Electone T5TS1 Deco Metal set.

[decotronix]

If this post is deja vu I think I already posted this but can't find the thread in the forum search so here I go again.

This weekend I picked up a strange little metal set at the DeVry meet in Columbus. It is made by Northeastern Engineering of Manchester New Hampshire. The set is your typical AA5 but has so few parts underneath I am amazed that it would actually work.

I am in the process of taking some pictures to post here of it and was wondering: A: does anyone else have one or a print for it. B: did this company make any other sets or was this a true oddball set.

It has a 1/4 inch thick dial made from lexan or some other heavy clear plastic that was reverse engraved with the dial markings and it is a "backwards dial", reading from high freqs to low, left to right.

I am eager to learn something new about this as I've never heard of this company before. The cabinet is super heavy duty and was made from three seperate pieces that were glued (?) together to form the cabinet with the bottom and corner seams filled in and the whole thing painted mottle tan at the factory. There appears to have been a logo decal on the cabinet above the dial but it is badly worn away and I'd like to find out what it looked like to reproduce it. Any help is appreciated.

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DecotronixDan http://www.decotronix.techweenies.com/

[Dale Davenport]

Dan, I can help as far as a scan of the logo decal above the dial. I have a near mint example of this set and if this %#$&^% scanner will work, I'll e-mail you a copy.

Somewhere I have the schematic as well but am not sure at the moment if I can put my hand on it. I seem to remember that I x-roxed it from a Sam's, years ago when I was doing the electrical restoration.

Another little fuzzy spot in the back of my brain tells me that I have seen this set in a coin-op version as well.

Dale

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Another belly-up Armadillo, on the hiway of life.

[decotronix]

Dale, you da man! If you have a photo to post of your set I'd love to see it as mine is in need of some TLC but it's all there, or here:

This is such a cool looking set, I can't wait to get it up and running again. The chassis looks so sparse underneath:

It should be a standard AA5 textbook set.

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DecotronixDan http://www.decotronix.techweenies.com/

[Tom Bavis]

There's a T5TS3 listed in Sams 12-34. ONLY item in Sams by Electone. Sorry, don't have it.

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[decotronix]

Strange results tonight. Put in the proper five tubes according to the tube chart inside the back panel. Went to install a dial lamp but found the screw base socket is bigger than a standard type 47 bulb but not as big as a C7 lamp. I jumpered in a socket for a 47 and plugged the set into the variac set at 70 volts. When I flipped the switch it promptly sparked at the dial lamp socket which blew out the 47 and that was that. No tubes were damaged and no other shorts were found after an hour of poking around. No bad coupling caps, nothing.

Looks like I'm gonna need that print for this one. It's always the simple chassis sets that put up the biggest fight it seems.

After looking around again I did find a hidden problem (?) as the first I.F. transformer has bad rubber wiring so it looks like I'll have to rewire this first before going any further. It may have arced or had a short inside the can but the meter says not. Hmmm.....

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DecotronixDan
http://www.decotronix.techweenies.com/

[Dale Davenport]

Dan,

I've posted three pictures in the Orphan & Misc. section of the gallery. I apologize for the quality but not having a decent digi-camera makes these things a bit of a challenge.

I managed a halfway decent photo of the set using my poor little dot-three Meg. pixel web-cam, and it's at:

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http://antiqueradios.com/gallery/view_photo.php?set_albumName=Orphan&id=ElectoneFoto4

.................................................................

I ran the dial section through my scanner and the dial is pictured at:

.................................................................
http://antiqueradios.com/gallery/view_photo.php?set_albumName=Orphan&id=ElectoneDial1

.................................................................

A scan of the Logo is at:

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http://antiqueradios.com/gallery/view_photo.php?set_albumName=Orphan&id=ElectoneLogo2

.................................................................

I am sending some additional scans and photos to you direct e-mail. Hope they are a help.

I may be wrong but I seem to remember that the dial bulb in this thing is a 110 volt device, much like the lights used on your wife's sewing machine. It's been ten years or more since I refurbished my set and aging synaptic activity is not what it once was.

I think these are neat looking, and you don't seem to see them all that often.

Dale

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Another belly-up Armadillo, on the hiway of life.

[decotronix]

Thanx for all the photos Dale, they are perfect on my end. The logo is very clear and your set is even nicer than mine by far as yours is near mint like you said.

Also there is a difference in the dials on our two sets as mine does not have the vertical bars in it and the dial graduations are different. I will post a photo of it here tomorrow night.

Mine is also a five tuber not a four. unless you don't count the rectifer as some do.

I had a funny feeling about that bulb being 110V so I will try it again with a proper bulb and see what fires up. Thanx for the advice and neat photos.

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DecotronixDan http://www.decotronix.techweenies.com/

[Dale Davenport]

Dan,

The tube line-up on my set is:
50L6
12SK7
12SA7
12SQ7

The rectifier in my set is a selenium unit but the chassis is punched for a fifth, a rectifier tube. I would assume then that there were at least two production series of these sets. The difference in dial scale graphics and layout would also indicate this perhaps.

Some slight concession to safety was made in these sets by virtue of the chassis being mounted on rubber spacers to insulate it from the metal cabinet.

You mentioned in your original post that the metal cabinet might be held together with glue...... on mine the top and bottom parts are spot-welded together; the welding just barely visable under the paint when held at a optimum angle against the light.

Perhaps the most difficult part of refurbishment of my set was trying to figure out how to get the back off the bloomin thing. With no instructions and no external indication, it took a bit of experimenting to find the best method of removing the back for service.

Dale

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Another belly-up Armadillo, on the hiway of life.

ADD: These use a "hank" antenna, much like those used on mid 30's "curtain burner" sets. The antenna hank has been missing on some of the few of these I've seen for sale.

[decotronix]

Dale wrote:Some slight concession to safety was made in these sets by virtue of the chassis being mounted on rubber spacers to insulate it from the metal cabinet.

Yours has rubber spacers?! Lucky dog

Quote:Perhaps the most difficult part of refurbishment of my set was trying to figure out how to get the back off the bloomin thing. With no instructions and no external indication, it took a bit of experimenting to find the best method of removing the back for service.

You're tellin' me! I fought with mine for a while before I realized the push/pull/squeeze/pull/push sequence (or was that pull/squeeze/push/cuss/cuss/cuss/pull/squeeze push?, I can't remember now) All I know is it was a treat, I was ready to call out Indiana Jones to crack that one.

Quote:The rectifier in my set is a selenium unit but the chassis is punched for a fifth, a rectifier tube. I would assume then that there were at least two production series of these sets. The difference in dial scale graphics and layout would also indicate this perhaps.

I would agree as those seleniums are a danger just by themselves so it must be a production run change to lower cost or what have you. The dial on mine looks like this:

As you can see it is different, even having different dial graduations including a weird one at 630 on the dial instead of 600. Still it is an unusual radio with very little history found on it other than what has been stated here.

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DecotronixDan
http://www.decotronix.techweenies.com/

[decotronix]

IT"S ALIIIIIVE! Got this puppy playing about an hour ago and man does it pick up stations! Hotter than any other set I have seen of late and has half the parts of most other sets. See my post in the Clubhouse forum about the Whether Radio station for further interesting discoveries with this set. Shoot, at this rate I might just pick up the Shuttle communications, lol.

P.S. I found out it took a C7 lamp for a dial light (thanx Dale!) and the reason it didn't play before was that I never let it warm up after seeing the sparks from the 47 lamp blowing to kingdom come. The hour I spent troubleshooting and not finding a problem is due to the fact I had it fixed already and didn't know it. Got skitish worrying about letting all of the smoke out of the wires I guess

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DecotronixDan http://www.decotronix.techweenies.com/

[Dale Davenport]

Good going Dan,

I spent some time staring at your picture of the critter's dial scale and it finally hit me that the layout is geometric, done probably with little original aim of making the scaling agree with conventional band divisions or reference points.

The 360 deg. of dial is broken into sixteen equal sections with only 180 degrees actually needed for the scale. The top eight sections are sub-divided into 9 degree increments (five per each 45 deg. section).

The end result is that they divided the BC band into 20 divisions spaced equally over 180 deg. of dial travel. When it came to figuring out what the lines represented they / it came up with some really odd dial points for reference.

Sounds as if you have a really nice addition to your collection once the cosmetics are finished.

Dale

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Another belly-up Armadillo, on the hiway of life.

[Curt Reed]

Maybe they forgot about using SLF (Straight Line Frequency) shaped variable capacitor plates.
Curt

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Curt, N7AH
(Connoisseur of the cold 807)
QCWA# 25085 AMI# 242
CW forever

[decotronix]

You brought up my next question about this set Dale, Refinishing the cabinet or not. What would you do as this has a really UGLY paint scheme now and although original it seems to me to take away from the Deco influenced lines of the cabinet.

I installed a red dial lamp which makes the dial glow a cool red and was thinking of doing the cabinet in a black lacquer after stripping the old finish off but was concerned about the seams that are filled in underneath the set and then thought about a nice hammertone finish but those can be tricky to get "just right" but could look cool if done in a coppertone color or even a gunmetal blue. I would love to see this puppy chromed but the cost might be prohibitive. Ideas out there?

BTW, the knobs are going to be red as I have a red pointer knob for the dial and a nice red/chrome on off knob. Maybe a pure white cabinet with red trim on the banding?

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DecotronixDan
http://www.decotronix.techweenies.com/

[Dale Davenport]

Repainting with a color other than original is a tough call, for me anyhow. I like some of the sets I've seen with non-factory colors and paints, but for me, I have to go with what was original as far as it's possible and practical.

I remember (I think) seeing these in the off white/creme like your set, the dark brown like mine, and in a black. Best I remember all three colors were in a pebbled or textured finish. My set (and the cream as well) seem to be a sort of flat base coat with a spattering of another color(s) oversprayed, or maybe the paint was a true "speckled" paint. I dooubt it though, given the 1947 production.

There's a black and white picture, apparently of your set's color, in the Sam's 12-34 set; however, it has the same dial scale as my example. The set pictured in Sam's has the same knobs as my set so apparently they are the correct ones. This "generic" style knob shows up on a number of late "40's" sets so finding replacements shouldn't be too difficult if you choose to go back to original.

I have used a pebbled or textured modern paint available in spray cans that is black and produces a rather small or moderately pebbled surface. I don't remember the brand but think it came from Lowe's.

The speckled paint schemes wouldn't be too difficult to replicate I think but some experimentation to develop technique might be in order.

As to filling the seams and the like. My set doesn't appear to have any filler at all. These were obviously inexpensive sets and the paint was just shot over the bare metal.

The set I have is equipped with a vernier reduction that turns the red plastic plate behind the dial scale for tuning indication. Do I understand that your set does'nt have this, possibly indicating the use of a "pointer" style knob? More and more it seems your example of this set is an early one, preceeding the one I have and the one pictured in Sam's. (Sam's also shows it to be four tubes with a selenium.)

However you choose to do the set, how about some "finished" pictures of it when it's ready for it's formal coming-out?

Dale

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Another belly-up Armadillo, on the hiway of life.

[decotronix]

Yes Dale, my set does not have any form of vernier reduction on the tuning and the knob directly turns the cap shaft so the tuning is kind of coarse but with a light touch I can tune it pretty well. I took the red circle off of the shaft to repaint it since it was kind of goobered up with touch up paint and it will need redone.

I am using a pointer style knob for the tuning shaft just for the looks of it and since it matches the red on/off knob I found so it will fit the theme I use for the paint. I'm thinking along the lines of a gloss black lacquer to pop the cabinet against the red knobs and dial lamp but not sure of the contrasting color to use for the bands on the cabinet yet.

Also I'm debating grinding the dial lens retaining lip down a bit inside the cabinet to keep it from showing up behind the dial lens when you look at the front of the set. That dial was so tightly bound up in the frame I thought I would break it trying to get it loose as if the metal had shrunken around the edges of the lens. If I grind it down some it won't hurt it and shouldn't affect the mounting of the lens. I will post photos of the end results eventually. Thanx for the ideas.

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DecotronixDan http://www.decotronix.techweenies.com/

[decotronix]

Well, I stripped the cabinet tonight after work and it cleaned up nicely. The seams are all leaded in just like a quality automotive body shop would have done it! The design of this set had been bugging me since I first saw it becasue I couldn't think of what it reminded me of and after I stripped it down to the baremetal it hit me...it looks like a diner!

The urge to chrome this set is getting really strong now and I'm going to check out some sources in the area to find out just how much it would run to "git 'er done". It might just be worth the effort and cost since this is such an unusual set.

I still have to strip the back cover but I want to see about getting the inner label off the back before I do so I can preserve it. that may not bee so easy to do but I'm going to try spraying it with watered down Goo Gone and see if that will let me peel it up with out ripping it into shreds. The paper is only 50+ years old and is very fragile but it is intact, at least for now. I'll be posting pics when I can.

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DecotronixDan
http://www.decotronix.techweenies.com/

[Dale Davenport]

Just a thought Dan, but there MIGHT be problems with chrome plating over leading. It's possible that with care and patience you could replace the lead with brazing and then resurface the cabinet so it would accept the chrome...just thoughts but I may be way off on my concern here.

The label inside the back cover of my set is pretty fragile as well, but the cover is shallow, maybe 3/4", and I may be able to scan it and come up with a good enough copy to be reproduced. My HP 4200C ScanJet has pretty good depth of field and I've had some success doing this. I'll give it a go if you wish.

Dale

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Diagonally Parked, In a Parallel Universe

[decotronix]

Thanx for the tip on the lead/chrome deal Dale. I'm going to take the set to work tomorrow and ask my boss's son who does all our stainless fab welding and see what he thinks of the effort to do it.

I'm still leaning in favor of the black lacquer repaint or maybe a hammertone black finish. I think I should be able to get the label out of the back no problem as those backs are shallow like you said and the label is already kinda loose. If I can't get it out I'll let you know. Thanx for the offer of the scan. I'll get back to you on it. I'm almost too eager to finish this set up and be able to display and listen to it .

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DecotronixDan
http://www.decotronix.techweenies.com/

[decotronix]

Update on the cabinet is that the filler in the seams is lead and the cost to chrome is prohibitive so I went looking for a suitable paint the past couple days and found lots of nice charcoal and metallic colors in Dupli-Color automotive paint including some disc brake paints that looked really neat but I'm not sure of the final finish quality.

I went out to one store that has a large automotive department and saw so many colors of Dupli-Color I got a headache looking at them all. I did see a neat color called Iris that looks like a metallic color with a hint of a pearlescent base to it that seemed nice.

I want to try to keep the "metal" theme if I can and also saw a nice pearl champagne color that looked cool. These colors are all from the newer Chrysler cars and the spray cans are small enough to make it easy to get some touch up paint later on if ever needed not to mention that being a lacquer they can be rubbed out and buffed after multiple coat applications.

I saw a new paint system by Dupli-Color for a candy metallic color with a special base coat and special primer. The whole kit would run under $20 and the only problem was they only had one metallic color but it was a cool metalflake silver. I'm still debating, I might buy a couple cans of different colors and try them out to see what they would look like in "person" rather than rely on the plastic can caps as those aren't always accurate. In any event I want this to be a one off standout set as it is such a unique radio and it will be a keeper for sure.

BTW, if you want a good laugh, go out to your local auto/home improvement/farm supply stores and ask for a can of hammertone paint. The looks you will get are priceless . "Why would you want to paint a hammer?"

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DecotronixDan http://www.decotronix.techweenies.com/

[decotronix]

Well, aside from needing the decal for the logo the Electone is refinished, recapped, reassembled and receiving stations like a magnet. This has to be one of my favorite sets just because of its simplicity in design and its unique look.

I decided to use DupliColor Light Champagne Metallic lacquer and DupliColor Clear Lacquer for the finish since it was a metal set and wanted to keep the "metal" look to it. It came out beautiful and I installed a shiny metallic grill cloth to set it off as well as using a red dial lamp to make the dial really stand out in the dark.

Since I have it sitting on a metal display shelf I hooked the antenna lead to the shelf and BAM! stations everywhere. For safety sake I completely recapped the set (wow, a whole six caps, I'm exhausted )and new rubber grommets to isolate the chassis from the cabinet. The results are shown here:

Whaddaya think now? BTW Thanx to Dale for all his helpful advice, hints and photos. This is why the Forum rocks!

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DecotronixDan http://www.decotronix.techweenies.com/