Predicta Barber Pole questions ...
 

I don't see many neat TVs for sale in my town.

Here is a Predicta Barber Pole in Winston-Salem, NC:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/390412113145...84.m1438.l2649

I've only seen one Barber Pole Predicta in person that was in near mint condition and it was a lot of eye candy.

What do you think about this one?
Theres a crack in the CRT.

I've read that these are a b*tch to fix. If its more troublesome than this GE 805 Locomotive TV I'm working on, I think I will shy away.

Carl

Hi Carl, I'm working on one of these right now, it's actually pretty easy.

My first Predicta was a bit of a chore because I was unfamiliar with it but most of the trouble comes from the PC board having to be removed to work on it.

It really isn't all that bad and a PC board is really easy to recap.

Where does it say the tube is cracked on that one, they just say the screen is scratched as far as I can see.

It looks pretty minty compared to mine, the plastic parts respond very well to polishing out scratches.

I've worked on an 800 series GE before and I actually prefer the Predicta.

You can read about my love-hate relationship with a Predicta barberpole here:

http://antiqueradio.org/philc12.htm

I suppose all pain is relative. I have been following your GE 800 story on ARF and that has convinced me never to mess with one of those. The Predicta board is not the easiest thing to deal with, but this model is a very well known quantity, similar to the RCA 630TS. No matter what problem it may have, someone will know how to fix it.

In hindsight, I wish I had shotgunned every part in sight on that wonderful board the first time I removed it. Pulling it a second time goes faster, since the process is familiar, but in a better world you wouldn't have to keep re-fixing something.

As Eric notes, overall the experience isn't all that horrible, if you know what you're getting into. When working well, a Predicta makes a nice picture, and you can be sure that visitors will remember it.

The CRTs are not super easy to find.

The CRT cover can get stinky, as well as cloudy, as the plastic breaks down internally. Mine wasn't noticeable for over a decade, but recently started to smell. The latest stuff I'm trying is Plexo, a cleaner for plastic & glass. No idea whether it will cure the problem long term, but at least the smell of the cleaner is different than the smell of the cover.

As I have said many times, owning a Predicta is like dating the head cheerleader in high school. Fun, but high maintenance.

Phil Nelson
Phil's Old Radios
http://antiqueradio.org/index.html

That GE 805 with those boards is a big pain when tracing circuit runs.
I was warned:-) I don't want to mess with any more GE 805's or anything like them.

That and that someone prior to me had hacked on this set has made it a chore.

I would like to do a Predicta but if its like this GE 805, I'll pass.

Carl

Eric, those Barber Pole Predictas are one of the coolest looking TVs.
Was the first Predica you worked on a pleasurable task or a PITA?

Carl

Hi Carl, I'm just up the road a'piece in NC.
If I were in your shoes I would jump on that Predicta...If the the price doesn't go crazy, it's a nice looking barber pole and it's located nearby...How many barber poles have you seen in NC lately?
If you later decide that it's not worth the trouble to restore it should be easy to sell for good money.

Interesting thread you have on the GE 805, sounds like a very challenging set.
I had planed all winter to go to the CC-AWA to look for a new vintage TV project but I was not able to attend, a few days later a Fada 940 showed up on craigslist in High Point and I jumped on that real quick!

Looks good. But UGH... another smoker set!

Hi, you missed a great show at CC-AWA - there I picked up that GE 805. I thought seriously about the Barber Pole but with 3 hours to go the price is already $550. Also, I'm wanting a straight forward TV for my next project. I looked through Phils website on his restoration of his Barber Pole and it looks like a rather complicated TV. Like I said, I thought seriously about the Barber Pole but after dealing with the GE 805, I'd like to keep my sanity. I've got 4 restored TVs so far and the Predicta would be nice. Oh well, lets see what the ETV convention has to offer.

Carl

Huh, it went for $550. I thought some more bidding would have taken place at the last second.

That probably was a good buy but I just did not feel like I had the desire to restore it. Like to have seen it in person.

Carl

Did anyone here on this forum win that Barber Pole?