Philharmonic Green Dial Back

[Scott Seickel]

Anyone find a good source for the green plastic back of these dials? 

This one did not stand the test of time. 

I just need the raw plastic. 

[David C. Poland]

Trying to understand with applying new green layer over the old green backing:

- do the combined layers obscure the moving lamp light that is supposed to shine through the dial ??

- do remains of the dial markings stuck to the old green backer show through the new green layer 

[mike hadley]

Dave;

I think that there is some confusion here,

using green vinyl would I think obscure the moving lamp, where green filter gel would not,

I have been looking for a suitable plastic sheet and so far all I can find is light green polyethylene, and light green polystyrene, the polyethylene is the wrong type of plastic, has a waxy feel and would not take paint to mask the region dials.

The polystyrene, although the wrong shade of green, will take paint well, and as Norman has suggested can be darkened with a Lighting filter,

so far I'm still looking as there must be something out there.

Mike

[David C. Poland]

Trying to understand with applying new green layer over the old green backing:

- do the combined layers obscure the moving lamp light that is supposed to shine through the dial ??

- do remains of the dial markings stuck to the old green backer show through the new green layer 

[David C. Poland]

Trying to understand with applying new green layer over the old green backing:

- do the combined layers obscure the moving lamp light that is supposed to shine through the dial ??

- do remains of the dial markings stuck to the old green backer show through the new green layer 

[David C. Poland]

Was having trouble up loading my comment. So 2nd time problem again. Now trying again, they both seem to be there now. Go figure.

[Scott Seickel]

David, wet sand the phenolic dial with 1000 to 1500 grit sandpaper.  That will remove the old dial ink and clean up the phenolic.  I guess the key is to use a new green plastic that is translucent enough to "clean up" the faded dial, yet allow the light to shine thru. 

[Scott Seickel]

I sanded my one dial with 800 grit and it cleaned it up a bit.  Got rid of most of the dark oxidation.   I did both sides, just working around the blacked out part on on the back.  Good thing is that the black paint is not water soluble.  No concern about the matte finish left as whatever I decide to put over the dial will be what you see anyway.  The UV light did a number on the original dye in this plastic. 

I went to a Michaels store this morning and the only thing they had was thin vinyl peel and stick sheets.  That stuff is definitely not transparent enough for the light to shine thru.  I am thinking that the theater lighting gel is going to be the best solution, just not sure about using a spray contact cement to adhere it. 

[mike hadley]

Scott,

This is exactly what I have done with my backing, the sanding sure does stink, 

I then used green lighting gel, primary green is the one to go for, you shouldn't need any glue as the dial assembly will hold everything together, the old dial scar will disappear behind the green gel,

Mike

[mike hadley]

Here is the green dial wet sanded with 1200 paper, with the green gel and new dial,

The lighting gel is quite thin, only 0.13mm

When the whole assembly is on the radio it looks like the photo below,

The 6e5 tubes are brand new Toyo ones from ebay, hopefully to give some idea of brightness,

the dial lamp shows really well through the extra filter,

please excuse the rubber bands holding the glass dial to the radio and lack of pointer,

I did find this green polystyrene on eBay uk, it's available in a4 and a3 sheets, it' lighter than the original dial but under the green gel it looks the same, and has about the same transparency so the end result is about the same,

Mike.

[Scott Seickel]

That looks good Mike. 

The primary green is a bit dark, but I like the way the white pops on it. 

At least the Toyo 6E5's have the same base as required, unlike the Russian ones.  The brightest 6E5's I have experienced are older Sylvania's. 

I will post a pic of my dial once I get it from Radiodaze. 

[David C. Poland]

Looks good, Scott..

The West coast station call letters on the top of the above dial should show through those little circles also show the 7th moving panel light as well.  Above about 800 KC, will be off by 20 KC because those station's frequencies were shifted up when the broadcast band was expended to from 1500 to 1700 KC. As many of you know, in the mid 1930's, there were some experimental wide band high fidelity stations just above 1500 KC (which I suppose were still active into the late 1940's although obsoleted by the advent of FM broadcasting from 1940). The 23 tube Scott 1935-7with the optional tweeters was designed to make the most of those high fidelity broadcasts.

When young and naive 50 years ago I obtained a Philharmonic pointer dial model with the Chicago dial.

There seemed to be dust behind the dial. So I dismounted the dial to clean it. Worked out great, but the dial was only about 20 years old. Would not try that again now that the screen print graphics are over 80 years old.