10" or 12" Blonde Maggie!

[kbmuri]

Bill -

I wasn't sure if the socket on back of the chassis was an audio-in or an audio-out connection. It would work as either, as it's just the line between the audio discriminator 6al5 and the audio-amplifier 6SF7, isolated with .01 mfd caps, and chassis ground. Inject a signal there, you'd get it amplified (and chassis volume control would affect it) thru the onboard single-ended 6V6 amp. Pull a signal from it, you could drive your 4x6V6-PP external amp. So for the console set, the socket must be an audio-out, not an audio-in. I would guess your 6SF7 and 6V6 (and transformer) are then omitted on your chassis.

The previous pics were taken dark to show the picture tube working. I didn't go out of my way to change the cabinet-finish color. I don't think it was ever "blonde" in the classic sense, just a light hardwood veneer. The pull-down front-controls cover is in fact left as-found (I didn't have to touch it). The rest of the cabinet had a lot of flaws and required light sanding and re-clearcoating. This photo, taken in bright light, most accurately reflects the color (and flaws). Someday I might re-veneer the whole thing, and reproduce the front facade (which is light-colored solid hardwood). But that would be a lot of effort, and perhaps a crime to the "originality". I think I'd rather take the entire cabinet, wrap it in plastic, and store it in the garage rafters for posterity, and reproduce the entire cabinet in an exotic tiger-maple hardwood. That would be even more work, but it would be something really beautiful afterwards. It was a "budget" set to begin with, and likely wasn't ever a nice piece of furniture. Just an "entry-level" way to see TV in 1949. I suspect your combo set was the "deluxe model". It sounds like a great set.

As far as the shock hazard, I really don't like those 2 capacitors from the AC line to chassis ground (see about 20 posts ago). One of mine was leaky and made the chassis hot, perhaps you have the same condition.

Good luck working on it.

- k

[PioneerGuy75]

Awesome post kbmuri !!
Wonderful work restoring an old beauty!!
Great pictures!

Thanks so much for sharing!!!

[Bill Cahill]

Indeed, a wonderful job. Thank you for sharing your project.

Actually, I see from ebay there were more deluxe versions than mine. Mine is conservative, though beutiful. The other two are book cases, rather large, and both beutiful. Mine is relatively compact, yet, has the same wood beuty as hose. I remove the line caps completely when I re build, They are a shock hazzrd. Also, any resistors going to chassis as well. After I get caught up on customer projects, I am going to get back on my Maggie. Then, I can post pics for you guys to see.

Slightly off topic. After I receive my delivery from our friend Polaraman, after cabinet repairs, I will show patched up case. After I start re building chassis, I will show progress pics on it.
That set is my favorite project=RCA Victor=6T74=rplacement for original family set.

Bill Cahill