New member - Scott 16

[Robert Feenstra]

 I just got into this fascinating hobby.  Just redid a couple of radios I grew up with - a Majestic 1941, and Philco Model14 - 1933, chassis only. Now working on a Philco 96, 1930.  I decided I needed a real radio and found a Scott 16 in an Acousticraft cabinet.  It's not in the greatest shape as there is a fair amount of chrome damage and it is missing a few parts.  The receiver, power supply and speaker are intact and fairly unmolested, but I need knobs, the large dial pointer and a replacement plastic dial cover.  Are there reproductions of these parts?  Or, in particular, does anyone have a pointer they might want to sell?  I guess I can live with non original knobs and I think I could vacuum form a new dial cover.  I couldn't find anything at Radio Daze.

This project will be on the back burner for awhile, especially as I research dealing with the rust areas in the chrome.  Not sure I want to completely strip the chassis and have it re-plated.  I guess it depends on what it's value might be completely restored.

I've done a little research on the 16 in the forum's archives.  I'm not really sure of what I've got. I don't know how popular the 16 was or how it performed compared to the other Scott models.  Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[Robert Feenstra]

Okay.  That sounds good to me.  Do you know, are they mica or paper?  I don't have a "serious" capacitor tester to test them, just what is on my DVM.  It'll check capacity, but not leakage under load conditions.

[Norman S Braithwaite]

I believe those are mica compression trimmers.  It would be very unusual to find one that is bad.

Norman

[Robert Feenstra]

So are they adjustable with the  screw that's on one end?  If so, I presume they are part of the alignment process.

[Norman S Braithwaite]

Yes, they are the trimmers to be adjusted when aligning the IF amplifier.

Norman

[Robert Feenstra]

Thanks Norman.

Stripping the chassis has begun.  The closeup of the control is of the tuning indicator sensitivity.  How effective do you think it might be?! 

[Robert Feenstra]

Well I'll be!  the control works  wired that way.  turns out the center tap is  the side terminal.  I've never seen one made that way.

[Robert Feenstra]

The Chassis is stripped and ready for re-chroming.  I'll bring it in this week.  Left the wiring hooked up as much as possible as a guide for re-installation.  The caps will all be re-stuffed.  Most of the resistors are in tolerance so I'll leave them.  Looks like a rat's nest that I hope I can reconstruct!

Any ideas on cleaning up the dial face?  You can see that it was originally much brighter by looking under the mounting screw/washers.  Concerned about removing the ink/paint/or-what-ever in the embossed dial numbers.  Maybe best to leave well enough alone and accept the age "patina".

[mike hadley]

Robert,

Try using a slice of white soft bread to clean your dial, nothing fancy as this will have seeds in, the cheap stuff is better,

be careful and test on a small part first, you will be amazed at the dirt this will pull off,

I have used this on clock dials in the past, also good for getting the kids hand marks off of the decor as well.

[Robert Feenstra]

I'll try it!  Who'd a thought.

[Robert Feenstra]

The bread didn't seem to help much.  There is a part of me that says the face is coated with a clear lacquer or something.  I tested on a corner, but lacquer thinner does nothing.  Not sure.

It appears that I'm missing a part of the tuning mechanism: the 1/4" shaft.  The ball bearings are there, as well as the spring.  I would suspect that wear on the inner shaft where the ball bearings would ride probably caused it to pop out and was then lost.  The 1/4" shaft would appear to be turned down to a smaller diameter where there must have been an indentation to accept the ball bearings.  The spring would then push on the shaft to provide some friction on the bearings so as to produce a planetary reduction when the 1/4"shaft was turned.  Is that analysis correct?  Perhaps I can produce such a device on the lathe.  Unless...does someone have a donor chassis with this part that they would be willing to sell?

[mike hadley]

Robert;

I thing that you are correct  that you have a part missing, I repaired the slow motion drive  from my philharmonic,

there is a picture of the slow motion drive dismantled, yours looks very similar, the shaft has a spring and a ball bearing, I have attached part of the photo.

Pity the bread didn't do much, the method is fairly gentle, nothing worse than removing everything.

[Robert Feenstra]

No question that the center shaft is missing.  My setup is just a bit different than yours as there are 3 ball bearings that engage the center shaft.  I would assume that I am missing one ball bearing that the spring pushes against that in turn pushes against the end of the center shaft. I'll have to see what I can find.  Almost have a shaft made.  I'll post pics if it works!