Hey guys, I added some more sets to my page including a page for this Hallicrafters which I am particularly proud of because it was such a piece junk when I got it.

Eric
www.vintagetvsets.com

Hallicrafters
 

Eric:
Great television! Is it a channel one set? I had probs with mine because it was too early for the sams diagram, with several tubes being quite different, and it had the deleted #1 channel.

Hallicrafters T-54
 

Eric,

Yours looks just like mine...terrific! Mine looked like junk, all rusted until my restoration. I have the earlier 1947 model with Ch.1 and all octal IF tubes. The later chassis went to miniature tubes. This later model is more common. I know your's is channel one but which chassis have you got? Great set!

Rob

Halli T-54
 

Here's a picture of mine running after my complete restoration.

Rob

Hi Rob, Marlin. This set has channel 1 but with the later chassis. I had a similar problem with Sam's that my Sam's was for the octal tube set. Fortunantly I didn't run into any problems where I needed a correct schematic. Grubby as this set was the chassis would produce a raster as it was.

I have two of the wood cased models too, a 505 and a 506? in bad need of restoring also (all with the later chassis) I had a set of brown knobs made at the same time as the black ones for the T-54 wish I could have some 7JP4s made :)

Here's a before photo of my T-54 as found. Besides the rust the fine tuning knob and shaft was completely missing from the variable tuning capacitor. I had to manufacture a 1/8" shaft and solder it into a hole I drilled into what was left of the old front of the tuning cap and also fabricate a new knob out of aluminum and setscrew to match the pushbuttons next to it. The HV supply was not repairable because of a broken HV RF coil so I scrapped the entire stock HV system and built a new 60Hz HV supply into the HV cage using a 6 kV bug zapper current limited transformer, a HV diode and a big capacitor. This set makes a bright image that will not bloom. The HV supply is pretty stiff, and lethal, just like in a prewar TV. I placed a series 100K, 2 watt resistor in the supply output to limit arc current to non destructive levels. The entire set got recapped and the tuner was completely cleaned out with 200 PSI air and alcohol through a solvent gun. It works on all channels. :) I also had to locate an old Halli short wave receiver of similar vintage to get a genuine Hallicarafters 'h' emblem button for the front panel.

Rob

Early model T-54 inside view
 

Here is what the early 1947 octal chassis in the Halli T-54 series looks like. There is something special about an early post war TV with almost all octal tubes. I like those the most of the early B&W's I collect.

Rob

Hallicrafters
 

Hello Eric and Rob;
I can't brag about a great cleaning job on my 505 'cause I only wiped it out with a damp cloth. I did recap it, except for the HV deflection caps that I have yet to aquire, so it is not up and running. Rob, great idea using that bug zapper supply! (Just on that thought, wouldn't it have been fun if Frank Zappa had named his son Bug??) Sorry, I digress. My Halli has the old tube complement, and my sams the later. Not sure but it sounds like there are two versions of the sams. I paid a fare amount for this set, but found the Mahogony version for $5 at a yard sale! That one was, and still is kinda rough but at least had the magnifying lense mounts. Eric, where did you get those knobs made? I have different sets going knobless. No, the bass drum it NOT some sort of newfangled antenna!
http://home.earthlink.net/~marlinmac...alli7metal.JPG

Re: Hallicrafters
 

Marlin,

That suggestion for Frank Zappa's son's name "Bug" was hilarious! LMFAO. Your T-54 looks great with the normal age showing for its vintage. My plastic screen window was aged and yellowing around the edge like yours so I got some 1/16" plexyglass from a sign shop and cut (successfully without cracking, thank goodness for having a belt sander) a new window for mine.

I can send you some new 0.002uF@10 kV
disc caps that I use for my electrostatic recaps. Use two in parallel for the V section and singly for the H section. You will need a total of 6. PM me your postal address and I'll drop 'em in the mail no charge for an AK buddy.

Rob

Halli 7"
 

Oops, I meant T-54. Too many tv's 'round here, I get them mixed up! The wood with metal front is the T505.

Re: Hallicrafters
 

I had the knobs done by Larry Bordonaro at Old Time Replications:
http://www.antiqueradioknobs.com/

They look perfect, you can only tell they are repro if you take them off and look at the back.

Eric

My "Newest" Set 8-T-243
 

Here's a pic of my latest find. Picked this up this morning in an Antique Mall of all places, those are usually priced far too high but this one was fair I think.

This is the "Bad" side, it's really in good shape overall and that veneer should be easy to fix and hide under the dark finish.

Eric

Cool RCA, Eric. Yeah, I have passed up several "antique mall" sets. Some of them I really wanted, but they were always rediculously priced. Seems like they would sell their items faster if they would lower the price tag, and move more merchandise.

:cool:
Charlie

Eric:
Cool set! I have several RCA's with the same innards but I have never seen this cabinet. Is that front made of metal? Odd they would have left so much room above the CRT. Also, is that top section removable? The smaller ones I have are, for inserting the CRT. These were I believe shipped CRT-less to be assembled at the store.
Marlin

Charlie,

I think their strategy is to price the merchandise so that it will not sell until it becomes a really valuable antique.

Rob

Eric,

That is a good find. I haven't run across any of that model.

Rob

I think the front is painted wood, i nudged it with a fingernail and it felt soft.

The top does come off, this seems to be the same basic set as the 830-TS but in a taller cabinet. Kinda cool the way it curves down at the back.

The CRT tested weak at first but seemed to wake up after a few minutes so I think it will be OK.

Plugged it in (with a new cord) and it just hummed, it looked like some of the tubes wern't lighting but I didn't really run it long enough to be sure, it started to smell hot. I will try it again with the light bulb hooked up to it.

I got the vertical working on my 721 tonight and hope to have the rest finished soon. (it has no video or sound but I haven't finished recapping that section) Maybe then I can start on this one, though I would like to get going on the Hoffman too.

OK guys, the good deal just got a little less good.

I hooked it up in series with a 200 watt bulb and it was bright like there was a dead short, pulled the chassis back a bit and sure enough, the transformer is toast!

I had suspected this prior because there was a stain on the corner of the chassis that looked like transformer spew.

It actually looked like there had been a small fire underneath but I think it was just smoke damage. I think this is vintage damage because there are no fresh smoke smells.

Sooo... anyone have a transformer out of an RCA 630 series chassis? :D

P.S. the front is wood. It comes off just like most of the other RCAs of the era. Remove two wing nuts and the knobs and the whole thing tilts right out.

Eric,

So why do you want to restore a perfectly good parts set? :)

Rob

Eric,

Before you sign off on the transformer, make sure the AC bypass caps aren't shorted. Then pull the 5U4 and see if the short is still there.

Remember your 721 - look for the simple things first.


Chuck

Hi Chuck,

I'm pretty sure on this one. The 5U4 is blown, no heaters and debris rolling around inside, probably a shorted filter somewhere. The transformer has smoke tracks around the opening where the wires come out. :(

Eric

Eric:
That doesn't sound good! I have a '48 Zenith (see the second page of this thread for photo) that fried 2 5u4's in front of my eyes. I had to rewind a choke that had burned. 2000 turns and 4 hours later cranked up the variac and it did it again! After a week of digging I found the width coil slug had rubbed through the paper form and was touching a solder tab on the inside, thus grounding it through the slug frame. Talk about hard to find! Works fine now. Mind you the tranny may still be bad, maybe caused by something else and maybe not. I think I have a good one in a scrapped chassis, I will dig around to see if I can find it and check it for shorts. Once you are sure it is dead send me your address and I will send it to you gratis. As Rob says "I'll drop 'em in the mail no charge for an AK buddy". ;)

Also, I picked up the sams for the older octal 13 channel T-54 for a buck at our Fall swap meet/auction Sunday, naturally now that I am nearly done with the D___ thing! :dunno:

In the mean time here is a bad photo of the $5.00 T 505:
http://home.earthlink.net/~marlinmackley/7halwood.jpg
Photo is careful to NOT show that the case was used to mix paint on! It does show that somebody drilled a hole in the front above the tuner. Maybe for headset jack?! By the way, the speaker was missing on this set. The speaker out of the same scrapped RCA LOOKS like a direct replacement, just in case anybody is facing that prob.

Marlin

:rolleyes:Me again, I just realized, Eric, that I have a similar RCA to the one you have tranny probs with. A little different case, cloth fronted, and an AM radio (!). I got it with the matching antenna stand. The radio dial is missing unfortunately. This case is about the same size as yours, it looks. No top access panel, but realistically they did not need it in that oversized box. On closer comparison of the two photos it looks like they raised the CRT to allow for the radio chassis. Maybe yours was available in a radio equipped model.
http://home.earthlink.net/~marlinmackley/rcanradio.JPG

Hi Marlin, thank you, that is most kind of you to offer. I will pay for shipping of course, that transformer has to weigh 25 lbs!

I have a 16" floor model that has a radio, the knob layout looks the same as yours. The radio chassis is removable and mounts between the controls, otherwise it is the same 630 style chassis as all the rest.

The 16" version has a few extra tubes like two 1B3's in a voltage doubler circuit to make enough HV for the big tube, and two 5U4's to handle the extra load.

It also has a horribly complex wafer switch for AM/FM/Phono/TV... it will actually turn off the heaters for the tubes not needed for the radio.

Eric;
Hmmmm, I wonder if mine was AM and FM? I have not dug into it to see. Does it look to you that the radio dial slot would be the same size yours has? If so I would love a photo of your radio tuner dial/bezel for possible reproduction. Interesting info about the heater killer circuit. Makes sense of course but how many bothered with the effort to do so?
Thanks!
Marlin

I can't tell if the slot is the same or not, this one was made to mount into a flat panel and yours looks like it meets the grille cloth but who knows.

There is a picture of your set on the ETF Site: http://www.earlytelevision.org/rca8tr26.html and it looks the same as what I have.

No way you could reproduce this thing, it is a big chunk of molded plastic, reverse painted, sort of a prism actually. you are welcome to have this one.

Here's a photo, note the "scratches" are actually dirt on my scanner :D

I couldn't see any way to attach two pictures so here's the back of the dial.

If that one is an extra that would be great! It does sure look complicated. Now I gotta get off my duff and find that RCA transformer...

Marlin

The 721 is looking much better!



I put the last two filter lytics inside the can today (I was able to hide ALL the can lytics because they had paper covers) changed out the rest of the bad resistors, cleaned and oiled the tuner, replaced almost all the 6AG5's because they were weak or shorted, a couple of the 6J6's are weak too but I can't find my new ones just now.

Anyway this is channel 7 ABC using rabbit ears. The sound is weak and drifts a lot but I am loath to try and align it, never done that before and I'm not sure I can.


Eric

Eric,

Looks like you found another use for duct tape.


TV is looking good.



Chuck

721TS
 

Eric,

That's a terrific picture! I wouldn't touch the alignment unless you have the test equipment and know what you're doing.

Rob

Eric and friends:
Thanks for showing if Duct Tape can save Apollo 13 it can help with a TV restoration! Somebody ought to do a site on the myrid uses of this 20th century marvel. Red Green fans unite!

While we are on the subject, more or less, of tv's with integrated radio tuners, anybody seen this Dumont before? I found it with badly damaged cabinet in an antique mall. Paid $40 which probably was too much but the radio dial arrangement interested me. It is the same sorta dial the RCA has.
Marlin
http://home.earthlink.net/~marlinmackley/dumont.JPG

Getting back to my 721 for a moment.

I cleaned up the cabinet, and reassembled it, made all the little adjustments and so forth.

As always some little problem had to rear it's ugly head.

When I was working on it I used a small test CRT and a scratched 10BP4, but now I put the original CRT in and it
Seems it has a H-K short when it warms up. :mad:

I'm getting streaks in the picture and it alternates between a normal and dark picture, tapping on the neck also aggravates it.

The B&K tester seems to verify it although it only shows a very small leakage.

An isolation transformer should cure this shouldn't it??

I forgot, here's a new picture of the set. The white marks on the top of the arch are a camera distortion.

About the 721's alignment, don't try it without a scope, sweep generator, marker generator, frequency counter, VTVM and special radio/tv-alignment screwdrivers. If you're within a reasonable distance (an hour's drive or so) of Warren, Ohio then you could drop the set off at my shop. I'd do the alignment for 1/2 the price I normally charge and have it ready for pickup in about a week.

Radio Shack still sells a small kit of alignment tools, but you'd do better to find a "pro" set on eBay. They're insulated for safety and made of a "low-capacitance" material so the proximity of the tool won't affect the circuit. Once you've got the correct tools and test gear, do some reading about "stagger tuned" television IF systems in an old textbook and follow the alignment instructions in the Sams packet.

721
 

Eric,

I know how hard you worked on the cabinet restoration alone and want to congratulate you on a gorgeous restoration. This set looks just like new! You can come and restore my sets anytime. :) That RCA label on the front at the bottom of the glass, is that a new repro? If so where are they available?

Rob

Rob, actually I haven't done anything to the cabinet except clean it with some Pledge Orange Oil cleaner. I did use a fine Scotch Brite pad to clean off the top a little.

The front is in very nice shape and all original including the RCA logo, I removed the glass and cleaned behind it.

The main cabinet has a couple small veneer chips at the back and the bottom where it doesn't show and there is a lot of crazing in the Lacquer that doesn't show up in the photos but overall it's pretty nice and I think I will leave it alone.

As for alignment, it's doesn't seem to need it after all, it works great hooked up to the DirecTV satellite box!

I might try aligning my Olympic as a learning experience, it is fouled up anyway.

Eric

721 restoration
 

Eric,

I got this RCA confused with the other set with the curved top, the Philco 7" that you had all that veneer experience with. Brain fart. Cudos still apply! :)

Rob

Re: 721 restoration
 

Oh yes, the Philco, the TV from Hell.

I still haven't finished that one. I started Lacquering it and it wrinkled and cracked and basically I have to restrip it and start over.

It also doesn't have any audio/video and the non-original HV supply likes to die now and then... :puke: