Restoring a Zenith 11S474

[Jailtime]

I picked up this old Zenith 11S474 a couple days ago. It needs some TLC, see the picture of the top finish. I'd like to keep as much of the original finish as possible, the top is the only surface that is damaged like this. The wood is OK, the finish just peeled away. What product should I use?

Where can I source grille cloth? Are there reproductions of those little push buttons available? Looking at pictures of other 11S474 consoles, it seems like mine is missing the Wavemagnet. What say you experts?

I've also read that the 6X5 rectifiers are problematic in these. Any of you try a solid state rectifier mod?

Guidance on the resto is much appreciated, I don't know much about antique radios.

[marty59]

I'll address the 6X5 question...the horror stories are true about 6X5's that like to short out and take out (mostly) Zenith transformers. These tubes are indirectly heated types with cathode material that goes bad and causes the problems. I'd recommend against the solid state route as the newer, non ST style tubes are better and cheaply available. I have a couple early models and as much as I like to have the original shoulder type tubes in them I will use the newer GT type rectifiers. The one's with the X-shaped plates (like a miniture 6X4) are the best, and sometimes can be found in a WGT/JAN version.

Those original Zenith branded 6X5G's were not the best made tubes, take a good look at some and you'll see the flimsy construction.

With todays line voltages being higher and better quality electrolytic capacitors than the originals, you may experience higher B+ voltages as it is besides if you went the solid state diode route....

[leadlike]

yep, your wavemagnet has been removed, and a loop antenna from a table set tacked in instead. The wavemagnet is one of the factors that makes these such nice sets (at least to me) since you get awesome reception without hooking on to an outdoor antenna. Someone also hacked out the old speaker, and put in a pm one instead. Find out how they bypassed/replaced the choke that was part of the original speaker.

I think this was Zenith's only 11 tube model, since they folded two tubes into a dual function tube for the subsequent 10 tube sets. I restored one of these for someone, and it was an excellent set, not too much rubber wiring to deal with, either.

[vintagecollect]

try to find a replacement wavemagnet. from what I remember, magnet swiveled to adjust for direction adjustment for AM reception. NICE set, hopefully a donor or parts can be found

[Jailtime]

Got a wavemagnet and field coil speaker from Ebay. They're not original to the 11S474, but very close.