RCA 8PT from 1956

[7"estatdef]

Hi Guys
Just won one from you know where. I couldn't resist as it was in the next town from me. Haven't picked it up yet but it has an extra control sticking out the left side. Was wondering anyone would have a spare cabinet I could get? This one is red but I'm not fussy. If it was just painted I would just fill the hole with a small brass plug solder it in and do some bondo magic. But seems that it has some sort plastic coating?
Terry

[stromberg6]

I saw that one. Very nice! Any idea what the extra control was used for? Seems strange, as all the controls needed for that set were factory provided.
Kevin

[Eric H]

If you could figure a way to put the texture on your patch you could still use paint to match it.

I touched up some small defects on mine with common red Krylon and it matched perfectly.

[7"estatdef]

Pardon my ignorance! I just picked it up and it's a round thumbscrew for the tripod base. The model is 8PT7030. It has one on each side. Over all in good shape with some scuffs on the right side. I'm going to hound the guy for the tripod. It maybe around, set came from his father in law.
Terry
ps Eric tnx for the diagram!!

[Sandy G]

They are "Cute" l'il guys, aren't they ? I fell in love w/'em in the '70s-the Dean of Students at McCallie had one in his office, it was just an old TV then, nothing special, but I was hooked. Now, I got 3 of th' damthings...(grin)

[7"estatdef]

I've got a few big old RCA consoles and 630TS. I thought this might round out the RCA collection a bit.
Terry

[7"estatdef]

Poped it open. Arf what a dog! Well it's not horrable but the tuner is a sea of green. Missing the cover all the contacts are corroded. I plug it in to see what would happen. DOA So replaced the line cord and tried again. Got power
and audio fooled with the controls and got a raster! Clip leaded an antenna to it Darn thing Works!!! At least one channel.
Terry
ps Anybody got a tuner for it ?

[Chad Hauris]

These sets are very cramped to work on but actually have a power transformer, something you wouldn't think such a small set would have. It uses a lot of 6U8 tubes (or a very similar triode-pentode tube). I think it even uses a 6U8 for audio output with the triode serving as the output stage.

[Eric H]

Originally Posted by 7"estatdef

ps Anybody got a tuner for it ?

[Tony V]

Phil has a fantastic and very detailed page on his restoration of one of these. The link is http://antiqueradio.org/rca16.htm and this will give you a good idea on how to do one of these. Since they are very tight as far as getting to everything you will need plenty of patience but Phil proves these can be done faily easily one you figure how to expand the rails out to get to everything. You might be able to get the corrosion off the tuner with the one type of Deoxit made for brass and gold contacts. I have two of these. One with pedistal and one without. I love mine.
-Tony

[ss427chuck]

Recently I got back into puttering around with these-my grandfather was a rca guy through and through and he showed me a few things. when I was 10 we moved and across the street was bill the tv guy (he was a zenith guy). he gave me some old test equipment and one of the things was a red 8pt. Never finished devry had to get a job. The problem is now I have 8pt sickness. I have 6 of these 1 black 1 grey 2 red 2 white. One is good 6 are better!
Chuck::

[Sandy G]

When, how long were these bad boys made ? 1955-58 ? And how many SKILLIONS were made ?!? I have 3 of 'em-2 found locally in the early TV black hole that is NE Tennessee...David Sarnoff shoulda smiled every time he saw another truckload of 'em being shoved out the door at the RCA plant...