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MISCELLANEOUS STUFF THAT DOESN'T FIT ANYWHERE ELSE |
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LOUDSPEAKER REPAIR |
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YOU HAVE JUST DISASSEMBLED YOUR SET AND DISCOVERED THE CONE IN THE LOUDSPEAKER IS TORN, OR HAS SECTIONS MISSING. ALL IS NOT LOST. YOU CAN REPAIR YOUR SPEAKER AND KEEP THE SET ORIGINAL. MANY SETS USEDS ODD SIZED OR SHAPED LOUDSPEAKERS AND YOU WON'T FIND A REPLACEMENT AT RAT SHACK. OTHER COLLECTORS MAY HAVE AN EXACT REPLACEMENT. YOU COULD SEND YOUR SPEAKER TO BE RECONED. IF THE DAMAGE IS MINOR, SAVE YOUR MONEY. THESE REPAIRS ARE FOR MINOR DAMAGE.
IF THERE IS A TEAR, AND IT'S TIGHT (NO MISSING SECTIONS), YOU CAN FIX IT WITH SILICONE. DON'T EVEN THINK OF USING TAPES AND GLUES ON THE CONE. THE TEAR WILL REFORM IF GLUED AND TAPES EVENTUALLY FALL OFF. IT WILL SOUND LIKE SHIT TOO. SILICONE IS PLIABLE AND REMAINS THAT WAY AFTER CURING. GIVE THE TEAR A GOOD COAT AND SPREAD IT ABOUT A QUARTER INCH AROUND THE TEAR. LET IT CURE. IT SHOULD SOUND GOOD.
IF THERE IS A SMALL HOLE (I DON'T MEAN HALF THE CONE GONE), CHEEZECLOTH AND RUBBER CEMENT WILL WORK. CUT A PATCH ABOUT ONE QUARTER INCH OVERSIZED. APPLY RUBBER CEMENT TO THE EDGED OF THE HOLE AND TO THE PATCH. PUT THE PATCH IN PLACE AND LET THE CEMENT CURE. GIVE THE PATCH SEVERAL COATS OF CEMENT. YOU SHOULD BE GOOD TO GO.
IN SOME CASES, THE COLOR OF THE SILICONE IS CRITICAL. BLACK OR CLEAR IS PREFERABLE, ESPECIALLY IF THE CONE CAN BE SEEN IN THE CABINET. RECONING IS AN OPTION. IF REPLACEMENT IS THE ONLY OPTION, THERE ARE THINGS TO CONSIDER. SOMETIMES THE AUDIO OUTPUT TRANSFORMER IS MOUNTED TO THE BASKET. IF A UNIVERSAL REPLACEMENT IS USED, THE TRANSFORMER MUST SOMEHOW MOUNTED TO THE BASKET OR RELOCATED. HOPEFULLY, THE LOUDSPEAKER WILL NOT NEED ANY REPAIRS. |
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RODENT DAMAGE |
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YOU JUST FOUND A SET THAT HAS BEEN STORED IN A BARN, WAREHOUSE, OLD BASEMENT, ETC. THERE MAY BE UNDESIRABLES THAT YOU DON'T WANT IN YOUR HOUSE. I AM REFERRING TO MICE (DEAD OR ALIVE), BUGS, DUBYUH, AND OTHER VERMIN. IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS, DISASSEMBLE THE SET OUTSIDE. PUT THE CRT IN A SAFE PLACE. HAVE A CAN OF RAID HANDY IN CASE OF WASP NESTS OR OTHER BUGS. YOU CAN VACUUM OUT SPIDER WEBS AND DUST. TAKE A SOFT BRUSH AND BRUSH AWAY AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. AS FOR RODENT DAMAGE, YOU MAY HAVE TO WASH THE CHASSIS. I PREFER NOT TO, BUT WILL IF I HAVE TO. BE CAREFUL. YOU DON'T WANT TO GET TRANSFORMERS WET. IF YOU DO WASH THE CHASSIS, DON'T EVEN THINK OF APPLYING POWER FOR SEVERAL DAYS. YOU CAN PUT IT IN THE OVEN FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS AT LOW TEMPERATURE. THIS WILL DRIVE OUT THE MOISTURE.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, RODENTS HAVE EASY ACCESS TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CABINET. THESE LITTLE BASTARDS WILL EAT THE INSULATION OFF THE WIRES AND WAX OFF THE CAPS. THESE MOTHERS ALSO PEE EVERYWHERE. IF YOU SUSPECT RODENT DAMAGE, WEAR GLOVES AS YOU DISASSEMBLE. THE SMELL WILL NOT BE PLEASANT. BE CAREFUL OF ANY BY-PRODUCTS (IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN). YOU WILL NEED TO CLEAN THE INSIDE OF THE CABINET WITH A SANITIZER. AFTER SANITIZING, I WOULD KEEP THE SET OUT OF THE HOUSE FOR A FEW DAYS. YOU MAY NEED TO SANITIZE MULTIPLE TIMES. WASH THE CHASSIS IF YOU HAVE TO. THE CRT CAN BE CLEANED WITH GLASS CLEANER. ONCE ANY BAD SMELL IS GONE, THEN TAKE THE CABINET INSIDE. |
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CABINET REPAIR AND REFINISHING |
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MANY TIMES, THE CABINETS HAVE SEEN BETTER DAYS. SMALL DINGS CAN BE COVERED WITH STAIN. MISSING VENEER CAN BE REPLACED. METAL CABINETS CAN BE REPAINTED. MOST OF MY SETS JUST NEEDED TO BE CLEANED UP TO LOOK NICE. IF A FINISH IS TOO FAR GONE, YOU CAN REFINISH. VENEERED CABINETS MUST BE REFINISHED WITH LAQUOR. BE CAREFUL OF ANY DECALS IF YOU HAVE TO STRIP THE FINISH. CABINETS MADE OF MASONITE WITH A PICTURE OF WOOD CANNOT BE REFINISHED. DINGS CAN BE FIXED. THERE ISN'T MUCH THAT CAN BE DONE HERE OTHER THAN CLEANING.
IF YOU NEED TO REPAINT A METAL CABINET, STRIP THE PAINT OFF. REMOVE ANY RUST THAT MAY BE THERE. PITS CAN BE FIXED WITH GLAZING COMPOUND OR BONDO. YOUR AUTO PARTS SUPPLIER SHOULD HAVE A COLOR THAT MATCHES OR IS VERY CLOSE TO THE ORIGINAL COLOR. AFTER ANY BODY WORK IS DONE, PRIME AND PAINT. I WILL COVER ANY REFINISHING IN THAT SET'S SECTION. THIS IS JUST A BASE. |
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HACK REPAIRS |
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JUST LIKE ANY OTHER TRADE, BACK IN THE DAY, TV REPAIR WAS NOT IMMUNE FROM HACK REPAIRMEN. SOME OF MY SETS WERE ON THE WRONG END OF HACKS. YOU MAY SEE COMPONENTS DANGLING IN MID AIR. THERE MAY BE WIRING REROUTED IN A POOR FASHION. THIS IS WHERE YOUR SERVICE MANUAL COMES IN. SOME REPAIRMEN TOOK A PART AND RIGGED IT TO MAKE IT FIT. IN SOME CASES YOU MAY HAVE TO DO THE SAME THING. AS COLLECTORS, AND I SPEAK ONLY FOR MYSELF, TRY TO MAKE IT LOOK PROFESSIONAL. IT IS COMMON PRACTICE TO HIDE NEW ELECTROLYTICS UNDER THE CHASSIS AND LEAVE THE ORIGINAL CANS. SOMETIMES APPEARANCE CAN BE A FACTOR. IF YOU CAN MAKE IT LOOK ORIGINAL, IT CAN MAKE THE RESTORATION EVEN BETTER. THERE ARE SOME UNAVOIDABLE SITUATIONS. THERE MAY BE A CASE WHERE NEW LYTICS HAVE TO BE EXPOSED ON TOP OF THE CHASSIS. DO THE BEST YOU CAN. THE MAIN THING IS TO MAKE THE SET WORK AGAIN. |
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