GE 12C105 find - Videokarma.org TV - Video

mbates14 · #1 08-31-2005, 12:00 PM

This was a creekbed find. Tube is intact, no rust on the chassis, but the cabnet is destroyed. Beyond repairability.

So, i am just gonna fix the chassis, and find a cabnet later.

Anyone have the sams? it has a 12kp4 tube, and my working emerson has a 16kp4, so im gonna sub the tube and see if the tube is any good.

mbates14 · #2 08-31-2005, 01:37 PM

I tested the 12kp4, and it didnt want to work at first. I put it on my emerson, and it would show nothing. I turned it off, and i would see a white spot on the center, so it had some emission.

So, I decided to let it run for a bit, about a couple of minutes later, up popped a bright picture! VERY bright, about blinded me.

This thing is brighter and sharper tube than all my 3 TVs combined.

So, the tube is good, This one doesnt use an ion trap. it also gives off a bluer picture than the 16kp4, so it must be aluminized.

Anyway, im going to go forth into the restoration of the chassis, Does anyone have the sams they could run off for me?

it needs a cabnet, I'll eventually find one, or make a new one. The old one is wasted, i still god it, but its wasted. rotted, cracked, missing boards, veneer missing, no stain left, nothing. Wasted. totaled.

Not bad for a creekbed find. Good tube!

it was found today in a dried creek, but no tellin how long its been in there, prolly ages considering the cabnet damage, There is no side on the one area of the cabnet, it rotted away to nothing.

Sandy G · #3 08-31-2005, 06:25 PM

You were smart to save the cabinet-you can use it as a pattern to make a new one. Never heard of a creekbed find-that has to be some kind of first...<grin>-Sandy G.

mbates14 · #4 08-31-2005, 08:04 PM

where im at, I was strolling the dog in miliken woods, and run across it.

anyway, Yes i saved the cabnet, No, i dont know how to work with cabnets. Too messy of a job.

dont know the first thing in carpentry. I can put a nail in a board, but there no guarentee it will be straight!

The only thing I can do is maybe put some particle plywood on it, and then get simulated wood paper, but aside from that, I cant do much else. (not a wood worker). Much less have any equipment to work with one. No saws, no nothing. All I got is stain, thats about it.

Sandy G · #5 08-31-2005, 09:02 PM

If there is a woodworking/shop class at yr local high school you could make enquiries there if there was a local artisan who would be willing to take on the task. Put an ad in the local paper;maybe put an ad up at the local supermarket's free notices board. Certainly there's someone locally who could help you, especially since you have (most) of the old one to use as a pattern.-Sandy G.

mbates14 · #6 08-31-2005, 10:42 PM

if someone can post a picture (color) of what its supposed to look like, i may be able to go from there. Because, this thing looks no where near what its supposed to.

anyway, ill get to the cabnet later, first i need to get the chassis working.

Anyone got sams theyd care to share?

***Eric H*** · #7 09-01-2005, 12:29 AM

How cool is that that the tube is good after sitting in a creekbed for who knows how long!!

The price guide I have says a 12C105 is a console model but it doesn't have a pic.

***Eric H*** · #8 09-01-2005, 12:34 AM

Got this from the TV History site, not too clear but it gives you an idea what it should look like.

There are some tabletop models that seem to use the same chassis, perhaps you can find a cabinet from one of those more easily.

http://www.tvhistory.tv/1946-49-GE.htm

mbates14 · #9 09-01-2005, 09:24 AM

thats it, I got the front alright, but the sides and top, including the corners, and bottom are rotted away.

David Roper · #10 09-01-2005, 09:47 AM

Cute li'l thing, isn't it? I hope you decide to go for a complete restoration including the cabinet. That would make for a very dramatic before-and-after rescue story. Speaking of which...

mbates14 · #11 09-01-2005, 10:34 AM

yea well, its kinda hard to get pics when the digital camera was stolen.

maxm · #12 09-02-2005, 10:23 AM

I don't know if Home Depot or Lowes has this, but at Menards, in a seperate inside section from the outdoor lumber yard they have a "good wood" sectoin where you can buy small 2x2, 2x4, or 4x4 pieces of plywood in different thicknesses with different types of veneer that is presanded on one side, so you would only have to cut it and sain it. I know that at the Mernards I go to you can get oak, maple, and sanded pine, something like that you might be able to sain to match the set, or you could have a two-tone cabinet for that 50s look.

This "good" plywood will cost more than regular pine builders plywood, but will look a lot better in the end.

Applying Veneer takes some practice, and you would probably have to go to a specialty wood store to find something to match your set.

Good luck with the set!

..Is there any chance you could get a cheap 35mm camera to document the cabinet? It would be really nice to get before and after shots.

mbates14 · #13 09-02-2005, 11:18 AM

I could prolly use my video camcorder (analog, no digital out). the I would have to find the drivers to my capture card to document it.

But however, I already started work on the cabnet, so i never got a before shot. I still have a garbage can full of the old wood I tore off.

BTW, i tore the cabinet all to peices, except for the front, which I already sanded and restained. need the clearcoat protective laquer.

mbates14 · #14 09-02-2005, 11:23 AM

all in honestly, ANY wood would look better then what it does now. wow, its destroyed. Its that pressboard wood, because the layers came apart!!

picture it like this: all the safty glass brass was corroded. The cabnet had no stain left on it, and picture a wooden cabnet sitting in a puddle of water for years, how it looks black and wavy in areas, with all the layers of pressboard seperating, and the hind support legs and the 1 by 1s black and rotted away. and then no side on the left. rotted side on the right. no finish, and lots of termite damage in the surrounding specialty trim. Thats what it "looked" like.

all i got is a lowes and home depot around here. So, if it wont stain right, then ill go with the simulated finish paper.

mbates14 · #15 09-04-2005, 02:50 PM

I got the cabinet done!!

I used specialty wood they had at home depot for 3.99 for a 2x4ft.

Got 3 of those, and a 10 foot 1by2 to redo the frame.

The front was alright, but the rest was trashed. When I made it, stained it, and put it all together, i still have a few kinks to work out, but aside from that, it looks like it was brand new again! I neeed to get pics.

I made it with a slight lean to it, it leans back a little bit. Makes it look better.

This type of wood had a veneere like layer to it, but it didnt stain right, so I did a 3-layer stain, and it made it look a little dark, but the color matched the front. I also got some polyeurathane, and coated it with that nice shine. I had to wood putty the termite damage, and even after sanding that, it still looks a little ragged, but oh well. It looks sharp. Were is the amish when you need em.