Restoring RCA Victor 28T

[droptop]

Reece,

Thanks for the tips on your cabinet work. I’m going to try your method of veneer application when time allows and will post results. The console I have is extreme deco styling with inlaid aluminum strips across the front that curve down and cross the speaker grill. It has nicely matched walnut veneer on the front and sides with square tapered legs and a nickel plated dial escutcheon. It should be a nice set once finished. Both the veneer and the substrate layer on top are completely gone as though it just fell off. The solid planks that make up the balance of the top are solid which should make for a smooth surface when finished.

The post from Stromberg6 reminded me of an S-C console I had in the shop several years ago and it, too had a bias cell. I looked up my notes on the set and I did try the resistor/capacitor approach but the tone quality wasn’t up to what it should have been. Once the cell was re-stuffed the bass response improved greatly and the hollow “open grid” sound was gone. Many of the sets I’ve encountered using bias cells were mid 30’s farm radios with 2 volt series tubes like 19, 30, 32 and such along with a vibrator power supply running on a 6 volt battery. There were several models of Truetone, Sentinel and Air Castle radios that had them.

Rick