Hi, Guys. At this stage I am working on the cabinet of my latest project.
My RCA Victor 6T74 television. I will be restoring this set back to health.
I recently took delivery from friend Huggy Bear. It came from N Carolina.
See photos.
Still having cabinet issues, but, here is the latest. A picture of the restored emblem on my tv. I re-gilded it yesterday.


Bill Cahill

That's a nice clean chassis! Did you spend a lot of time cleaning it up, or was this one used a little less than a lot of others?

I must say, and tell the others here...

I picked up this set in Cayce, SC and brought it to Bill on my recent trip to Florida. With all due respect, the set looks a lot better now than when I brought it, Bill is humble in his opinions. It looked OK, but I don't think I would have gone through the trouble myself. The chassis was dirty, and he obviously put some effort into cleaning it, it did NOT look that good when I brought it.

One thing is very obvious - it is a "labor of love" for him on this set. I cannot think of any TV or radio I've had that I would be willing to go to those lengths to restore. To see his expression when I brought it, it was very heartwarming for me. It made my efforts much more worthwhile.

Nice work Bill, and if I know you, you'll have it playing better than new before too long.

Thanks for your kind thoughts, Huggy.
I try to always get my things to look the best they can, and the same with everything I do. I don't always do that great. But, thank you, none the less.
As for working, well, let's see what happens when I give it the "May pop, may go Big Bang test".
This is a labor of love for me, or, am I just crazy?
Thanks for getting it for me, Huggy.
Bill Cahill

That's a nice set Bill. Beautiful cabinet with those doors. Brings back memories, as I grew up watching the one my parents had, same color, double doors and all only it must have been a one or two model year later set with it's 17" rectangular screen. It's in a lot of Christmas pictures, as the tree was usually set up right beside it. They kept it until the early 60's when they bought a 23" black and white, RCA of course. Finally got our first color RCA in 1969.

Thanks, Kevin. My parents bought that 50 model set in late 49. If finally gave up the ghost in 1963. We even watched Kenedy assassination on it, and the funeral. Alot of bitter-sweet memories.

A funny note. My sisters tell me that when I was about one year old my mother took a picture of me sitting in front of the playing tv intently. What was next to me? A small mouse also watching! Bill Cahill

Thanks, Kevin. My parents bought that 50 model set in late 49. If finally gave up the ghost in 1963. We even watched Kenedy assassination on it, and the funeral. Alot of bitter-sweet memories.

A funny note. My sisters tell me that when I was about one year old my mother took a picture of me sitting in front of the playing tv intently. What was next to me? A small mouse also watching! Bill Cahill

Bill great set just love it!

What did you use to clean the chassis?

This set sort of looks like the old Westinghouse set I had from the early 1950`s I purchased back 20 years ago with the front doors and I think Mahogany finish.
Cleaned it up replaced dozens of caps and got it going but it had a weak picture tube.
I finally pulled the parts I wanted to keep and got rid of the rest.

Well make sure to keep us updated!!!!!!

Could Ajax be a goo cleaner?

By the looks of that speaker that TV must sound beautiful!!!

Worst part of recapping is waiting for the caps to get there aint it?

Hmmm well a while back I used Ajax to clean a box fan seemed to do pretty good. But i guess not in this case.

That was another one of my mistakes in life getting rid of that old Westinghouse TV, but that was way before the ARF and many items like it were in the landfill.
I did keep some of the parts.

I grieve for your loss, Rodney. I threw out a ton of them myself, so, I know how it feels. You might find another, some day.......

My aunt had a 21" tble model rectangular Westinghouse that ended up in the land fill. When she moved into our house she had it, and it was still playing. When she died of a sudden illness with her heart, I looked at the set. The neck was broken off the picture tube, so the tv hit the trash. What a shame. Wish I had another like it............

Well, I'm still at holding on five more caps, but, hope to get them finnished soon. Then, on to the electrolytics. After that,
it will be time for the "May pop, may go big bang test".

I truly don't know what it is going to do. I am somewhat worried ablut things such as the power transformer, and the yoke. Flyback looks o.k. Never had the vert. output transformer go bad in one of these yet.
I already replaced the incorrect no burned out 47 light bulbs with the correct 51 light bulbs, new, of course.
Speaker looks in excellent shape. Grill closth is really good.

I have a battle plan on the case. I will be merely touching up rough spots on the case, and, dabbing in dark stain on bad spots on doors. No, it won't look mint, but, it will be better. Where finnish is half flaked off, I will first try the dab, and brush new lacquer idea. If that fails, I will reluctantly strip off whole sections of orig. finnsh in those spots, and start all over. But, not on main panels of doors, or case. Only in spots.

Wish me good luck, guys. This is a pho-finnish case, so refinnishing is out of the question.

Another note on electronics of the set.....

I have definately proved that most chassis of this seres used only
their standard series with a 6J5 vertical oscilator, and, very little sync circuit.


However, The "deluxe" sets, including the sets with full doors, including this one, used a 6SN7 instead ot the 6J5. One section was for the vertical osc., and the other was sync amp. The 12AU7 in middle of the chassis was used as sync seperator, and another sync amp. This made this series of sets more stable. In both series, the 12AU7 by back of chassis was video amp. However, in the "deluxe sets, they improved on the quality of the video amp as well. Apparently, it had better contrast than the others.The circuit is definately different.


Thanks, guys..
Bill Cahill

Bill,

Not unusual for SOME wax to melt out so you may be OK. Good luck...

I'm back on the tv!

Tommorrow I start replacing electrolytics in the chassis. It will take time to properly do this. I'll show completed picture. Next step will be to bring it up on the variac on a first try..... That's not for awhile, yet. Wish me good luck.....

Bill Cahill

Well, amazingly, I got quite a bit of work done today. I have over half of the electrolytics replaced, and a small storm, and my soldering gun tip breaking are the only things that stopped me for the day....I'm really making good headway!!

Bill Cahill

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREAT as Tony The Tiger use to say Thanks a wonderful job Bill. I can't wait to see it playing good luck with it

T minus several days, and counting. I'm now wating for a package fof a few parts I needed to finnish electrolytic job to arrive from our friend Crosley.

When that is finnished, I'll post a finnished under the chassis job, and, then, it's to the variac I go....
First, I'll check power tranny on ac voltages, and such.
Next, I'll disable hv, connect spkr., and, plug in youke. These sets have a jumper on yoke plug, If you un plug it, it disconects the 5U4 output from the rest of the set, disabling tv.

Then, all bets are offf......

Wish me good luck!
Bill Cahill

Luck? You Need Luck I dont think so Maybe I would Yopu know what ya dooing
No Really Bill Honestly
Good Luck from Bill s

looks good