Emerson Ingraham Restoration Project

[jonboy55]

Here is an Emerson Ingraham cabinet project I'm finally getting to work on.

The cabinet needs to be glued back together. The top is off and a little warped. I need to figure out how to straighten it out. The top is multilayered like plywood. There is an Ingraham plaque on the bottom.

The chassis is marked as CJ217. It is different from the Riders schematic. The rectifier in the chassis is a 35Z5 instead of a 35Z4 and the output is a 50L6 instead of a 35L6. I know the correct tubes are in the chassis because the tube sockets are marked. Riders has a schematic marked CJ221 that is the correct schematic. I just think this chassis is just a later model with tube changes.

The book Machine Age to Jet Age (Vol. 1) identifies the radio as a "217" that came in 2 different wood styles.

Has anyone seen a chassis like this?

[Reece]

I think I'd take a damp cloth and wipe off the top of the cabinet. Then put a damp terrycloth towel doubled on top of the warped veneer and press with a hot clothes iron to steam the veneer down. Keep lifting and looking, ironing from the center out towards the edges. The glue should remelt and hold the veneer down. If it doesn't hold everywhere you can inject carpenter's glue into the loose areas and iron some more. A good way to inject glue is an animal hypodermic and large gauge needle, available at farm and ranch stores. Rinse everything out and squirt lots of water through the needle every use! The top will go back on the rest of the case by clamping and glueing: not clear from the photos how it is loose.

You note that the 50L6 is standard for this set. Just as an aside, the 50L6 can almost always be subbed for a 35L6 with a result that all the tubes will run at less heater voltage, run cooler, last longer.

Reece

[toxcrusadr]

Love those Ingrahams. I have several, some needing restoration, but the prize is a great original AU217 "letterbox" one. The wife found it on the top shelf of an antique store, I almost walked right out the door and missed it. It's on the short list of true keepers.