Sorry, still can't search the archives.

I have told myself I could not buy a console radio, but did it anyway. Sound familiar? :>)
I immediately spied this 6-legged highboy, Airline 62-84, similar to this 64-79 at http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/montgomery_62_79.html It was sitting in the parking lot at a flea market, looking sad. Walked past it two or three times, then bought it for cheap. We found room for it and 4 adults in my son's minicar. Yes, I have the sickness too.
It is complete and in working order, needs a dial cord and a loving home. I thought I would trade it for a Bakelite mantel radio, but my wife is learning to like it. It's all good.
The fabric of the grill cloth is loose and needs to be restretched.

Has anyone here successfully washed an 80-year-old grill cloth, or would you recommend against doing that?

:Sorry, still can't search the archives.
:
:I have told myself I could not buy a console radio, but did it anyway. Sound familiar? :>)
:I immediately spied this 6-legged highboy, Airline 62-84, similar to this 64-79 at http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/montgomery_62_79.html It was sitting in the parking lot at a flea market, looking sad. Walked past it two or three times, then bought it for cheap. We found room for it and 4 adults in my son's minicar. Yes, I have the sickness too.
:It is complete and in working order, needs a dial cord and a loving home. I thought I would trade it for a Bakelite mantel radio, but my wife is learning to like it. It's all good.
:The fabric of the grill cloth is loose and needs to be restretched.
:
:Has anyone here successfully washed an 80-year-old grill cloth, or would you recommend against doing that?

You can try it but I have had very rare success washing old grill cloth, much less being able to stretch it again. It will most likely fall apart. New grill cloth it easily available in many patterns and easy to install.
Best of luck.
Jon.
:
:

When I had a weak moment and bought a ho-hum console and could not repair the chassis a friend told me that it would make a reallly nice aquarium stand :O)

No, this radio will play. With 10 tubes and two speakers, I expect it to sound great, too. I plan to install a new power cord but will save the old cloth cord, which is a bit brittle. I think I will cut a plexiglass cover for the top so it can be a hall stand.
I have an AM transmitter I rigged up from a signal generator, so I can have it playing nice music to greet the wife when she walks in the door. This is my strategy.
Thanks, I'll just try to gently vacuum the cloth and re-tack the loose part. You can tighten the cloth some with a blow dryer, but I've overdone that with bad results.

: When I had a weak moment and bought a ho-hum console and could not repair the chassis a friend told me that it would make a reallly nice aquarium stand :O)
:

:No, this radio will play. With 10 tubes and two speakers, I expect it to sound great, too. I plan to install a new power cord but will save the old cloth cord, which is a bit brittle. I think I will cut a plexiglass cover for the top so it can be a hall stand.
:I have an AM transmitter I rigged up from a signal generator, so I can have it playing nice music to greet the wife when she walks in the door. This is my strategy.
:Thanks, I'll just try to gently vacuum the cloth and re-tack the loose part. You can tighten the cloth some with a blow dryer, but I've overdone that with bad results.

New cloth covered power cord is available from Antique Electronic Supply.
:
:
:: When I had a weak moment and bought a ho-hum console and could not repair the chassis a friend told me that it would make a reallly nice aquarium stand :O)
::
:
:

::No, this radio will play. With 10 tubes and two speakers, I expect it to sound great, too. I plan to install a new power cord but will save the old cloth cord, which is a bit brittle. I think I will cut a plexiglass cover for the top so it can be a hall stand.
::I have an AM transmitter I rigged up from a signal generator, so I can have it playing nice music to greet the wife when she walks in the door. This is my strategy.
::Thanks, I'll just try to gently vacuum the cloth and re-tack the loose part. You can tighten the cloth some with a blow dryer, but I've overdone that with bad results.
:
:New cloth covered power cord is available from Antique Electronic Supply.
::
::
::: When I had a weak moment and bought a ho-hum console and could not repair the chassis a friend told me that it would make a reallly nice aquarium stand :O)
:::
::
::
:
:Hi Jon, I have had great luck saving old grill clothes. Take the board with the grill cloth on it and remove the whole board. Then dampen the cloth with water and let set for at least a half hour. It should come right off. I lay the cloth flat in the bathtub and spray the H out of it with a wonderful product called "Awesome" you can pick up a bottle at most Dollar Stores it's like 409 but better. Let it set for 15 or more minutes and then rinse off with the shower while laying in the tub. Try not to handle it much. Gently hang it over something to let it dry on its own, don't wring it out. Then when all of that is done spray the board lightly with spray adheisive and put the cloth back on. But I always lay this thin backing material you can get from fabric shops it looks like cotton and is around 1/8" thick between the wood and the cloth. Use the spray adheisive first for the backing then spray the backing and lay the cloth on it. That way you don't have to stretch it much at all and it gives it a great look. Well there is my two cents. Good Luck, George T

:::No, this radio will play. With 10 tubes and two speakers, I expect it to sound great, too. I plan to install a new power cord but will save the old cloth cord, which is a bit brittle. I think I will cut a plexiglass cover for the top so it can be a hall stand.
:::I have an AM transmitter I rigged up from a signal generator, so I can have it playing nice music to greet the wife when she walks in the door. This is my strategy.
:::Thanks, I'll just try to gently vacuum the cloth and re-tack the loose part. You can tighten the cloth some with a blow dryer, but I've overdone that with bad results.
::
::New cloth covered power cord is available from Antique Electronic Supply.
:::
:::
:::: When I had a weak moment and bought a ho-hum console and could not repair the chassis a friend told me that it would make a reallly nice aquarium stand :O)
::::
:::
:::
::
::Hi Jon, I have had great luck saving old grill clothes. Take the board with the grill cloth on it and remove the whole board. Then dampen the cloth with water and let set for at least a half hour. It should come right off. I lay the cloth flat in the bathtub and spray the H out of it with a wonderful product called "Awesome" you can pick up a bottle at most Dollar Stores it's like 409 but better. Let it set for 15 or more minutes and then rinse off with the shower while laying in the tub. Try not to handle it much. Gently hang it over something to let it dry on its own, don't wring it out. Then when all of that is done spray the board lightly with spray adheisive and put the cloth back on. But I always lay this thin backing material you can get from fabric shops it looks like cotton and is around 1/8" thick between the wood and the cloth. Use the spray adheisive first for the backing then spray the backing and lay the cloth on it. That way you don't have to stretch it much at all and it gives it a great look. Well there is my two cents. Good Luck, George T
:
:
Thanks, George. Adding a backing is a real good idea.

:Sorry, still can't search the archives.
:
:I have told myself I could not buy a console radio, but did it anyway. Sound familiar? :>)
:I immediately spied this 6-legged highboy, Airline 62-84, similar to this 64-79 at http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/montgomery_62_79.html It was sitting in the parking lot at a flea market, looking sad. Walked past it two or three times, then bought it for cheap. We found room for it and 4 adults in my son's minicar. Yes, I have the sickness too.
:It is complete and in working order, needs a dial cord and a loving home. I thought I would trade it for a Bakelite mantel radio, but my wife is learning to like it. It's all good.
:The fabric of the grill cloth is loose and needs to be restretched.
:
:Has anyone here successfully washed an 80-year-old grill cloth, or would you recommend against doing that?
:
:
I've wash grill cloth, if it looks like just dirt I use joy dish soap, fill the sink with water & a little soap, make a ball out of the grill cloth, place under water squeeze a few times you'll be surprised amount of dirt that comes out, then rinse with clean water doing same way when water had soap. I open up cloth & place outside or where ever it can dry. When the wife is not home I use her iron, place damp grill cloth between two clean cloths or towels & iron, if you do not use cloth on top the grill cloth will melt and stick to the hot iron, and you will have some other problems. Hope this helps.

Sometimes the weave on old grill cloth is pretty fragile. If this is the case any water pressure might do more harm than good. I have used upholstery cleaner spray (the foaming stuff) and then with damp paper towels patted the raised dirt from the cloth. If you do this on both sides of the cloth you can get it rather clean. Then let it dry naturally between toweling and if needed lightly iron to smooth.