630TS for $150 in Baltimore

[miniman82]

no affil


Good price right?

http://baltimore.craigslist.org/atq/2424595964.html

[bandersen]

I think so - it looks to be in good shape.

[vts1134]

I've been talking to this guy for a couple of days. I'm hoping to secure a way to get it to me. I might even take the long drive to him on Saturday if I can.

[Phil Nelson]

Yes, a fair price. Nice cabinet and grille cloth, in good condition and complete as far as the pictures show.

Even if you're driving it home (rather than shipping), I'd remove the top and check whether the CRT is secure. It is held from the front with flimsy supports that won't stand much bouncing. If it's loose, you want to either tighten things up or remove the CRT for transport. These were originally shipped from the factory with the CRT in a separate carton, and then assembled by the dealer.

My 630TS article shows how to remove the CRT, if you're so inclined. It also has the factory installation & assembly manual with more details of how the TV goes together.

Phil Nelson
http://antiqueradio.org/index.html

[JCFitz]

Originally Posted by vts1134

I've been talking to this guy for a couple of days. I'm hoping to secure a way to get it to me. I might even take the long drive to him on Saturday if I can.

That is a fair price and real close to me. But I'm in the middle of a house purchase and can't grab any toys for a while.

So have at it and good luck.Plus you saw it first...

[vts1134]

Wilikers that was a long drive. "Ethel" is safe and sound now. More on the name and pics to follow.

[ggregg]

Nice score. I have an 8TS30, her younger sister (or brother).

[JCFitz]

I'm just a little jealous because most of the time they're so gosh darn pricey and this one was a steal but I'm glad you got it.Especially since I'm not in the position to buy anything now. Even my favorite thing to hunt for (45 rpm records) is on hiatus until I'm actually in my new home.Another tv saved by a member here.Sounds like the drive I took to get my Zenith Porthole. I went up to Bethlehem, PA. 4 hrs each way. Baltimore is only a 2 hour drive each way for me.

[bgadow]

I have a friend in his 70s who grew up in Baltimore. His wife is from Pittsburgh-he said back when they were dating he would make that drive every weekend, on the old highways and probably in a Chevy with a stovebolt 6.

Great catch!

[vts1134]

Lucy and Ethel home together.

[wa2ise]

Nice kitty, and nice set. Hope you can get the TV restored.

[ChrisW6ATV]

Nice set, and it is the earlier version with the single brass clip above the screen center.

[vts1134]

I am about 98% finished with the restoration of this 630TS. After relying so heavily on other members here to basically walk me through a restoration I wanted to go after this one on my own as much as I could.
The original finish on the set was crazed and worn in a few areas so as I do with most of my sets I hauled it off to my restorer for some work. He would rather restore an original finish on a piece than strip and refinish and that fits exactly with my feelings also. I don't know how he does it, but he works magic. He sometimes refers to it as "re-amalgamation", I refer to it as voodoo. I never thought this set would look this good with its original finish.

[vts1134]

The chassis was in worse shape than the cabinet. It had bits of surface rust here and there, but was overall complete. There were several challenges in the restoration including a broken tube socket, a terminal strip that had been tacked onto so many times that I had to remove all connections from it start over, a broken wire in the ion trap , and the list could go on for a while. Some of the challenges were solved by others here and I'm grateful as always for the help that this community seems to give every time. Some of the problems I just banged my head against the wall until I came up with a solution. I'm pretty happy with the outcome.



Here's a short video, although youtube doesn't do the picture or sound quality justice. The flash at the end was my de-humidifier kicking on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFVbhBjDtwM

I wanted to keep the chassis looking as original as I could and I think I've finally got a handle on a few techniques that keep me on that path, including reusing the original wax from the paper capacitors to rebuild them.

[vts1134]

I cannot call the set done just yet, there's still the 2%. One of my remaining issues are a bit of work to the tuner. The small ball bearing is missing from the shaft which means the tuner no longer "clicks" between channels, a common problem. The other issue is the power resistors in the back left of the set, the ones that are ALWAYS open, and of course they were open on mine. I have new resistors tacked on for now, but I can't consider it finished until I find originals. If any one has one or both of these parts that they will sell, please let me know. I figure I will finish the repair on the tuner when I find the resistors.

Here's a link to the photo album if any one is interested in a few more pictures http://s1075.photobucket.com/user/vt...ry/RCA%20630TS