer issues is the same way. But a good night sleep, a little thinking about it and so often in the morning, the light bulb glows brightly and you find that obscure issue right away!

Nice work and I look forward to your progress...

Made a bit of progress since the last post, but I moved backwards in the meantime. While I was troubleshooting the vertical problem I turned the set upright and after a couple of snap crackle pops and the high voltage went away. I was perplexed and couldn't tell where the sound came from so I went back to the schematic. I soon realized that I missed four caps that were hiding inside and underneath the high voltage cage. There were two paper and two bumble bee caps hiding from me. After replacing the offending caps the high voltage returned to normal.
I also managed to find the vertical problem. The offending problem was a capacitor lead that was left behind by a previous repair had shifted into a dead short to the pin next to it on the vertical oscillator. It was obscured enough that I didn't spot it when I looked over the set before firing it up the first time. It kind of brings me to this question. When I replace parts in a set I remove the old part completely and install the new part through and then around the original mounting hole. Most repairs I find in these sets are cut the old part out and solder the new part in next to the old one. Do most of you also run into similar shoddy work when you restore a set?
Any way on to where we stand now. I've got a fairly good picture but I've got kind of a wierd problem. With my horizontal running in frequency my picture is not full width, but when I adjust the horizontal out of fequency the picture is full width.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7054/6900459144_235633e70a.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7075/6900459650_7834bef3c9.jpg

Can any one give me a possible explanation for this one?

Well you have two or more pictures stacked side by side for one, but it also probably lowers the high voltage a bit which will make the picture wider.

There should be a Horiz Drive control somewhere, you may need to adjust it to widen the picture a bit, it may use a spring on the 1B3 rectifier to do this.

Second thought, horizontal frequency may have nothing to do with the HV on this set being that it doesn't use a flyback, the other suggestion about the drive still applies.

A quick tweak of the width and height control brought the picture into the correct size. When you've got a problem always look towards the obvious answer first :). The set looks pretty good at this point.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5448/7049112887_287fb18613.jpg

I also hooked up the BT modulator I got from eBay for the first time and WOW what a difference a good modulator makes on these sets. I shot a video of the set with the new modulator.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl_6xwkTnYA
I'll post some glam shots when the cabinet is finished and comes home.

I dunno...I kinda like the Cardboard Cut-Out meself....(grin)

not only do I find sloppy work, but really off values in replacement caps. I just went thru a Crosley where a lot of caps had been replaced with what I presume was the wrong values and voltages. the parts were not even j hooked or pigtailed but rather just lay next to the wire and solder flowed. I suppose it works but it does look sloppy. I do use pig tails when working on thing like old coils where I do not want to stress out the coil form with heat or movement, and will sometimes pig tail if I see a really full up tab on a hard to get at tube socket tab. where it gets real ugly is how some electrolytic caps get done, all manner of mounting, from tape to glue to just dangling...

By the way, any know what the set is in my video clip? The movie is The Day The Earth Stood Still.

The set is complete now. The cabinet is back from the finisher and it's got a really nice glow to it. I really like the fact that the finish is still original underneath the work that he did to it. I also got a new cheater cord to replace the badly frayed original.
I hope you like the new pictures.

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w438/vts1134/TeleTone%20TV149/DSC_0474.jpg

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w438/vts1134/TeleTone%20TV149/DSC_0467.jpg

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w438/vts1134/TeleTone%20TV149/DSC_0475.jpg

This was set number 4 that I've completed and every one has been a learning experience. This one went by so fast I can't believe it's done already. The workshop is now boxed up and in storage waiting for it's new home. Here's hoping the next project isn't too far away.

THAT is a really nice set! :banana: The cabinet is a looker, and the chassis is compact, but not over crowed IMO. Enjoy it for many years to come!! :thmbsp:
Kevin

Excellent. I think that's one of the classiest 7-inch cabinet designs, and not seen too often.

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

When I replace parts in a set I remove the old part completely and install the new part through and then around the original mounting hole. Most repairs I find in these sets are cut the old part out and solder the new part in next to the old one. Do most of you also run into similar shoddy work when you restore a set?



Not necessarily shoddy work, but they were complying with the law.

Back then one usually had to give an estimate before the set was repaired and if the customer said "no" you had to remove all your new parts and put the originals back in. You could still charge for the labor. This method enabled that.

However, as soon as the customer OKed the repair most shops just stuck the chassis back in the cabinet leaving both parts in, especially if it was a walk-in with the customer standing there with the money in his hand.

James

That turned out very nice :)

Didn't realize the smudges on the left front of the cabinet above the volume knob and next to the speaker cutout. I guess my hand was dusty when I moved the set, they just wiped right off.
Thanks for the kind words about the set every one.

Very exemplary work, sir. Nikto verada, Klaatu.

:lazer:

Great work and a really nice-looking final result. Congratulations.

As mentioned above, very nice work. I am a somewhat impatient person. But I always take my time and remove all of the old component lead when replacing it. I realize that I may damage the lug. I have done that and had to replace tube socket lugs and even the socket. It is just the way I want to do it. To each, his own I guess.

Again, Bravo!

The Tele-Tone has a new home. I recently got a big promotion at work and I'm now my new old boss. After clearing out the old from my desk I replaced it with a beautiful antique television.

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w438/vts1134/photo3.jpg?t=1344631596

After watching it a while on my desk I fear that my 7JP4 might be weak. I don't have a tester to give a reading, but it's not as bright as I think it can be.

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w438/vts1134/photo2.jpg?t=1344631561

I've shot a youtube video of the set also. The picture is better than the video would make it seem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buNpkdLQT40

I'm really enjoying having a set with me at work and would like to bring in another if I can just find room for it.

When I replace parts in a set I remove the old part completely and install the new part through and then around the original mounting hole.

I fully agree with your practice of completely removing the old part and properly installing the new one. This is the best and most approved way.

However, in several instances I have had bad luck attempting this because the tube socket pin breaks off while removing the old part wires.

This leads to finding a replacement socket at a hamfest and replacing the bad one. What a $#$&%$&# PAIN!

If I suspect the set has lots of previous poor repair work, and the sockets look well worn, I clean and scrape the two existing part wires after clipping the part out and wrap the wires of the replacement part carefully around them and solder them really well. The cleaning and scraping is important for a proper connection. Then I reflow the solder on the pin as well.

I've never had a repair go 'bad' using this method and I've not broken any more socket pins either.

Remember, desperate people do desperate things!

Cliff