Random find 1955 zenith! I will have at least one stupid question

[Donny]

I got my motorcycle inspection and there it was. I don't think I will restore but I would like to disassemble to clean. My current question. How do I get the right knob off? The left knob pulled off with ease. The right one, I've gotten as aggressive as I dare and it's not giving.

[Electronic M]

One option if you can't get the right tuner knob off is to unplug the TV chassis from the tuner chassis (there's usually plugs and or spade/barrel connectors on the ends of the wire).

I don't think these used set screws(though you can check for them) so the tension spring in the knob is probably stubborn or corroded to the shaft... penetrating oil might help. I know some people who slip an old T-shirt behind the knob to act as a knob puller.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Donny

I got my motorcycle inspection and there it was. I don't think I will restore but I would like to disassemble to clean. My current question. How do I get the right knob off? The left knob pulled off with ease. The right one, I've gotten as aggressive as I dare and it's not giving.

That set was probably the TOTL model that year!
It looks pretty clean for it's age. Original tubes, looks like the CRT has been replaced

[zeno]

As far as the knob goes it should pull right off. If its stuck pry with a
screwdriver or two. BUT use some cloth under the screwdriver to protect
the cabinet.
That set looks near mint & complete so fix it up. Its hard to find one this
nice. It will out preform anything else made & the basic chassis was built into
the 70's.

73 Zeno
LFOD !

[jr_tech]

Cool looking set ! Is it a 24 inch?

jr

[tvdude1]

Great find good for you

[Donny]

Originally Posted by Electronic M

One option if you can't get the right tuner knob off is to unplug the TV chassis from the tuner chassis (there's usually plugs and or spade/barrel connectors on the ends of the wire).

I don't think these used set screws(though you can check for them) so the tension spring in the knob is probably stubborn or corroded to the shaft... penetrating oil might help. I know some people who slip an old T-shirt behind the knob to act as a knob puller.

The t shirt suggestion gave me an idea to use some wood wedges. I had some soft feeling pine and gently pushed in the wedges. Worked very well

[Donny]

Originally Posted by zeno

As far as the knob goes it should pull right off. If its stuck pry with a
screwdriver or two. BUT use some cloth under the screwdriver to protect
the cabinet.
That set looks near mint & complete so fix it up. Its hard to find one this
nice. It will out preform anything else made & the basic chassis was built into
the 70's.

73 Zeno
LFOD !

Thanks. I plan on cleaning it and displaying it. I have a lot of mid century modern stuff and just couldn't pass up this set.

[Donny]

Originally Posted by jr_tech

Cool looking set ! Is it a 24 inch?

jr

I haven't measured but I think it's a 21-22inch

Originally Posted by tvdude1

Great find good for you

Thanks. I just asked if it was fore sale. The lady replied "yes but the least he will take is $200" My reply sold! Much to her surprise! She seemed happy to sell it. Someone unbolted the chassis...So I got a huge crash when I loaded it. Also looks like a cap exploded!

[Aaron H]

Oh man....I have a set just like this. I found it in Cary, Nc about 5 years ago, and hauled it home in my car (in pieces). I actually used it for about a year after the electric restore, but one day something popped and I lost video. Then the flyback started to arc. So I bought a new old stock flyback. That one arced, too. So I've some more investigating to do. Definitely outperforms any other set of this era. You won't be sorry. Just be aware that buzz is nearly impossible to get rid of from these sets.

[Donny]

While cleaning I found a broken tube and worse. It looks like scrapnal from the crt. I tried taking a pic. It looks like it came from the back of the crt by that adjustment. Otherwise it cleaned up nice and I just need a better place to put it.

[Notimetolooz]

Yeah, capacitors don't just explode while you move them.
I don't know what you are talking about on the first picture there. Everything looks about right. You you break the CRT you would have just about thrown your money away.
Many chassis are bolted down with 1/4-20 screws inserted from below the chassis.

[Yamamaya42]

Originally Posted by Donny

I haven't measured but I think it's a 21-22inch


Thanks. I just asked if it was fore sale. The lady replied "yes but the least he will take is $200" My reply sold! Much to her surprise! She seemed happy to sell it. Someone unbolted the chassis...So I got a huge crash when I loaded it. Also looks like a cap exploded!

20 inch

how zenith does model numbers is number of tubes in chassis by CRT size
so the 22t20 zenith will have 22 tubes with a 20 inch CRT.
this can be confirmed by the tube chart on the left side, of course

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Yamamaya42

20 inch

how zenith does model numbers is number of tubes in chassis by CRT size
so the 22t20 zenith will have 22 tubes with a 20 inch CRT.
this can be confirmed by the tube chart on the left side, of course

That CRT looks like a 21AMP4, aluminized, possibly an RCA.
I hope that CRT isn't damaged. It should be recapped.
The audio can be aligned so it doesn't buzz.

[Electronic M]

All Glass CRTs usually have a conductive black graphite coating on the back of the bell called aquadag... Sometimes it dries up and flakes off with age/bad storage conditions.

On Zenith's with above chassis terminals you want to clean off every speck before power on or things could short and burn up. Best thing to do is remove the CRT, clean off all the old loose dag, mask off the areas that aren't supposed to have a dag coating, and spray on a new coating of Slip Plate to replace the old coating/seal the old coating where it wasn't yet peeling.