[jshorva65]

Tim: Recapping, debugging plus alignment and setup generally runs about $1,500 for a color chassis of that vintage and includes inconspicuous updates to the overload protection (fusing of AC line. all master B+ sources, and horiz. sweep cathode circuit) which were usually only partially addressed at the factory and fresh-stock CE or NOS exact-replacement "can" 'lytics pre-conditioned and tested (subject to availability), standard axial-lead 'lytics cost a little less but I prefer the factory-fresh CE units if I can get the proper ones. A color chassis involves 2-3 weeks' work to get everything just right. I'm currently scheduling bench appointments for July. As a general rule, I can finish work on two B/W sets in the time it takes to get one color chassis up to spec.

Charlie: I'll be fusing the master AC feed to the set at 3.15A slo-blo since Sams specifies normal line current as 3.0A The doubler stacks are 460mA units so each half of the doubler will be fused 500mA slo-blo as well. The +410V "stacked" B+ will be fused at 200mA since the rectifier is a 170mA unit. Additionally, I insert a 315mA fast-acting fuse in the horiz. output cathode circuit to protect the tube and transformer. I typically conceal mini fuses under the chassis.

As a rough estimate, that 7.5-ohm resistor looks like one of those white ceramic Xicon 10-watt units (AES "R-RXXX" series) with the outer square portion removed and only the resistance element and U-shaped potting material remaining. The ceramic exterior probably acts as a heat sink, so the lack of it would probably result in a derating of perhaps 30% from the full 10 watt spec, so roughly the equivalent of a 7 watt resistor. Rather than gamble with my estimate, though, I'd just as soon put a fuse in series with it to hedge my bet.

For fast-acting 250mA fuse applications (B/W TV B+ Boost), I use PicoFuse units which are about the size of 1/4W resistors and I usually use a blank pin on the damper tube socket as a tie point. For the slo-blo fuses, I use 5x20mm pigtail/axial Littelfuse 228-series. Most often, I rivet an AES P-0100H tie point strip beside the AC interlock for the main AC fuse. I'll be ordering some Littlfuse 227-series fast-acting pigtail types this week as they're available in ratings that are suitable for protecting anything from 6X4 rectifier applications in FM tuners (32, 63, 80 and 100mA) all the way up to about 10A for heater circuits. Unused tube socket pins are favorite places for tie points, unless the manufacturer already used all the available ones with the same reasoning and/or unless all available ones are identified by tube specs as having some reason for being left unused. I've got more tube manuals than I ever thought I'd need, but each one has something that none of the others has. I've got the RCA RC15, 17, 23 & 30; GE's "Essential Characteristics"; and a Sylvania 5-ring binder plus a Sylvania CRT booklet. Most of my books and a significant portion of my test gear was bought from a retiring service tech and US Army Signal Corps veteran who closed up his shop in Kent, Ohio in the late 80s when I was a Graduate Student at KSU. IIRC he said he was a radioman during both WWII and the Korean War. Last time I visited his shop at the end of the Spring 88 semester, he had a nicely-restored CTC15 roundie prominently displayed across from the counter. I bought my first Tektronix scope (a Type 531) from "Mr. J." for $20 before upgrading to a 547 a few years later. He also had lots of Bud chassis boxes NOS still in the brown paper wrappers that he was able to sell me at 1960s-era prices and still make a profit. I'd have bought that CTC15 roundie from him if I could have gotten it home. It was the massive TV/Hi-Fi combo version and about 5' from end to end.

Incidentally, my 14-year-old son has recently expressed some interest in vintage gear. I gave him a study assignment of a 1947 radio repair book and he'll be recapping his first AM radio soon after that. He's a guitarist, too, so we're also planning to restore a vintage Fender guitar amp. We picked one up that's been partially recapped. It's in working condition as-is, so most of the work it needs is cosmetic. The Tolex, grille cloth, and knobs are still rough but someone obviously started to fix it up.