Admiral 20X122 restoration project
 

I'm taking a little break from my Motorola restoration projects to document and hopefully wrap up my Admiral 20X122 restoration.

Part I. Finding one
I acquired most of my sets by chance, but this model I actively sought out for many months. Every now and then would pop up on eBay, but it was always too far away or too expensive. Finally, I spotted one on KiJiJi in Arkansas for $150 and the seller was willing to pack and ship it.

Here it is down in AR

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/01-01.JPG

I was a little nervous both because they insisted on a cashiers check and their lack of experience packing or shipping anything like this.

Alas, my fears were well founded. It arrived via UPS smashed in a million pieces :tears:

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/01-02.jpg

The entire front and top are caved in. CRT neck is snapped. Nasty gouge in the faceplate.
http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/01-03.jpg

I contacted the folks I bought it from and they filed a damage claim with UPS. Big mistake. I was totally ignorant that it meant UPS would be taking the TV, shipping it back down to AR and, eventually, dismissing the claim.

They were several weeks of angry phone calls, but eventually I gave up. The seller had my money and what was left of the TV and UPS insisted that it wasn't packed properly so they weren't accountable. I just cut my losses in disgust!

I did hang on to a few souvenirs though. It gave me material to test bakelite and faceplate cleaners and polish. I glued a few pieces back together too. Think of Woody Allen in Sleeper when they're going to clone the 'leader' from just his nose :D

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/01-04.jpg

Coming up: Part II - Finding one 2nd attempt...

Just out of curiosity, how did they pack it? All I can see in the photos is some wrapping paper, which obviously wouldn't do.

Phil Nelson

Yeah, that's about it. Plus some thin rigid foam sheets on the sides. Apparently, they were trying to keep the dimensions under some limit. Going above that limit would have kicking the shipping fees up a notch. If they had bothered to tell me this, I would have sent them additional funds to cover it :rolleyes:.

This is a prime example of the reason that I never bid on TVs larger than a table radio that I cannot pick up personally. All three times I tried it, the TV was damaged in shipping(UPS being the worst).

Yeah, tough lessons learned. I only pickup sets in person now too.

Part II - Finding one 2nd attempt
 

A few months later, I found another one in Omaha, Nebraska on eBay. I contacted the seller to discuss shipping. It turned out that he was handy with tools and agreed to dismantle the set and pack it properly in separate boxes.

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/02-00.JPG

Here they are at my place. Did they survive the journey?

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/02-01.jpg

Yes, they sure did:banana: Not a single crack in the bakelite.

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/02-02.jpg

The chassis is fine and the CRT checks good.

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/02-03.jpg

It has a nifty internal antenna too. It works sorta like like a giant DPDT switch.

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/02-04.jpg

The CRT foam has disintegrated. No surprise there.

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/02-05.jpg

The bakelite is incredibly dull and the faceplate has yellowed. Maybe a heavy smoker owned it?

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/02-06.jpg

This is the color and shine I hope to restore.

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/02-07.jpg

Next up - Step III - Cleaning...

Congrats of finally getting one intact!

I found one locally otherwise I never would have had the nerves to ship one.

I used some Minwax Wood Stain to bring back the color on mine, when the Bakelite is dull it's pretty receptive to absorbing stain.

I intended to clear coat it later but never got around to it so it needs to be freshened up a little.

Yeah, something tells me that polishing alone might not bring back the dark color. Perhaps this TV sat in bright light for years . . . ?

The shiny surface layer on some Bakelite is thin. If you get too aggressive, you'll polish it right off, and then get into a pulpy underlayer that can't be polished at all. If you polish an area and it gets (or stays) shiny but doesn't change color, then you may want to try something else.

Phil Nelson

Thanks for the great tips. I found evidence of fragrant candle wax in several spots and a discolored area on top. That leads me to think that some of this surface dullness is smoke/wax build up. I've cleaned some test areas and it's going well.

On a related note. Any tips on cleaning grille fabric? I'm not sure which color is closer to the original. The darker areas that were underneath the bakelite or the exposed areas?

AK = Alaska
AR = Arkansas.

Where in AR did you find that? I myself would have just driven to get it, I only have a Pontiac Sedan but could have carefully laid it in the back seat. I'd love to have one of these neat little guys though! Congrats on finding one intact! :thmbsp:

I'd suspect that the fabric areas hidden behind the bakelite grillwork were not faded by sunlight.

Yeah, that makes sense. Too bad the whole piece of fabric is glued down to the wood. Maybe just a dusting is the safe way to go.

:stupid: would you believe I work with Google Maps for a living ?

I found it in Fort Smith, AR.

That was before I knew much about vintage TVs or that this community even existed. Now, I do my best to pick a set up myself or let others know about it so it can be saved.

I've got a VW Golf hatchback these days. With the rear seats folded down and a nice blanket it's perfect for sets like this :)

hmm, Just 5 1/2 hours from my location too. Wonder if there's any more "gold" over that way. Maybe even down in Little Rock.

Wow that cloth is really faded badly! Here's a pic of mine. Seems to be a tan/gold fabric with bright gold strands running though it. If you think it would benefit from a cleaning maybe just using a damp cloth migth clean it up a bit or a little woolite perhaps. Good luck with it I have the same set but it has the seperate power supply/ audio chaiss.
Terry

Drifting off topic... I love the antenna rotor control you have sitting on top of it. I picked one up recently and found a rotor to go with it. It works and I plan on replacing my current rotor with it. I loved it when I was a kid.

John

Thanks. I don't have a rotor and couldn't put one on my building regardless so I rigged the wiring so it lights up when plugged in. Someday, I plan on making a digital up/down counter with a slow clock connected to the rotor contacts to simulate an actual rotor turning.

Ah, I was hoping someone else here would have one. I tried cleaning a small area with very mild detergent. The gold strands seem a bit brighter, but the fabric remains the same.

Does anyone know a supplier of this fabric? I know there's some great radio grille cloth out there, but I haven't seen any with gold strands like this.

Otherwise, I'll just leave it alone. There aren't any tears and it looks OK.

If you have already tried the usual radio grille cloth sources (AES, grillecloth.com) and struck out, then you'll need to live with what you have. I would be cautious about cleaning the cloth. It gets fragile, as well as faded, over the years. Don't rub it hard. Dabbing may remove some obvious dirt, but it won't restore color that faded out years ago.

As for cleaning the Bakelite cabinet versus polishing it, Bakelite is amazingly tough and resistant to chemicals. I have used old fashioned paint stripper -- the nasty stuff -- to remove paint from Bakelite with no bad effects. The radio shown below looked so nice after stripping that I couldn't bear to repaint in the factory paint color.

So use whatever works when cleaning grime. Just don't go crazy with abrasive polishes.

Phil Nelson

Very nice :thmbsp: I wouldn't have painted that either!

Part III - Cleaning
 

Thanks for all the advice. I tested out several products and techniques on those broken bakelite scraps. Here's what I came up with.


Here are the knobs that I got with this set plus a channel changer from another. I'm trying to track down two outer, brass knobs and one inner, brown knob. If anyone has some spares, I'd be happy to purchase or trade for them.

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/03-01.jpg


Those outer knobs polish up very nicely, but be careful not to over polish. They are plated, not solid brass. I have another set where they are down to the base, grey metal.

I used Novus #2 plastic cleaner on the knobs. Cleaning out the grid pattern is a real pain. I've used a toothbrush and toothpicks - very tedious!

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/03-02.jpg

Here's a 'before'picture of the cabinet. It's dirty, faded and has wax and paint splotches.
http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/03-03.jpg


First, I cleaned it using some Dawn dish detergent diluted in warm water. Plus a little mineral spirits on the wax and paint.
Next, I'm gently buffing with a slurry of water and Brasso. Throw down some plastic - it's messy. I cleaned off all the Brasso with a clean towel and water and allowed to dry.

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/03-05.jpg


Next, Novus #2 fine scratch remover. Use this stuff like paste wax. Keep the rag damp while buffing then allow to dry to a haze. Remove it using a clean rag with short, quick strokes.
As Mr Miyagi would say "Wax on! Wax Off!" :)

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/03-06.jpg


I cleaned the inside too :D

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/03-08.jpg


Finally, I use Magnolia Glayzit. Heed the warning on the can - it will turn your floors into a skating rink :eek:

Here it is partially reassembled. It's not quite as dark as I had hoped for, but I think that's as good as it will get short of using stain. I'm happy with it.

Note - the CRT has already been removed. You can read about that here: http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/sho...d.php?t=235317

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/03-10.jpg

I've started poking around the chassis and have all the caps and resistors I should need. There are a bunch of bad caps and fried resistors. The guy I bought it from claimed it worked great :rolleyes:

Coming up: Part IV - replacing bad components.

Looks great!! 100% difference! Excellent job my man! Thanks for the detailed cleaning process.

Thanks. My goal in this thread is to help others with their projects.

P.S. I'm practicing re-stuffing caps. using your tips. it's going well, but my Dremel skills need some honing.

Here's another tip. A lot of bakelite have little posts that attach to the speaker board using metal clips. These clips are the type that push on and don't come off. I used a Dremel tool with a cut-off wheel to cut a small notch in each one. I think that's easier and safer than trying to pry them off. Most are in good enough shape that they can be reused.

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/03-00.jpg

That usually means that a pilot light, or the tube heaters, lit up when he turned it on...:thumbsdn: Not that it works as intended by the manufacturer. :scratch2:

For sure. Here's a little tale of the reverse. I found a blonde Motorola VT71 on craigslist for $50 and noticed she also had a Predicta listed for $125. At the time I had no interest in obtaining one. I like the older sets and knew they were a pain to work on.

So I go to pick up the VT71 and mention that some folks really go nuts for the Predictas and she should ask for more $. She says "Why? It doesn't work even work. Do you want it?". I hesitated and she offered a discount if I took both. So I did :) Would have really been kicking myself today if I hadn't.

That's a great reason to get sets in person - you can haggle. I've knocked 50% of the asking price of some sets.

Looking good! Glad this one survived.

My repeated advice-I hope all here will take it. The exception would be a rather small portable: never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never,never, never, never, have a TV like this shipped to you, not even from across the street!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't count the sets I have seen posted here and elsewhere that have been totally destroyed. Be patient my friends-they will eventually show up in your backyard, trust me!

Loving the progress of this set.

Depending on the Grill Cloth material, you might try Carpet Cleaning Solution, diluted.

I took the small, gold speaker cloth from inside my DuMont RA-103 "Chatham", dipped it in this solution, and, within a minute, it had separated from the pressboard backing. I immediately patted the pressboard dry, and left the grillcloth in the solution.

You could see the nicotine leeching from the fabric...

After 15 minutes, I removed it, rinsed it gently with lukewarm water, and gently patted it dry. Try not to disturb the edges, or it will unravel. Then, I let it air dry. It didn't shrink.

I remounted it to the pressboard with spray mount, installed it with the Speaker in the Cabinet, and, it looks fab.

I detailed the opening speaker slots with Howard's before the install, so, it all looks great. The fresh Gold fabric peeking from the slots makes it all the worthwhile. Like resetting the Time Clock.

Details, details...

LJB:smoke:

Awww, man ! You've done a FANTASTIC job on this set...it is UNBELIEVABLE !!!

Nice job on the cabinet. I have been a Novus #2 fan for ages.

Did the Glayzit improve the look after you used the Novus? I bought a jug of it a year or two ago, but then didn't use it after I read a negative comment somewhere.

Phil

Absolutely, I love the stuff. The Glayzit gave it an nice even shine and darkened it a shade. I know the last photo doesn't show much improvement, but that's just my camera's flash. It's darker in person.

Recapping
 

I've decided to give re-stuffing the can electrolytics a try on this set using zenithfan1's technique.

I practiced on a few old caps and I think I've got the hang of it :scratch2:

There are 3 in total. Two mounted to the chassis and one clip on. Here's a shot of one just prior to removal. I made notes of the original position and which leads went where.

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/04-01.jpg

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/04-02.jpg

I've got a question for y'all. Should there be a metal plate or two around the RF amp? Seems that the side panel and possibly something on the underside is missing.

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/04-04.jpg

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/04-05.jpg

Maybe I'll just have to pull the chassis on my 20X12 to compare.

Interesting idea and I do have some on hand, but I don't have the nerve to try it. Perhaps after I do some tests on lesser projects.

Knobs
 

I'm constantly amazed at what pops up on craigslist. Yesterday, I found a guy selling a little can full of Admiral knobs :thmbsp:
They're the metal plated type, but I can use the outer ones for this set.

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/05-01.jpg

The seller says they're from radios, but I know I've seen the larger ones on blonde Admiral TVs.
Anyone know what the 3 little ones are from ?

I also dug up a center knob for Contrast, but it's a bit lighter than the others.
So close...

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/20...tion/05-02.jpg

I got a '66 Admiral Color from Doug in Chicago. Paid $400 (think I paid Doug about $175 for it) to have it trucked down by a moving company. Arrived a OK and I'm happy to have done it. But I agree with you nevertheless.

Actually, I think shipping my a moving company is pretty safe. The troubles all seem to be with putting a TV in a box and expecting it to arrive in one piece at the other end. I have shipped a few portables myself, as well as some picture tubes. Not everyone packs the same, though. It is very difficult to pack a heavy table model set well enough that it can survive a big fall. You end up with an enourmous box and all kinds of surcharges due to the size. I just get upset from seeing so many perfectly good TV sets destroyed due to bad packing, and I don't want to see it again!

I've only had one set shipped by a moving company, but I was quite happy with them. Vintage Transport didn't box it, but they wrapped it in a quilt and secured it. They were quite careful as they unloaded the console.

When you put something in a box for UPS or FedEX they don't know how delicate it is.

John

I have shipped TVs large and small with Craters & Freighters. They are expensive, but you can't beat a custom crate. Once they turn it over to a shipper, however, your crate could still be speared by a forklift or whatever.

If the TV is special or you're just plain cynical, you can either not buy it or move it yourself. I recently drove from CA to WA transporting a set that I wouldn't trust to anyone else.

Phil Nelson

That Admiral's gorgeous! Now I want one. uh-oh.