Future cataract repairs

[drh4683]

I have not attempted a cataract repair ever since the 23EGP22 imploded on me last year. I wanted to experiment with alternative (safer) methods of removing the face lens. I really have not had the need to do a cateract repair job since then, but still, I don't feel comfortable doing the job anymore. After some 10+ successful jobs, the one implosion tends to change your ways. I recently had a 25AP22 rebuilt by scotty at hawkeye, he did a great job. It had the green halo of course as it was a rauland tube for a 1965 Zenith color set I worked on for someone. The tube came back to me with the lens mounted using the foam tape. He did a great job. In fact, it was the first time I got to see what a 60's era zenith bonded lens CRT looked like without green halo. Im so used to the green halo on zeniths that it changed the whole look of the TV.

I asked scotty if he can simply do a faceplate removal/install job. He said thats not a problem and it can be done quite cheaply. He no longer bonds the lenses back with PVA however, he stopped doing that about 20 years ago he told me. He quoted me about $70 for that work, which i feel is very good considering it greatly helps eliminate the danger hazard. He has the proper equipment, so he'll get those jobs from now on.

I'm actually going to have him rebuild two roundie CRT's for me in a couple weeks. My CTC-7 sanford has a bad original 21CYP22 and my '64 Zenith roundie has its original 21FJP22 that I'd like to keep original to the set. I'll be taking a drive out there to bring him the CRT's and he also offered to give me a tour of his facility to see what its all about, which sounds really interesting. I always wanted to see what its like to rebuild a CRT. Should be a good trip.

[N9ZQA]

Doug -

Wow - that looks nice!

The set in my avatar has a 23EGP22 and it was the first one I ever did cataract removal on. I've only done two, but after seeing your experience, I've sworn off of that particular task. It's nice to know there's someone out there who has the experience, equipment, and facilities to do this type of thing safely.

Did Scotty mention how he performs this type of work? I've heard from people who rebuilt tubes in the past that the safety glass would come off in the oven as part of the rebuilding process, and that they'd reglue them with the PVA - but that was all for a tube that was already in the process of being rebuilt.

-Jim

[drh4683]

scotty told me that he always heats the tube in the oven to remove the lens while its still under vacuum. He claimed thats the only way to do it. I've heard from others that the lens gets removed once the entire tube is exposed to atmospheric pressure, but apparently thats a myth in the tube rebuilding world.

[zenithfan1]

Is that the set Tom grabbed? If so, it looks like new! I remember it being scruffy. It IS weird to see a Zenith without green halo, I always think that when I see them in old shows too. Maybe I should redo the CRT in my recently restored '68 Zenith that I scored from a certain someone last year.

[drh4683]

Nope, totally different set, but exact same model as the one I sold to Tom. A guy in Chicago found this on craigslist last month, the set was in a highrise complex downtown. He's an audio guy, not really into TV tech but wanted a tube color set, so he saved it, then found my youtube videos and asked if I could bring it back to life. He brought it by and the tube was toast, brightener, fully cranked G2 controls. "oh crap" I thought. The set was a total mess but he really wanted me to try and get it going. Numerous hack job repairs that needed to be corrected, had a couple open filter caps too and a bad selenium focus rectifier as the picture wouldn't sharpen up with the focus control. The saying about sets being too far gone is non-sense when you're talking about a zenith. No zenith is too far gone as long as the cabinet isnt ruined. I suggested the rebuild for the CRT, which he was all for. It was also my first experience with having a tube rebuilt and was an all around great experience working with hawkeye. Very professional operation. The picture is so nice on a zenith with a strong (in this case new) CRT!

[zenithfan1]

Beautiful work on that set, WOW.
On another note, I seem to keep missing the Zeniths and I look everyday. Timing is everything they say, although this one was a basket case. Looks like it was just the victim of bad techs until you fixed it, it seems the original owner took care of the cabinet.

[N9ZQA]

Wow - that is a gorgeous picture!

-Jim

[RobtWB]

Just curious.


Counting man hours for labor, CRT rebuild cost , parts replacement cost, travel/shipping expenses for the CRT, the price paid for the old tv at auction/estate sale etc, etc... How many hundreds of dollars are invested in this common old Zenith??

[sampson159]

beautiful set.i have a nib zenith 23v crt just waiting for something worthy to install it in.i remember in the late 70s and early 80s,those zeniths were plentiful around here.my buddy roscoe would find these everywhere.we repaired and sold a ton of them.even with the dreaded "green halo"they still put out the picture!i am sure that the southend of columbus ohio is full of those old zeniths.
ran into an old customer several months ago and he told me that he had a lcd in the living room but the old zenith console was in the bedroom.it gets more use than the new set.still going strong after 25+ years.if only i would have kept one or two of them back in the day......................................

[zenithfan1]

Originally Posted by RobtWB

Just curious.


Counting man hours for labor, CRT rebuild cost , parts replacement cost, travel/shipping expenses for the CRT, the price paid for the old tv at auction/estate sale etc, etc... How many hundreds of dollars are invested in this common old Zenith??

Someone has a negative attitude. It was worth what was spent because the owner is happy. What is a common Zenith to you may be a real treasure to someone else. To each their own, words of my late Grandmother.

[radiotvnut]

On most of the items that I fix to keep, I end up spending more than they're "worth" to the average person and even some collectors. I enjoy this hobby and don't mind spending the money if I have it to spend and I plan on keeping the item.

[zenithfan1]

Me too Bryan.

[N9ZQA]

Originally Posted by drh4683

scotty told me that he always heats the tube in the oven to remove the lens while its still under vacuum. He claimed thats the only way to do it. I've heard from others that the lens gets removed once the entire tube is exposed to atmospheric pressure, but apparently thats a myth in the tube rebuilding world.

That's what I always heard too - that the lens just comes off as a result of the heating process when the tube has already been opened up. I guess if the safety glass can be removed with a heat gun while the tube is under vacuum then an oven might be a better choice. Plus the entire tube remains at the same temperature if heated slowly enough avoiding the differential expansion that seems to be a problem in these cases.

-Jim

[RobtWB]

No, not a negative attitude.

Just curious how much money was spent, especially the cost of having the CRT rebuilt.

On my list of "maybe" repairs is a 67/68 Zenith lowboy console, early American cabinet, 23xc... chassis. The old beast works, but needs a chassis restoration, and a cataract removal. Not really sure it is worth a few hundred dollars in parts. Replacing just a few of the electron tubes, not counting a CRT rebuild, could easily exceed 100$. No, I will not purchase untested tubes, or use pulls. I do not do hack restorations.

Some sets are sorta like rebuilding or restoring a Plymouth minivan or a Ford Pinto. Sure it can be done, but sometimes the real question is WHY?

Sorta like restoring that old RCA roundie I picked up recently. WHY? Iffen the CRT checks "OK" it is doable, but the question remains, WHY?

BTW, if the CRT is "ok", the set is free to whomever wants it. No, I will not ship or deliver. No I will not part it out.

[AUdubon5425]

Originally Posted by RobtWB

Some sets are sorta like rebuilding or restoring a Plymouth minivan...

Man, am I on the wrong path. I've restored both low-dollar sets and a Plymouth minivan.