Does that old Radio Still Work???

Sorry everyone who left comments this morning but I had a small glitch and needed to upload the video again thus loosing your original comments. But I did ready them all and thank you for your encouragement. Join me as as I begin a partial restoration of a 1936 Philco tombstone radio. I purchased this set "attic fresh" for $10 from a local estate. The electronics will need quite a bit of work which will take place this winter when I am snowed in. For now, I'll attempt a cabinet restoration rather than a complete refinishing. Any time I can preserve an original finish it's always a good day. My goal is never to make an antique look new but rather to be sympathetic to the old original finish and patina whenever possible. When this radio was new in the mid 1930's, Bing Crosby was just making a name for himself as a solo act after years singing in a trio called The Rhythm Boys with Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra.

[@tennesseegrannydebbie3384]

I had to watch interrupted, but I rewatched it all !!! INTERESTING and nostalgic. We had a table model in the late 40s and 50s that I would love to find one like. So....now I'm digging through old photos You sure do inspire my CURIOSITY. 👵💖🦋

[@creamtopperwazoo1867]

Amazing! I have an old farm radio that I would like to do the same as you. I love the way that the dial even lights up. Totally cool!👍

[@natashasemrau3670]

Gosh Scott what can't you do? You are a one man antique restorer! Good for you, the radio looks great, and works. 🍂🍁🌾🍂🍁🌾🌲🍂🍁🌾🌲🌾🌾🍁🍂🍁🌾🌲🌲🍁🍂🍁🌾🌲🌲🌾🌾🍁🍂🍂🍁🌲🌲🌲🌾🌾🍁🍁🌁🌾🌲🐁🐁🐁🐁🐁🐁🐁🌾🌾🍁🍁🍂🍂🍁🌾🌾🌲🌲🌲

[@josephtome9600]

I am finishing up a Philco model 89 - 123 in a beautiful Baby Grand cabinet. Broadcast and Police bands. I found the Police band starts at 1600kc and goes up to around 2500kc. I discovered that there are a number offshore stations at the low end that are good enough to redeem a presumed dead band. Music and all.

[@kathb1206]

Fantastic job, love seeing it and learning about these things.

[@MossStoneStoryVintage]

I really enjoyed this video! I love how important the integrity of the age is to you! You’re a special guy! Thanks for sharing!

[@Trojan4u]

I wouldn't even know where to begin. Such intricate work. You are a rennessaince man.

[@mohinimaharajh9376]

This reminds me of my dad repairing radios 📻

[@mollyk.4031]

Scott, I agree with you. Anyone can make something look shiny and new. There is value in showing one's age. And showing it gracefully. Thank you for restoring these beauties.

[@Retromicky82]

i'll just add another comment . it does look great and be great to hear it play again . be awesome to see more of these .

[@wanda520]

Bought an old radio years ago and plugged it right in. Lord above I could have blown my house up ! Thanks be to God that didn’t happen. It actually worked. It was decorative from that point on.

[@daleburrell6273]

...THAT WASN'T VERY SMART-(!)

[@neldagay4613]

As usual I enjoyed your video. I could listen to you for days. You are so knowledgeable 😊

[@oldcuriosityshop265]

Thank you.

[@yisimlampiris-tremba2247]

Well said, age is what tells the story! Imagining what it was like listening to the old stories and awesome music in those days. 😊

[@suewolfe3898]

Hi Scott! You are doing an excellent job on restoring that vintage jewel! You are very talented! Well done!

[@oldcuriosityshop265]

Thank you.

[@LHeatherBarrera]

It looks wonderdul, I like that you didn't make it look new. Thanks for taking is along on the restoration, I enjoyed it 😊

[@christhompson9486]

My ex husband had a cabinet model radio from the 40s. The radio worked fine but the turntables was trashed. The cabinet was gorgeous. It was about 4x4 foot. Speakers were at the bottom of the cabinet, one half was radio and the other half was a door that folded down while the turntable slid out.

[@oldcuriosityshop265]

The old cabinets were usually manufactured by high quality furniture makers and were very well made.

[@christhompson9486]

@@oldcuriosityshop265 This one was very well made. He found it, apparently someone had taken care of at least the cabinet part. Like I said the turntable was garbage. I thought it was pretty cool to hear R&R coming out of the speakers. Back in the 70s and 80s, WKY in Moore Oklahoma was still an oldies station on AM dial. Now it's all FM. He got it from someone who was tossing it out.

[@MichellesCraftsandMore]

That is gorgeous! I love old radios and stuff. I need to find a source for old tubes for ham radios as I have a bunch I need to work on.

[@ddgreen4913]

Really pretty. It looks better than I thought it would.

[@mohinimaharajh9376]

Thank you for sharing this

[@nancyevans7095]

Beautiful job.

[@silverpoof]

Here in Houston Texas all that AM frequency pulls in are Spanish music stations. We have an Atwater Kent floor radio downstairs. My first Mother painted it in orange alkyd and antiqued it in the 1960s. I had it stripped and restained walnut in the 1980s. Today in 2019, my step mom complains that it occupies space with no purpose. Have heard of people inserting remote speakers to play from a compact disk or bluetooth ipod download. Me......would be work to float the dial and turn it into a liquor / bar cabinet, but for now I am fine to leave it alone. It looks great.

[@AntiquesHollywood]

Wow! Great job!

[@tammiwaddlethisoldwomansvi5400]

Wonderful job

[@myheartcries9906]

Beautiful!!!

[@bobversheck2131]

Thank heavens! Finally someone who knows not to just plug it in and see if it works! How many times I see "tried it and it works". Working is not the best feature of an old radio. That plug-in might just be a restorable radio's death. Blown tubes, no problem. A burned out power transformer is more likely on a cold plug-in.

[@oldcuriosityshop265]

YES Bob. I try so so very hard to teach people NOT to plug in an old radio!!!!!!!! I'm so glad to have your support!

[@andygozzo72]

yep, never ever plug anything old electrical in without doing some checks and using a current limiting device like a filament bulb in series with the mains supply, you may be lucky, or it may overheat ,even catch fire or may kill

[@merrilynrutledge5013]

Great pictures of everyone around the radio.

[@josephconsoli4128]

Very good vid and great advice. Being a collector in the hobby for about 40 years, I must say that now that the classic sets are around 90 years old, the chances of just doing a quick recap on these as-found sets is getting less common. On/off/volume switches are needing replacement, coils and transformers are open, and components, like resistors, that used to always be fine, now need replacement. Having these working, which is a must for me, makes this a "labor-of-love" hobby, especially if you have someone doing the work. It's worth it to me. By the way, always proceed with cation removing a chassis out. When you're pulling it out and there's some hesitation- - STOP! Check if something is hitting, an attached ground wire, or, sometimes even the dial pointer needs to be removed! You never know. Forcing it out may leave you filled with regret. Also, treat dirty dial faces with extreme care. A gentle buff only. If it's very dirty, you'll have to live with it or search for a replacement.

[@andygozzo72]

on/off volume controls may obviously need replacing as thats whats most 'used' in a radio, resistors dont 'wear' out but many drift in value, but in most cases, resistance value isnt critical as valves/tubes seem very 'unfussy', and vary a lot in tolerance anyway, so no need to obsess about 'blanket' replacing resistors, once again, coils/transformers dont 'wear', usually only fail due to overload or green spot corrosion, if something corrosive has got on it , as for recapping, you only really need to replace ones with high voltage across them in use or in critical positions, such as aerial/earth isolators in live chassis sets, this applies to wax paper and electrolytics, ceramic and poly dielectric types very rarely fail and i wouldnt replace these unless they have failed...

[@josephconsoli4128]

​@@andygozzo72 Agreed. I've been the hobby for 40 years and do cabinet resto's, but know the basics of a radio/TV chassis. The majority of my sets have had a minimal "resto" you described, and have been working fine for many years. Of course being used sparingly and with a slow power-up though a Variac. Many collectors frown upon this and feel a complete component replacement is a true "chassis restoration". I guess if you have the time/money/skills, go for it! By the way, yes, "worn-out" would be for car tires, haha. Just a loose term for failed, broken, ruined, shot......

[@andygozzo72]

@@josephconsoli4128 actually i would NOT recommend a variac for 'slow' running up a set, as they do not self limit current, much better a filament bulb, no low energy thing, in series with the mains supply, that way current is limited corresponding to the bulb wattage, start at 25w, for approx 100ma, then go up, etc. until you get to about 200w, if set runs ok for a while on this, its almost certainly ok to run at full mains, but of course fit a suitably rated fuse as most sets didnt have one

[@josephconsoli4128]

@@andygozzo72 Interesting. I've actually been doing that for years and have not even had a pilot bulb blow. I'll keep what you said in mind. Thanks.

[@andygozzo72]

@@josephconsoli4128 think about it, something could short suddenly , without any current limiting , damage could occur, variacs only control voltage... ideal is probably to have both, variac, feeding the device through a bulb!

[@rohnkd4hct260]

Love old radios!!!!!! I have several to restore.

[@robertdavis5714]

Paper Capacitors, wholly cow. Appreciate this because something I wanting to do as well, not interested in AM radio as well but getting that back lamp to function would be an absolute.

[@grinchlette]

Scott, this is fantastic material on here. I’m lapping Up every bit. So interesting!! I would love to learn a little bit more about your experience. How did you come to understand how to repair and restore vintage toasters and radios and such? Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom! I love it!!

[@oldcuriosityshop265]

Oh I must might talk a bit about that in my next "This 'N That" video. Thank you for asking.

[@kathylynch8728]

Cool radio Scott! I think you'd be surprised at the AM radio still good out thete in radioland. WSM reaches all the way to Philly, I do believe. Here in Fairhope,Alabama we have WABF which gives LOCAL news and music from the 40's through present day(Michael Buble and Michael McDOnald, lol) ANYway. ..have a good one.

[@deborahmerriman2314]

I am first Hi Scott and Salem love this channel you did a great job on the radio it looks so cool

[@southernhippie9058]

Here we get a lovely classical music station on AM radio. I wish I had my parent's old 1940s radio to listen to it now, I think they got rid of it in the early 60s when they bought a stereo system,

[@SuperiorGirlVintage]

Ok finally a day off after 36 hours in 3 days, I’m pooped, and my feet hurt. Kicking back with a cup of coffee, and glad to have a new Scott video to watch. Oh and I went to buy the thermos, but it was gone. Thats ok cause I’m cheap, just being real 😂🤗

[@oldcuriosityshop265]

I'm saving it for you!!!!!

[@SuperiorGirlVintage]

How do ya wanna do it, I got 25.00 in my paypal 😂

[@oldcuriosityshop265]

Maybe Santa will send it your way at Christmas time!!!!!!!!!!

[@SuperiorGirlVintage]

Scott's Old Curiosity Shop Santa’s always been good to me ❤️

[@PopleBackyardFarm]

Awesome channel just subbed

[@oldcuriosityshop265]

Thank you and welcome!!

[@jerryuhte1284]

Scott, great site , i like old radios too, and repairing them , you may already know this but i found a site the other day that is useful for guys to listen to the old stuff, programs , music etc. go to Radio Garden , click on any dot and you can listen to that station , all over the world ! Neat !

[@oldcuriosityshop265]

I will check it out

[@mimzyriepensell1423]

Ok, I went back and saw the one posted a few hours ago was deleted.....hmmm...well I still love these old radio's and that you are able to restore them and keep them close to age, not making them look new. Lost and forgotten treasures....thanks for sharing/

[@doridearman1975]

Scott I absolutely love Old Tube Radios. I would love to see your collection. Maybe you could show us.

[@oldcuriosityshop265]

I will show you!

[@doridearman1975]

Can’t wait!!!

[@daleburrell6273]

...I'm an enthusiast for vintage TRANSISTOR radios -(!)

[@jerryuhte1284]

Scott , forgot to mention the Cladritr Radio stn. , its all old Music !

[@bigd4746]

Wow. So many wires and stuff. How did anybody ever figure out how to make one of those things. But interesting video.

[@pipersmith1531]

👍👍👍

[@Duckcalculator]

I just bought a Philco 296, and it’s in great shape. No loud hum that I can hear. It’s in really good shape and has clearly been loved at some point, but do you think I ought to send it out for repair anyways?

[@StenCpu]

Good job, looks really genuine, I just have a small question, wasn't there some back plate originally ? Greetings from Czech Republic

[@bonnieshousehold.816]

I have a Delco model R 3212 radio Im working on I think its rare because like nobody has it 😮

[@natalie8212]

Is there no way to soak that cloth to clean it? Just seems like there would be some sort of concoction mild enough to not damage it. I was also wondering what type of wood those were typically made from, it's beautiful. "No steampunk creations..." LOL that cracked me up

[@oldcuriosityshop265]

No it can't be soaked. IT's too fragile. The wood depends on the year made. Back in the 20's many were made of walnut and mahogany. In the 1930's, exotic veneers became popular.

[@MrGigi-dz9cv]

Since these were made by humans, it can be made to work.

[@darlenecuker9711]

What about a flux capacitor? 🤣😉back to the future pun here.

[@hwntwww]

07.30 before he starts work

[@kenpark3164]

Just curious, is there a difference in cathedral and beehive?

[@oldcuriosityshop265]

Well as far as radios are concerned.....the term cathedral is used quite regularly. I've never heard the term beehive used in the old radio collecting field.

[@mimzyriepensell1423]

Deja vu ? I watched this already this morning and commented on it.....did it get removed, the first one I mean?

[@oldcuriosityshop265]

I typed an explanation is in the description box. Thanks for watching twice!

[@mimzyriepensell1423]

@@oldcuriosityshop265 I didn't see the explaination before I asked....lol...Love your video's and have watched many more than once.

[@mohinimaharajh9376]

What state are you in?

[@oldcuriosityshop265]

New Jersey

[@jerryuhte1284]

Sorry , Cladrite Radio !

[@TheAntiqueNomad]

Do you know people with tubes? I've avoided buying non working radios because I fear not finding parts

[@oldcuriosityshop265]

Almost any old radio can be restored. It's a matter of how much work needs to be done and how expensive the repair person is. Replacing tubes is easy but it almost ALWAYS the paper capacitors that go bad and 99.9 percent of the time they all need to be replaced. When you turn on an old tube radio and get a loud "hum".....changing the tubes will not solve the problem. It's bad leaky old capacitors that are the problem.

[@lindapeterson9267]

where do you get your old radio parts....a reliable source.....thank you

[@TheAntiqueNomad]

Scott's Old Curiosity Shop thank you I'd heard capacitors were often the problem but it's heartening to think they can be found!

[@oldcuriosityshop265]

Oh yes....you can buy them new. Now they don't look anything like the old ones but most folks don't care because you never see them underneath the chassis. It's totally worth and almost always a guarantee that any old tube radio will need to be re capped.

[@oldcuriosityshop265]

Oh gosh Linda. My late father and uncle collected bits and bobs of old radio parts since the late 1950's. I have an endless supply.

[@pollycurtiss5890]

Scott, do you ever listen to Old-Time Radio Antioch (radio.macinmind.com)? The gentleman who runs this website plays old radio shows all day (no charge, but you can make a donation if you want). It's the closest things to being able to listen to the radio in the 1940s and 1950s just as it was!

[@oldcuriosityshop265]

Oh I've been an old time radio fan since I was a teenager! Over the years I've collected hundreds of shows. I love the fact that with modern technology, you can listen to streamed "old radio" all day long. Thanks for sharing the link!