I recently(today)worked on my parents radio,philco40-185, and have a few questions. I had pulled the tubes in this unit a few years ago and it never worked after that. I pulled all the tubes again today and cleaned all sockets and pins and now it is working again. I noticed that it has push button selector swithes and I can only get stations that are assigned to these buttons. How do you select the tuning dial,that is to tune manually with the knob? It looks like it has 7 presets and 8 buttons. Is that 8th button to select dial tuning? If so mine seems stuck, it would not push in. I did'nt try to force it because all the others work fine. Also it had quite a bit of hum in the audio output. I'm assuming that I would start with replacement of the electrolytics in the power supply.
I have many more questions but I'll let someone respond first. Wonderful site!!!

Hi Russ

I would first replace electrolytic caps. Use similar or slightly higher values. I would use 450 volt rated electrolytics. Other caps may be leaky but electrolytics are most important.

The last push button should enable the tuner. Use tuner cleaner to free up this button. You can also use WD40 but don't over do it.

Norm

:I recently(today)worked on my parents radio,philco40-185, and have a few questions. I had pulled the tubes in this unit a few years ago and it never worked after that. I pulled all the tubes again today and cleaned all sockets and pins and now it is working again. I noticed that it has push button selector swithes and I can only get stations that are assigned to these buttons. How do you select the tuning dial,that is to tune manually with the knob? It looks like it has 7 presets and 8 buttons. Is that 8th button to select dial tuning? If so mine seems stuck, it would not push in. I did'nt try to force it because all the others work fine. Also it had quite a bit of hum in the audio output. I'm assuming that I would start with replacement of the electrolytics in the power supply.
:I have many more questions but I'll let someone respond first. Wonderful site!!!

:Hi Russ
:
: I would first replace electrolytic caps. Use similar or slightly higher values. I would use 450 volt rated electrolytics. Other caps may be leaky but electrolytics are most important.
:
: The last push button should enable the tuner. Use tuner cleaner to free up this button. You can also use WD40 but don't over do it.
:
:Norm
:
::I recently(today)worked on my parents radio,philco40-185, and have a few questions. I had pulled the tubes in this unit a few years ago and it never worked after that. I pulled all the tubes again today and cleaned all sockets and pins and now it is working again. I noticed that it has push button selector swithes and I can only get stations that are assigned to these buttons. How do you select the tuning dial,that is to tune manually with the knob? It looks like it has 7 presets and 8 buttons. Is that 8th button to select dial tuning? If so mine seems stuck, it would not push in. I did'nt try to force it because all the others work fine. Also it had quite a bit of hum in the audio output. I'm assuming that I would start with replacement of the electrolytics in the power supply.
::I have many more questions but I'll let someone respond first. Wonderful site!!!

:Hi Russ
:
: I would first replace electrolytic caps. Use similar or slightly higher values. I would use 450 volt rated electrolytics. Other caps may be leaky but electrolytics are most important.
:
: The last push button should enable the tuner. Use tuner cleaner to free up this button. You can also use WD40 but don't over do it.
:
:Norm
:
::I recently(today)worked on my parents radio,philco40-185, and have a few questions. I had pulled the tubes in this unit a few years ago and it never worked after that. I pulled all the tubes again today and cleaned all sockets and pins and now it is working again. I noticed that it has push button selector swithes and I can only get stations that are assigned to these buttons. How do you select the tuning dial,that is to tune manually with the knob? It looks like it has 7 presets and 8 buttons. Is that 8th button to select dial tuning? If so mine seems stuck, it would not push in. I did'nt try to force it because all the others work fine. Also it had quite a bit of hum in the audio output. I'm assuming that I would start with replacement of the electrolytics in the power supply.
::I have many more questions but I'll let someone respond first. Wonderful site!!!

Thanks for the quick response. I'll try the wd40. A friend brought over an Aeroline the other day and now I have radio fever. I've been to 5 antique shops since looking for radios. Don't really know what I'm looking for but I sure do like the cathedrals.

This is just my opinion, take it for what its worth. I to love cathedrals, but they tend to have more issues to deal with than some of the “ newer” tube radios, and many of them have been messed up by hacks. Unless you get lucky they can be a beast. If the bug has bit you, grab the a few late 40s and 50s wood box Airlines and Silvertones ( All American Fivers). They are at flee markets, garage sales, and some old friends sheds It’s easy to locate tubes, knobs and various parts for these, and due to the room under the chassis they are generally easier to work on. Practice your craft on these. Get them running, tune them up, and give them to friends, or exfriends. You will encounter lots of interesting problems. If you can describe it the guys here always seen to know how to fix it. Then buy a non working Philco 60 or 90 or the like, and bring it back in fine form.

Also, if you want to find radios, you can try eBay. The problem with eBay is that it brings thousands of really awesome radios within your reach. You can get REALLY addicted, and not only can you bid a lot, but when someone else outbids you, you tend to bid way too high just so that you can have the radio. The other problem with eBay is that the electrical condition and such of the radio is not guaranteed. If the radio looks like it's all there, though, and you know how to work on radios, just about any radio except for the nightmares (which are usually obvious) is doable. If you have questions about a radio, be sure to get lots of pictures from the seller. Sometimes, too, it is better to buy the wooden radios with the really poor cabinets. They go for cheap. If you know how to work with veneer and glue and such, you can restore them yourself. Then you can fill your house with incredible radios that make people envy you, for little money. If you see a radio that looks interesting, but the cabinet is beat up, try to search the internet for pictures of mint radios of this type. Then use your imagination. Don't go in over your head. Try to imagine how you are going to repair a beat up radio, too. You don't want to buy a total piece of junk that you cannot fix. I have purchased some real pieces of junk (veneer falling off everywhere, plywood separated), though, that I knew would be beautiful once restored. They took a lot of time, but this makes me proud because I have so much work into each radio, and they are absolutely fabulous showroom quality now.

If you want some radios to drool over, go to www.radiophile.com. Another radio that is like those that I just bought in mint condition is the Montgomery Wards Airline 62-306. A site that will get you drooling over vintage televisions is www.myvintagetv.com. Check out the restoration of the TRK-12! That's as bad as some of my radios were. I by no means have the money to send them to other people for cabinet restoration, however.

Also, you do know that you can re-adjust the push-buttons on your radio for different stations, right?

Thomas

:Also, if you want to find radios, you can try eBay. The problem with eBay is that it brings thousands of really awesome radios within your reach. You can get REALLY addicted, and not only can you bid a lot, but when someone else outbids you, you tend to bid way too high just so that you can have the radio. The other problem with eBay is that the electrical condition and such of the radio is not guaranteed. If the radio looks like it's all there, though, and you know how to work on radios, just about any radio except for the nightmares (which are usually obvious) is doable. If you have questions about a radio, be sure to get lots of pictures from the seller. Sometimes, too, it is better to buy the wooden radios with the really poor cabinets. They go for cheap. If you know how to work with veneer and glue and such, you can restore them yourself. Then you can fill your house with incredible radios that make people envy you, for little money. If you see a radio that looks interesting, but the cabinet is beat up, try to search the internet for pictures of mint radios of this type. Then use your imagination. Don't go in over your head. Try to imagine how you are going to repair a beat up radio, too. You don't want to buy a total piece of junk that you cannot fix. I have purchased some real pieces of junk (veneer falling off everywhere, plywood separated), though, that I knew would be beautiful once restored. They took a lot of time, but this makes me proud because I have so much work into each radio, and they are absolutely fabulous showroom quality now.
:
:If you want some radios to drool over, go to www.radiophile.com. Another radio that is like those that I just bought in mint condition is the Montgomery Wards Airline 62-306. A site that will get you drooling over vintage televisions is www.myvintagetv.com. Check out the restoration of the TRK-12! That's as bad as some of my radios were. I by no means have the money to send them to other people for cabinet restoration, however.
:
:Also, you do know that you can re-adjust the push-buttons on your radio for different stations, right?
:
:Thomas

Thanks for the valuable info on what direction to take. I was able to tweak from the back of the Philco on the presets. I saw something later that made me think your supposed to tweak on both the screws, one bove the other, but not sure. It did help though.
My biggest problem is not knowing what a radio is worth. Let me tell you about the ones I have come across lately.
Silvertone 101 801 very good cosmetics all there $65

RCA T6-1 Good condition needs a knob. Cathedral $165

RCA T6-9 Bad condition, split ply, veneer strips gone,
complete electric chassis $15

NU G613 portable Good condition $35

Firestone Roamer Very good condition $45

Motorola 600 portable vey good condition $50

My background, I have an electronics degree and have repaired many high end and vintage tube audio equipment. Not much experience repairing wood. I do build and repair RC balsa airplanes though.
Russ

Well, as for a radio's worth, it is what you are willing to pay for it. If all sorts of other people try to outbid you, then they really like it, too, and then the radio becomes worth a lot. Unless you want to sell a radio after you repair it, and perhaps start a business, you should purchase a radio based upon how much you like its appearance or electronics or both. If the price you see does not agree with how you feel about the radio, then the radio is priced higher than it is worth to you. You shouldn't go for it. If you're willing to pay anything for a radio, then it's worth it to buy it (assuming that you don't jepordize your other expenses). These things are what make a radio worth a lot to you or to a whole bunch of people. A radio's worth is simply an average calculation of how many people really like it or how much a few people like it. Since the radio is not being sold from a factory, the worth is simply supply and demand, and sometimes just demand if the radio is common but the price always seems to go high. There are some radios that everyone goes after and loves that I find unattractive, and so I do not purchase them even though they are worth a lot to so many people. Usually my tastes agree with the price, though, which kinda sucks because I don't have a ton of money to spend on radios. That may be a good thing, though, because I don't have much room for more radios.

As for the push button adjustments on your radio, the coils control the oscillator frequency, which is what is matched with the incoming frequency to produce 455 KC, or whatever the IF is in your radio. Adjust each coil slug to find a station (first tune in the station manually so you know what is playing so you can find it later). Adjust the oscillator coils carefully so that the station is well tuned in.

The trimmer condensers (usually a screw that goes into a porcelain device that has some plates stacked in between slices of mica) are what adjust the antenna circuit. Once you have found a station for a particular push button by using the oscillator adjustment, adjust the trimmer for maximum output and fine tuning. The trimmer peaks the antenna circuit so that the station you want to hear is the station that the antenna circuit reacts to most. Because of the way a trimmer condenser is constructed, it cannot easily tune over the entire broadcast band. Because of this, different push buttons have different size (electrically) trimmers for covering different parts of the broadcast band. You will find in your schematic, found in the resources section of this web site, the portions of the band which each push button is designated to. These are the portions of the band that the antenna trimmers are capable of tuning to, which will give you maximum efficiency for each push button.

When adjusting the push buttons, adjust one at a time using the above procedure. Check each push button against manual tuning to assure that you have it adjusted to the proper station before going on to the next push button. Call letter tabs are available from www.tubesandmore.com, but these do not always match those which originally came with your radio. Unless your radio requires translucent call letters so that light can project through them from behind, you can use your computer to make call letter tabs. Select a text style and size that is similar to the original style. Type them vertically or horizontally, as is required. Choose any color paper you wish (or white or tan) and print them up. Be sure that each call tab is spaced far enough apart from the next so that you can cut them out. If you wish you may use the inversion feature found on most graphic programs, allowing you to make the letters white and the background black. Printing these will give you white or colored letters, depending on the paper selected, on a black background. If the paper is thin enough or the light is bright enough, these may even work on radios with back-lit push buttons. Before cutting out the push button tabs, give the page area where the tabs are located several coats of clear varnish until a plastic appearance is obtained. If you do not wish to have a glossy finish, one coat will do, which will waterproof the letters (if using an ink jet printer). The varnish will yellow slightly with time.

As for wood working, I am a complete amateur. It requires imagination, patience, and care. Sand with the grain. Start somewhat coarse (150 to 200) and work finer. Do not skip numbers. You must be able to cut new veneer so that it has a very square edge. You must get to know woods so that you can match them (most radios use a lot of walnut). Injecting glue into plywood that has separated may be done in any practical way you can imagine. Using a syrringe works. Injecting the glue by placing the glue bottle up to the plywood works. Using boards and clamps, the wood can be pressed together. Round corners are a bit more difficult to solidify, but it is possible. Use your imagination. Don't buy a radio with missing pieces that must be formed with routers and such unless you own these tools. Reconstruction is possible, but only if you want or have the tools. A lot of radios use colored varnish over "cheap" (featureless) wood. You can come up with colored varnish of the shade you desire by mixing in oil based paste stains. Some good woodworking stores sell colored varnish. Sometimes paint will work, too, but it is more opaque than colored varnish.

Get books on cabinet restoration (www.tubesandmore.com).

Don't let the hobby suck up your savings account.

Thomas