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]

The tube shields are aluminum so I they will polish up.  It's the coil shields that are chromed aluminum.  They have some bubbles in the chrome that I was hoping to get rid of.  I just don't dare take the chance getting them re-chromed with the aluminum being so thin.  Someone would really have to know what they were doing.

[Robert Feenstra]

Missing in Action:  I've been rebuilding the 16. Ran into a missing component, at least according to the schematic.  The cathode bypass capacitor on the 2nd AF, a .1mfd cap., is missing.  Does anyone know if this was a change, or was it a mistake in assembly?  This cap bypasses the 500 ohm biasing resistor on the 6J5 AF driver tubes.  i would assume that without the cap there would be a slight amount of negative feedback.  Not sure what the affect is without the cap.  What think all of you experienced re-builders?  I certainly could add the cap.

[Norman S Braithwaite]

You are correct.  Without the cathode bypass capacitor, the stage is slightly more linear with respect to frequency but also has slightly less gain.  If the set has adequate volume, leave it as is.

Norman

[Robert Feenstra]

Thanks Norman.  I will leave it until I get the set working and then make the determination.

Current progress: Most of the components have been riveted in place. All of the tubular caps have been re-stuffed and soldered in place.  I wasn't going to change the carbon resistors but there were a couple that were slightly out of spec so I changed them. Then recalling my experience with old church organs that used 1960's carbon resistors,  I decided to go ahead and change all of the resistors.  I remember searching for noise in the preamps only to finally track it down to a noisy resistor.  Didn't want to have to do that on 1930's resistors.  I know it doesn't look original but I'm interested in reliability and  performance.  At least the caps look original!

Replaced the highest voltage wire but left the lower voltage wires.  I just soaked them with a clear corona dope to help in the insulation department. Hope it helps.  Most of the wires were still very flexible and in good shape.

I also found a brown nylon cable sleeve for the power cable.  New wires there would not allow the old cloth sleeve to go over them.  It's shinier, but it's at least brown.

[Robert Feenstra]

Is there a source for the tuning drive belt on the 16?

[Kent King]

You might be able to locate NOS dial belts from sources, but as they are old, they are already brittle. I strongly recommend using the modern rubber replacement dial belt which is cut to length, looped around the pulleys and then glued together. Several sources for it, including:

http://www.radiodaze.com/dial-belt-kit-6-foot/

[Robert Feenstra]

I have found a couple of differences in my 16 compared to the schematics I have from the Archives..  First, the sensitivity is considerably different in that it uses a single pole single throw switch with a 100K resistor across it.  The sensitivity is switched through the band selector through various resistors.  Second, the antenna input is a bit different.  Instead of using a coil to couple the antenna signal into the RF amplifier input tuning coil, the Broadcast band and the police band are coupled directly into the tuning coil using a .0025 mfd cap. from one of the antenna terminals.  The shortwave bands do use the ring coil.

Is this an older version of the 16/18, or a newer version?  Is there a schematic available of this version?

Thanks!

[Robert Feenstra]

A few pics of my 16 so far.

[Robert Feenstra]

And 3 more.

Most of the resistors were replaced. All of the tubular caps re-stuffed.  At this point, molded paper caps were replaced with new .  I'd like to replace the orange drop you see with one that is at least brown in color, but this is all I had. 

[Robert Feenstra]

Love it when things work!  Stations all across the dial with the clip-lead antenna.  Listening to Zoomer Radio, AM 740 Toronto. This is the first time I powered it up slowly with the Variac .  Started picking things up at about 75 volts.  Lots of weak tubes but at least it works.  Now to find knobs and dial indicators (I have the red one.)  Next job will be to do a thorough alignment.  There is some noise in the volume control even though it was disassembled, cleaned and lubed.

[mike hadley]

Brilliant,

Another one saved, really nice job Robert,

the chrome looks really nice in the photos, and the stuffed capacitors look like they have always been there.

your volume pot may clear with use I have found this in the past, now for the rest of the radio

keep up the good work

Mike

[Robert Feenstra]

Thanks! I think I'll have the cabinet professionally done.  I don't want to mess it up!

mike hadley said:

Brilliant,

Another one saved, really nice job Robert,

the chrome looks really nice in the photos, and the stuffed capacitors look like they have always been there.

your volume pot may clear with use I have found this in the past, now for the rest of the radio

keep up the good work

Mike