Here is another example of my excitement for antique radios being ruined! I recently saw an add on the internet for General Electric lowboy for sale.I don't drive and the person selling the radio said he could have it shipped no problem...I asked if he could take a picture of the back of the radio to show the tube chassis and model number.So he did ,and indeed a very old boxy chassis very cool looking ,a bit rusty to give it character, but then my heart sank!!On the inside wall of the cabinet next to the ractifier tube is an approximately 4 by 4 inch or so piece of asbestos!!!!!!The thing is ,is that it is concave shaped(becoming unglued on the top and bottom edges)and it looks like it is starting to sligthly fray at the edges, not too badly but....Anyways I honestly don't know what to do .I am going to call him and see if he can remove it by wetting it with soapy water spray and bagging it etc..But the thing is is that the whole inside of the cabinet could have loose fibres in it.Even if I don't buy the radio or have it shipped is it still dangerous left in this state for someone else .I have radios in my house that have that asbestos pad under the chassis and I am honestly afraid to even move them let alone work on them. What if even 1 loose fibre gets in your lungs? I will mention though I was in a basement one time that had asbestos over the pipes and it looked like someone bumped it and you could see the fibres .I don't know, this is very disheartening.

:Here is another example of my excitement for antique radios being ruined! I recently saw an add on the internet for General Electric lowboy for sale.I don't drive and the person selling the radio said he could have it shipped no problem...I asked if he could take a picture of the back of the radio to show the tube chassis and model number.So he did ,and indeed a very old boxy chassis very cool looking ,a bit rusty to give it character, but then my heart sank!!On the inside wall of the cabinet next to the ractifier tube is an approximately 4 by 4 inch or so piece of asbestos!!!!!!The thing is ,is that it is concave shaped(becoming unglued on the top and bottom edges)and it looks like it is starting to sligthly fray at the edges, not too badly but....Anyways I honestly don't know what to do .I am going to call him and see if he can remove it by wetting it with soapy water spray and bagging it etc..But the thing is is that the whole inside of the cabinet could have loose fibres in it.Even if I don't buy the radio or have it shipped is it still dangerous left in this state for someone else .I have radios in my house that have that asbestos pad under the chassis and I am honestly afraid to even move them let alone work on them. What if even 1 loose fibre gets in your lungs? I will mention though I was in a basement one time that had asbestos over the pipes and it looked like someone bumped it and you could see the fibres .I don't know, this is very disheartening.
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Asbestos is only dangerous if it gets into your lungs. For that to happen you would have to scrape or damage that 4x4 pad in some way, then blow the fibers into the air, then breath them. Lots of them, for a long time.
If you are that dumb, you shouldn't be working on radios.
Relax, it won't hurt you.
Johnnysan-

I always spray a few heavy coats of lacquer on the pad and leave it alone. We used to peel asbestos off the pipes at school when I was a kid. It's in old floor tile, hair dryers, break shoes and a lot of other stuff. Gently brush the chassis and cabinet clean and you'll be fine.

Yeah.. tear it out or spray it.
No big deal.
Common sense.. remember that?

:Yeah.. tear it out or spray it.
:No big deal.
:Common sense.. remember that?
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: It wasn't that long ago that most of the cars on the road had asbestos brakes. You would have breathe more asbestos driving around on busy roadways then your radios will ever put out.
Bob Masse
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Chris,
If you are concerned about loose particles and most people are, it is safer to use slightly soapy water in a spray bottle. Spray the material and let it completely saturate the material then remove it with a putty knife. Put it directly into a plastic zip lock bag.

Let the inside of the cabinet dry a bit and hit it with a little spray laquer. That will hold down any residual on the surfaces. Replace it with ceramic (non asbestos) material (like the gasket stuff on airtight fireplace doors) which is the modern equivelent to protect the interior surfaces of the radio. It was put there originally for a reason.

Asbestos really is bad stuff and we shouldn't go spreading it around our homes or environment anymore than we already have.

Jeff

:Here is another example of my excitement for antique radios being ruined! I recently saw an add on the internet for General Electric lowboy for sale.I don't drive and the person selling the radio said he could have it shipped no problem...I asked if he could take a picture of the back of the radio to show the tube chassis and model number.So he did ,and indeed a very old boxy chassis very cool looking ,a bit rusty to give it character, but then my heart sank!!On the inside wall of the cabinet next to the ractifier tube is an approximately 4 by 4 inch or so piece of asbestos!!!!!!The thing is ,is that it is concave shaped(becoming unglued on the top and bottom edges)and it looks like it is starting to sligthly fray at the edges, not too badly but....Anyways I honestly don't know what to do .I am going to call him and see if he can remove it by wetting it with soapy water spray and bagging it etc..But the thing is is that the whole inside of the cabinet could have loose fibres in it.Even if I don't buy the radio or have it shipped is it still dangerous left in this state for someone else .I have radios in my house that have that asbestos pad under the chassis and I am honestly afraid to even move them let alone work on them. What if even 1 loose fibre gets in your lungs? I will mention though I was in a basement one time that had asbestos over the pipes and it looked like someone bumped it and you could see the fibres .I don't know, this is very disheartening.
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