Just finished this RCA 8PCS41 project.

[Pielock373]

Hello

I just recently finished this project and thought I would show it off.

Steve P

Before:


After:










Video:

[Dave A]

Where were you when I had one of these? Beautiful work. I would like to see more about the cabinet restoration.

[Red Raster]

Hard to believe it's the same set, Good work!

[Pielock373]

The cabinet was very ruff and needed a total stripdown. The veneer was in very good shape once the finish was stripped off.

Here is the general condition when I got it home.







Here is a test stain on the same area as the last picture.



Some of the panels with new stain.



Stained



I used semi-gloss polyurethane for the final finish.

[Eric H]

That is a very nice set, I've been following your restoration on ARF.

I have a Philco 48-2500 I need to get done, I've had the chassis done for months, need to get busy on the cabinet, it's an odd yellow blond finish and I'm dreading trying to get it right.

[ggregg]

I, too, have followed Steve's progress on ARF. You did a beautiful job both on the cabinet and the set itself. It plays really well now too. Nice work!!!

[Pielock373]

Pictures of the optics (yes that top picture is before the lens was cleaned).

[Pielock373]

And a shot of the 45 degree right angle flat mirror that throws the image to the Fresnel viewing lens (Note how clouded with oxidization it is, down right deplorable!) I'm surprised at how well the set is working with the mirror looking like this.



Shot from the top looking down at the picture tube optical drum. 28,000 Volts be down there!

[ohohyodafarted]

Awsome Job! Hope I can approach your level of excelence when I tackle mine.

[Sandy G]

Wow...It STILL is VERY, VERY purty, though...

[Aussie Bloke]

Excellent restoration job, you certainly have made this set look as good as brand new!!! Watched the video and am very impressed with the picture quality on these early projection sets, very state of the art for the day!!!

[Pielock373]

Call me crazy but I just acquired a second 8PCS41, I couldn't pass it up for $50. It is complete but the cabinet is a real mess. I didn't picture the HV and Audio amp chassis', I've got them at my shop. The set is 100% complete. I bought it as a "parts machine" for my working unit but now I'm trying to decide whether I want to tackle restoring the cabinet or just throw it away? The electronic chassis' are in very good shape, the mirrors are going into the mail soon for re-silvering. The fly-back looks to be in good shape to. I 'm thrilled to have spare part now. I have to think long and hard if I want to restore this cabinet and set, I really don't have room for this in my house. The wife is going to have a bird if she sees this cabinet in my enclosed trailer.





If I restore the cabinet, the top veneer will need o be replaced.






Slight burn-in, very good reading on the tester.

[Electronic M]

If you get one more projection assembly you may be able to make it into a color set by stuffing all three into the cabinet and adding a color demodulation circuit pirated off of an old color set.

Sorry to go off topic, but I have that same CRT tester and have been wondering if it needs an adapter to test mono CRTs with the 10BP4 base or not.

Tom C.

[Eric H]

Originally Posted by Electronic M

Sorry to go off topic, but I have that same CRT tester and have been wondering if it needs an adapter to test mono CRTs with the 10BP4 base or not.

Tom C.

I can answer that one, no, it doesn't need an adapter for the early B&W tubes, the cable plugs directly onto the tube.

[Pielock373]

Here's another fun video comparing the 25 inch picture of the 1948 8PCS41 against the 9-1/2 inch picture of the 1947 730TV1. Both are RCA's.

Video: