1040 good buddy!
 

Ok.. it's 10-4 but here it's going to be model 1040.

I bought a Lang Radio Enterprise 5 tube radio:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWNX:IT
And Can't seem to find much info on it..

This morning, looking on FleaBack, I find this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Although, the tube config is a little different but the case is just like my Lang.

Interesting that some radio building company's would buy the same case.

I'm trying to find a little history on the Lang company or for that matter, the Federal Company.

Anyone help me out?

My radio's case is in fair shape. Case is great. Someone changed out the tuning shaft and drilled out the knob to fit snuggly onto the "round" shaft (And I mean SNUG!) :D

The Dial face is cardboard and has warped over the years especially where it had the dial lamp holder attached at the top. I'll have to back it up with some thicker cardboard or perhaps some wood glued onto the back.

Nice looking case, don't ya think?

Buzz
Is it ever going to stop raining?:scratch2:

Cute widdle feller. Me likey !

Cute
 

Yup.. it is cute.

I'm going to try to keep a running list of all the comapny's that used this case... just in case!:banana:

Guess they found a winner and kept using it.

Buzz

Yeah, I have an Admiral that could be its "Double-First Cousin"...Again, as you said, a good design...Why monkey w/it ?

Admiral
 

Interesting. What model is it? I'll see if I can find the schematic and a pic.

Maybe Admiral made all the chassis's too. (?) (is that chassis or chassiss or chassississ for plural?)

Anyway, thanks for the info...:yes:

Buzz

The Federal radios are covered in Riders and possibly sams. I think all post-war.

Your Lang has been retrofitted with 1950's era Magnavox knobs. (I probably have the pinwheel type with set screws that are on the Federal if you want 'em). BTW: Philco built a set in a bakelite cabinet in 1947-48 that looked remarkably similar.

Fed
 

I've been looking on Bama and no fed 1040TB...or lang.

I don't know, but it's fun to investigate. Imagin how hard this would be if we didn't have the good ol' internet.

Those "pinwheel" knobs.. they don't look like the ones in the first link? ( the radio I bought)

Here's a pic of the ones stuck on the front of the Lang1040:
http://www.nemont.net/~scooters/lang/LangKnobs.jpg

Cool of you to offer some of yours... thanks. Do they look close to these? I'm thinking pinwheel means a radiating spoke type look. These are slightly over 13/16" in diameter at the base.

Buzzsaw: Your picture is of the Maggie knobs I referred to. Since your Lang is such an odd duck, they might be right, but I can't be positive. The pinwheel type on the similarly styled Federal radio look more like original equipment to me.

I had the Federal version (may still have it, but don't know) some one repainted it so the grill was gold (like the dial scale), and it had plain knobs if I remember right.

I never knew that other sets used that cabbinet, interesting.

Tom C.

The circuit will most likely be a hybrid of these:
http://www.wa2ise.com/aa5diaa.jpg http://www.wa2ise.com/aa5oct.jpg

Sd
 

YUP... Thanks WA2ISE...

You got it on the drawing on the right.. That's the tubes exactly. No .05 caps though... so .. here's the list
.01, .03, .004, .03 and a Ecap with a 30 and 20 mfd in it.. I was going to try to find that Fed brand and also the Admiral and see if one of these had the same stuff in them.

I had to order some caps from Canada and I asked them if they've ever heard of this Lang brand and if they had a SD for it.. I'll let you know..

It's fun looking for this stuff.. and I really enjoy FleeBays huge list of radios to stare at and look up the various model's SD's. These radios are really something!.. ah.. those were the days... :music:
73

:D Buzz :D

Continuing on Langlang
 

Started cleaning up the case a little and removed the dial cover. I noticed it was crack in one place but when I got it out, there's another spot that's cracking. I may be able to glue it back but thought for the fun of it, to see if I could find a replacement.
Measures overall 3 5/8" X 4 3/16" and the dome that fits in the case hole measures 2 3/4" X 3 5/16.

http://www.nemontel.net/~scooters/lang/LangDcover.jpg

Over all view

http://www.nemontel.net/~scooters/lang/Corner1.jpg

corner 1

http://www.nemontel.net/~scooters/lang/Corner2.jpg

corner 2

I've done some looking around in the Antique links for someone who makes this stuff but couldn't find anything. Now I'm looking not only for the Lang 1040 but the Federal 1040T model.

While I'm posting some pics, I did find some knobs that don't look too bad.. the big ones are a little far fetched though...:D

http://www.nemontel.net/~scooters/lang/BigKnobs.jpg

Da Big ones!

http://www.nemontel.net/~scooters/lang/LittleKnobs.jpg

Little ones

http://www.nemontel.net/~scooters/lang/Original.jpg

And the original little knobs which quite frankly, don't look too good either!..

Keep playing that good AM music!

Buzz:music:

There was a guy Bill Turner IIRC over in the old usenews groups rec.antiques.radio+phono who used to make replacements of these. It's been a while since I've looked at newsgroups.
http://www.nemontel.net/~scooters/lang/LangDcover.jpg

Turner
 

Thanks Wa2ISE,

I've looked at that site and don't see it listed so I'll write him and see what's up in that department. Nice site.. and lots of stuff.

I was thinking that If I could find something to splice those tears with I could glue them up. Maybe some plastic packaging that they are using for "everything" now days could be glued onto it. Then a little elbow grease and polish and it's good as new.:yes:

Buzz:music:

You could make your own,

http://antiqueradios.com/forums/view...er=asc&start=0

or order one from various sources, here's one:

http://jmpalm.home.mindspring.com/

I believe that the second set of knobs were originaly used on postwar RCA TVs as they look like the ones on my 9T246. ARC had an article on replicating those plastic dial glasses a few months to a year back that also might be helpfull.

Tom C.

You might try this website for a replacement dial cover:

http://jmpalm.home.mindspring.com/

I have had good luck with his covers.

Further more
 

Thanks for the info guys..

The caps are on order but I had to take thing apart a bit.

http://www.nemontel.net/~scooters/lang/Overall1.jpg

An overall view

http://www.nemontel.net/~scooters/lang/Overall2.jpg

More

http://www.nemontel.net/~scooters/lang/RightSide.jpg

And some more

http://www.nemontel.net/~scooters/lang/Speaker2.jpg

Speaker with vibration proof screw installed. The wire coming from the speaker coil was broken.

http://www.nemontel.net/~scooters/lang/speaker.jpg

Cleaned up a bit and closer view.

http://www.nemontel.net/~scooters/lang/chassisFront.jpg

Front view.

http://www.nemontel.net/~scooters/la...ingCapside.jpg

Top side

http://www.nemontel.net/~scooters/lang/gorromets1.jpg

Tuning Capacitor and it's Grommets. They look awfully big? Right?

http://www.nemontel.net/~scooters/lang/gorromets2.jpg

With the Grommets removed, notice the double hole. Is this normal? Also in that picture, the RF antenna coil is visible with no support for the coil other than the large Gage wire it's soldered to.

A few more days and it will be playing music.:music:

Buzz

That piggy-back volume control is a replacement: notice one gang is not used. I suspect the little floating-in-air coil is the oscillator coil, not unusual for it to hover. The double holes for the tuning cap if punched may indicate the mfr. wanted to use the chassis for two different cabinets or with two different brands of caps, to make the cap line up with the cabinet.

double hole
 

Yup... saving money to make money.

I have a replacement pot for that double ganged pot/switch. Notice the 3 holes in the front of the chassis. I've seen some other radios with 3 controls out the front. Perhaps a tone control or am/fm switch?

The "do all chassis".. good idea.

I'll have to find some replacement grommets. Notice the 3 flat washers and only one inside " bell " shaped washer. I think this radio has been worked on a bit before. Of course the speaker work shows this. At least the case is fine. :D

Buzz :thmbsp:

CardBoard Dial backplate
 

Got a Question...

The cardboard dial face is warped. In the top area where the dial lamp clipped into the dial face really tweeked the cardboard.
How's the best way to straighten that out so it stays? Maybe use some starch in water and a Dry Iron to make it ridged again?

Buzz

Without a picture it's hard to say about straightening the dial face, but if it has a foil face on cardboard you could do this: thoroughly dampen the cardboard back in the affected area. Then clamp the dial between pieces of wood, using a piece of waxed paper on the front foil side. Leave it a couple of days to dry. It should straighten out. Then you could glue a thin layer of wood, 1/16" or 1/8" thick (hobby store like Michael's) to the back and clamp to dry. I've straightened cardboard rear covers like this and they came out fine, even without reinforcing with anything else.

Warp 1
 

Hi Reece,
Thanks.
The dial is cardboard and a real nice color (gold) with ink transfer lettering. :

http://www.nemontel.net/~scooters/lang/Warp1.jpg

http://www.nemontel.net/~scooters/lang/Warp2.jpg

and the Edge on view:

http://www.nemontel.net/~scooters/lang/DialFaceEdge.jpg

I suppose I shouldn't get too much water or moisture on the dial face but the back might be ok. Right?

I'll only get one chance with this and I don't want to ruin it of course. I did a scan of it and the color isn't so hot without using Photoshop's tools, but I could reproduce one if needed. I like your idea about backing it up with thin wood. I think there's enough clearance between the back of the Dial face and the front of the dial pully. I'll do some checking. Looks like the dial lamp did a job on this. Even the clear plastic dial cover is warpped where the dial lamp came close to it.

Thanks again and I really appreciate the help you guys.

Buzz :music:

I think I'd dampen the whole back of that one. Let it sit a few minutes for the dampness to go in. Then when you weight it or clamp it, go easy in the beginning so it doesn't crack, go little by little until weighted flat in half an hour.

Finally, I'm getting back to this little radio.

I found one thing kinda funny and haven't been able to see this in any of the AA5 schematics. On the 12SQ7 tube (Det ckt) the two diodes in the detection ckt are tied together. ie Pin 4 and 5 are tied together. Pin 4 is going to the transformer (IF) and pin 5 is tied to the AGC ckt as per the drawing, but strapped together at the tube socket.

Anyone ever see this?


Many Thanks Guys:D

I looked
 

Looking at the posting " GE L-600 " by Hi Fi Canada I found my answer in one of the replies he got on his tube placement.

[URL=http://www.nostalgiaair.org/PagesByModel/190/M0008190.pdf [/URL]

I'm not sure the above URL worked.. but it can be seen that pins 4 and 5 on the 12SQ7 are tied together.

This drawing may be closer to what I actually have in the radio minus the multi-band selection scheme in the front end.:yes:

Except.. Pin 5 is still tied to the AGC ckt.. and not like that drawing of the GE L-660.

Too bad I can't find a Lang AA5 radio schematic. Puzzles are fun with these old radio ckts.