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Author Topic: Antique Radio Restoration Help Needed! Will Kutler Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1506 From: Tucson, AZ, USA Registered: Feb 2001 posted 07-26-2005 02:24 PM                     In the words of the great icon MONTY PYTHON: "And NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY STUPID!" Well, I have begun the restoration of my 1938 RCA 816K AM and short-wave radio. All of the original chassis wiring is either cloth, or real rubber insulation. And it all needs to be replaced! Well, I never thought I'd see the day when I would walk into several electronics supply stores and NOT FIND WIRE with standard striped color codes! Thats Tucson, I suppose! I'm going to check some of the Hot Rod Shops to see if they carry bulk wiring. The closest I've come is Painless Wiring, which has most of what I need, at $20.00 per 25 ft roll! And thats a little expensive seeing as I only need less than 10 ft of 13 different colors! Maybe one of ya, like Mark G. or Phil can lend a hand! Cheers K.  |  IP: Logged Roger Manning Jr Film Handler Posts: 32 From: Encinitas, CA, USA Registered: Jan 2003 posted 07-26-2005 02:43 PM                     Will did you try http://tubesandmore.com/ Roger  |  IP: Logged Bruce McGee Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1776 From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular. Registered: Aug 1999 posted 07-26-2005 05:28 PM                     Is all the wiring really rotton? I've got a 1932 Atwater-Kent model 84 cathedral that has all of its original wiring, except for what runs over to the under-chassis mounted electrolytics that I installed. Plus a new power cord. Also have an RCA that had alot of damage done by mice. When I got it, it was actually playing! I'm still amazed that it didn't release smoke. Good luck with the rebuild. I love this old stuff.  |  IP: Logged Phil Hill I love my cootie bug Posts: 7595 From: Hollywood, CA USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 07-26-2005 05:39 PM                  I think Belden still sells a 10-color 25ft roll kit of "chassis hook-up" wire. It's like #22 AWG solid conductor with pvc insulation in the standard solid "resistor" colors. You might try Mouser Electronics or Newark or (that OTHER PLACE that I just now forgot the name of the joint!) Also, I think Radio Shack had a similar kit. BTW: If you're looking for "Fuchsia" and "Magenta", you're outta luck...  |  IP: Logged Will Kutler Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1506 From: Tucson, AZ, USA Registered: Feb 2001 posted 07-26-2005 07:25 PM                     Thanks for the help, everyone. I guess 14 gage wiring should be heavy enough, unless 'yall think I should use something heavier? I already contacted some of the antique radio parts suppliers (including Antique Electronic Supply--Tubes and More). Nothing doin. Some of the cloth covered wire is available reproduction, but colors are limited. From my understanding, underneath the cloth is modern insulation. Radio Shack, which used to have all kinds of neat stuff, now has squat. This set has been worked on before, and the previous repairs could have been much neater. Luckily I have the original RCA schematics and books via Rider Publications. The nice thing is that these books also show the correct placement of all the components, including wiring. All the insulation on the original wiring (both real rubber and cloth) is just falling apart. The best thing would be fo me to rewire the set using correct color codes w/modern hi-temp insulation. Painless Wiring, who makes hot-rod and performance auto wiring products, has most of the color codes I need. Their wire is a stranded real copper core w/cross-linked polyethylene insulation for superior abrasion resistance. Withstands 275 degrees F @ 600 volts. Problem is that their bulk wire is a little expensive @ $20.00 for a 25ft roll. Needless to say I do not need 25 ft rolls, so I am trying to see if I can obtain some short scraps, as they are the direct manufacturer. The RCA 816K is really a neat radio. It has been written up in the October 1990 issues of Antique Radio Classified by author Chuck Dachis. After I read the article, I thought it would be a neat unit to have. And I did have the opportunity to examine and listen to one, prior to obtaining mine. It sounded very nice! It is a "16 tube (including the "Magic Tuning Eye" 7 band am and short wave console of 1938 vintage. It covers shortwave from 1.9 to 22 MHz in two general coverage bands, as well as 49, 31, 25 and 19 meters in four ""band spreads"". Each band spread has its own dial scale segment individually lighted as it is selected." "Its hi-fi audio section uses a pair of 6L6's in push-pull with a 6F6 as a driver, and is capabable of 30 Watts output. There are 3 IF stages, an AFC circuit, and a couple of stages of tuned RF. It also has motorized tuning with memory presets, the ""Sonic Arc Magic Voice (12 in) speaker, and the ""Magic Brain circuitry" that RCA heavily advertised". A seperate factory option was a remote control. And it also has a phonograph terminal. Another version had a different style cabinet that included a phonograph. The radio was $300.00 or $400.00 new I believe, and was the most expensive RCA unit at that time. Cheers K  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-26-2005 07:46 PM                     Will, Don't waste your time here! You need to go over and regester at the Antique radio Forums. Its a really great site with alot of old time technicians hanging out there. The Flm-Tech of radios and TV's! Antique Radio Forum Those guys over there have saved my neck a few times when I needed odd parts to restore my post war RCA TV's. The interesting thing is that there is a place in Pennsylvania that stocls NOS parts for old TVs and radios. Rodger, Antique Electronic Supply USED to be a great place. But it was sold a few years back and has steadily declined. The previous owner noew sells small tube amplifier kits that Aaron would just love. Mark  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 07-26-2005 07:54 PM                        For wire (if you don't mind modern cable, plastic) I would suggest you just buy a section of 9-15 conductor Belden cable and strip off the insulation. You are assured many colors and really good cable. The beauty of this is that short lengths are commonly available as scrap....I may even have some myself. Louis  |  IP: Logged Phil Hill I love my cootie bug Posts: 7595 From: Hollywood, CA USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 07-26-2005 07:59 PM                  quote: Louis Bornwasser The beauty of this is that short lengths are commonly available as scrap.... Great suggestion, Louis. I forgot about multi-conductor "stranded" cables... I have got many free 10ft cables by asking for a "sample."  |  IP: Logged Ron Yost Master Film Handler Posts: 344 From: Paso Robles, CA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 07-26-2005 08:11 PM                     Digikey? The rubber insulation in all of the old cotton-covered wiring I've encountered has long since turned hard and brittle. Not good! It may look ok, but it's not. The braided cotton covering disguises its true state. If it's not cracked already, it -will- crack and/or disintegrate if disturbed. A very real fire and shock hazard! Like Will, I think it's best to replace all of it, too. Ron Yost ... who just replaced the AC wiring in an old Hammond BC organ. Not an especially simple task. Every inch of it was just as I've described, and there were signs of overheating and slight burn marks in the cotton covering.  |  IP: Logged Phil Hill I love my cootie bug Posts: 7595 From: Hollywood, CA USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 07-26-2005 08:28 PM                  quote: Ron Yost Digikey? Yeah Ron, that was it! Thanks! (Thank God the mind is the 1st thing to go.... )  |  IP: Logged Bruce Hansen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 847 From: Stone Mountain, GA, USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 07-26-2005 08:29 PM                     Will, I have some 15 conductor 24 guage stranded cable with lots of colors. If you would like a few feet, email me your address. If you need very small guage colored wire. try ribbon cable.  |  IP: Logged Matthew Bailey Master Film Handler Posts: 461 From: Port Arthur,TX Registered: Sep 2000 posted 07-26-2005 09:07 PM                     I have a Philco model 46-1209 chassis in which I want to replace all the resistors & capacitors except for the variable caps in it. It's AM/shotwave with provisions for phono. I had to write down the resistor & cap values from the schematics & by looking at the chassis. You can fix the Philco bakelite block caps by heating it,removing the original insides & replacing them with orange drop caps.  |  IP: Logged William Hooper Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1879 From: Mobile, AL USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-27-2005 01:21 AM                        Your hot rod shop mention made me remember that a lot of companies which sell parts for antique auto restoration sell spools of repro cotton-covered wire with modern PVC insulation beneath. If you're going for the retro look, you could check listings in Hemmings Motor News, etc.  |  IP: Logged Will Kutler Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1506 From: Tucson, AZ, USA Registered: Feb 2001 posted 07-27-2005 01:44 AM                     Hi William Some of the antique radio parts stores stock this,but are limited on color code selection. Thanks for the suggestion, though K  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-28-2005 04:59 AM                     Be sure to use wore rated at a high temperature because even modern PVC will be come brittle in the heat of a tube radio in just a decade or so. I've been lucky on the last two RCA post war televisions that I restoreed as the original cloth covered wore was in excellent shape.... even though it was the same crap RCA used in its theatre amps!! Everyone should own a home entertainment system! Thats an 1947 RCA 721TS TV set on its original matching RCA stand. Al original finish too. The chassis for the set in the top photo. The HV and horizontal sweep section is in the upper left. This is the bottom of the same chassis. No dry rotted wire in there.... The chassis from my 1946 RCA 630TS set all restored. This was the first widely available TV set that was sold after WW-2. It cost close to $500.00 back then! The cabinet is still in progress and is a "this comming winter" project to finish up. This is an amazing set with no less than 4 video IF stages and true DC restoration in the video amp to do a proper true "black level". Clearly this circuitry can do real blacks and is light years ahead of whats in a DLP! It also has a completely seperate 3 stage sound if section. Yes, its 35 tubes including the CRT which is original to the set! The wiring was still in excellent condition. Interestingly neither of these sets had any type of line fuse in them. Apparently UL hadn't started up yet back then. They are fused now.  |  IP: Logged

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