1946 Philco Tube Receiver

tryonziess · 6th April 2009, 10:33 AM

This weekend I found a truly fabulous 1946 tube receiver console at a yard sale. It cost a total of 15.00. I was wondering what steps I should follow to begin restoring this antique. The cabinet only needs a little wax and cleanup.
Most if not all of the axial capacitors, I assume, should be documented and replaced. What about the carbon composition resistors. Do they hold up well over time? Will tubes of this period be hard to find?
Any advice or help for the knowledgeable would be much appreciated.

Thanks Tad

Tom Bavis · 6th April 2009, 12:14 PM

Got a model number? Probably 46-xxx. I have a number of Philco service buletins on my web page: http://www.audiophool.cjb.net/Philco.html

Caps are bad, resistors my be OK - measure 'em. Tubes may be OK, but are inexpensive and easily found.

tryonziess · 6th April 2009, 04:27 PM

It is Model 46-1209 code 121.
Do you think this old unit would be worthy of restoring. It costs almost 560.00 back in the forties. That was a huge sum of money for a post war radio.
The only reason I bought it , besides being all tubes , was the great condition it is in.
Tad

Richard Ellis · 7th April 2009, 12:56 AM

Is this it??
How could you not appreciate such fine furniture? & listen to it as well!
____________________________________________Rick.. .....

tryonziess · 7th April 2009, 10:56 AM

Richard,
That is the exact unit I picked up. Is yours in working order?
How does someone with the same last name as ours end up in beautiful Argentina. Wide open unincumbered natural landscape. Anyway, I hope to find the time to restore the inner workings of this old piece of nostalgia. It has shortwave and AM band. I am not sure if it has an FM band. Just think of the musical genre that was played out over these units in the forties and fifties.

Tad Ellis

Tom Bavis · 7th April 2009, 01:16 PM

You can find service information at nostalgiaair.org. Click RESOURCES, then PHILCO, etc.

6f6 · 10th April 2009, 07:39 PM

The s.o.p. is to replace all capacitors- electrolytic and wax/paper, check all resistors and tubes. If you need a schematic, you can download it for free at:
www.nostalgiaair.org
If you any assistance otherwise go to:
www.antiqueradios.com

DigitalJunkie · 10th April 2009, 08:29 PM

http://bama.sbc.edu/ Also has lots of info on old equipment.

6f6 · 10th April 2009, 08:41 PM

I looked at the schematic. This radio will be awesome when you get it working: P-P 6V6GT output section, triodes for the local oscillator and mixer will assure that you have very little converter noise, IIRC 2 stages IF amplification. Well worth restoring and using on a daily basis.

tryonziess · 11th April 2009, 10:19 AM

6f6,
Being very new to this hobby and having no experience with tubes makes your comments reassuring. I was not sure if this old unit was worth owning even when it was new. I just figured the price was right and maybe someone might want it.
Now I think I will try and replace all of the old capacitors, clean it up and see what happens. A lot of the wire insulation is broken so that will have to be replaced also.
There are some big capacitors on top with the tubes, I think, which can be restored. Wet type or something????
If I bring it up real slow with a variac I might be able to find other bad items before any real damage occurs.
Where did you locate the schematic for this unit?
Thanks any and all help or comments welcome. Tad

6th April 2009, 10:33 AM	#1
tryonziess diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2007	1946 Philco Tube Receiver This weekend I found a truly fabulous 1946 tube receiver console at a yard sale. It cost a total of 15.00. I was wondering what steps I should follow to begin restoring this antique. The cabinet only needs a little wax and cleanup. Most if not all of the axial capacitors, I assume, should be documented and replaced. What about the carbon composition resistors. Do they hold up well over time? Will tubes of this period be hard to find? Any advice or help for the knowledgeable would be much appreciated. Thanks Tad

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6th April 2009, 12:14 PM	#2
Tom Bavis diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Macedon NY	Got a model number? Probably 46-xxx. I have a number of Philco service buletins on my web page: http://www.audiophool.cjb.net/Philco.html Caps are bad, resistors my be OK - measure 'em. Tubes may be OK, but are inexpensive and easily found.

6th April 2009, 04:27 PM	#3
tryonziess diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2007	It is Model 46-1209 code 121. Do you think this old unit would be worthy of restoring. It costs almost 560.00 back in the forties. That was a huge sum of money for a post war radio. The only reason I bought it , besides being all tubes , was the great condition it is in. Tad

7th April 2009, 10:56 AM	#5
tryonziess diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2007	Richard, That is the exact unit I picked up. Is yours in working order? How does someone with the same last name as ours end up in beautiful Argentina. Wide open unincumbered natural landscape. Anyway, I hope to find the time to restore the inner workings of this old piece of nostalgia. It has shortwave and AM band. I am not sure if it has an FM band. Just think of the musical genre that was played out over these units in the forties and fifties. Tad Ellis

7th April 2009, 01:16 PM	#6
Tom Bavis diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Macedon NY	You can find service information at nostalgiaair.org. Click RESOURCES, then PHILCO, etc.

10th April 2009, 07:39 PM	#7
6f6 diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2006	The s.o.p. is to replace all capacitors- electrolytic and wax/paper, check all resistors and tubes. If you need a schematic, you can download it for free at: www.nostalgiaair.org If you any assistance otherwise go to: www.antiqueradios.com

10th April 2009, 08:29 PM	#8
DigitalJunkie diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Portland,Oregon Blog Entries: 4	http://bama.sbc.edu/ Also has lots of info on old equipment.

10th April 2009, 08:41 PM	#9
6f6 diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2006	I looked at the schematic. This radio will be awesome when you get it working: P-P 6V6GT output section, triodes for the local oscillator and mixer will assure that you have very little converter noise, IIRC 2 stages IF amplification. Well worth restoring and using on a daily basis.

11th April 2009, 10:19 AM	#10
tryonziess diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2007	6f6, Being very new to this hobby and having no experience with tubes makes your comments reassuring. I was not sure if this old unit was worth owning even when it was new. I just figured the price was right and maybe someone might want it. Now I think I will try and replace all of the old capacitors, clean it up and see what happens. A lot of the wire insulation is broken so that will have to be replaced also. There are some big capacitors on top with the tubes, I think, which can be restored. Wet type or something???? If I bring it up real slow with a variac I might be able to find other bad items before any real damage occurs. Where did you locate the schematic for this unit? Thanks any and all help or comments welcome. Tad

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