RCA 721TS from ETF Convention - Videokarma.org TV - Video

Steve K · #1 05-12-2006, 04:45 PM

I purchased this 721 while at the ETF convention a few weeks ago. It was sitting on the floor and in pieces. The entire cabinet was painted gold and the chassis was pretty dirty. It was complete however except for the knobs. The seller said that he did get a picture on it. After Steve McVoy graciously said that I could leave it there for a while and Larry would ship it to me I decided to by it. John Folsom took one look at it and I think that he thought I was nuts!

I received the set this past Monday and it looked as bad here as it did in Ohio. The CRT tested strong so I cleaned up the chassis and recapped it. It now produces a very nice picture. I figured that I would have to strip the cabinet but after a little experimenting I found a way to remove the paint and save the original finish underneath. After a little polishing it came out nice and I was able to save all the original decals. Now where do I put it?!

Steve D. · #2 05-12-2006, 05:34 PM

Steve,

Outstanding restoration. Looks like you turned a basket case into a real collectible. I'll bet some AK'er can provide the channel selector knob.

Steve D.

yagosaga · #3 05-13-2006, 12:31 AM

Hi Steve,

I am deeply impressed about your skills to restaurate historic tv sets. It looks really nice. If it is possible, please report some further photos and details.

Eckhard

Telecolor 3007 · #4 05-13-2006, 03:15 AM

How old is that set?

***Eric H*** · #5 05-13-2006, 03:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telecolor 3007

How old is that set?

1947

wiseguy · #6 05-13-2006, 10:39 AM

if the knob you need is the same as the 8ts30 then i have a few you can have.. the channel select has that brass pointer.. just let me know

Steve K · #7 05-13-2006, 10:48 AM

Hi Terry:

Thanks so much for the offer but I think this set has a different channel knob than the 8TS30. This one does not have a pointer but rather a plastic surround with a cut-out through which the channel number can be seen.

Thank you anyway,
Steve

Phil Nelson · #8 05-13-2006, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve K

I figured that I would have to strip the cabinet but after a little experimenting I found a way to remove the paint and save the original finish underneath.

Beautiful job. So let us in on the secret. How did you remove the paint without harming the original finish?

I have removed some latex paints by soaking in paint thinner and rubbing, but only splashes and paint specks, not when the entire object was painted. And I doubt that would work with a tougher paint.

John Folsom · #9 05-13-2006, 11:50 AM

Steve, that really turned out nice! How DID you get the gold paint off? BTW, I did not say you were carzy, but rather that you should offer him less the he was asking for the set!

Steve K · #10 05-13-2006, 04:09 PM

John:

You didn'e SAY I was crazy, you just looked at me like I was

!

Phil:

I got lucky two ways with that set. First the original finish was still good and secondly, the paint was just spray paint so it was probably thinner than if it would have been brushed on. Some of the paint I scaped off with a dull putty knife and the rest I removed with a can of "deglosser" that I got from Ace Hardware years ago. It disolved the paint and did not hurt the finish although I did wipe the stuff off pretty fast. Afterwards I put on that orange citrus wax with fine steelwool and polished it.

Steve

Dave S · #11 05-13-2006, 08:37 PM

Steve,

I looked at that set and didn't even want to bargain with the seller. It looked worse than my 721 "parts" set, and now it looks far better than my good one! And you got it completely recapped and working in only, what, a few days after receiving it? You're really making me feel self-conscious about MY project progress (or lack thereof)

Congratulations on seeing beneath the skin deep lack of beauty and on a great restoration.

--Dave

Steve K · #12 05-14-2006, 11:53 PM

Thanks Dave! Usually I do not get a set restored that fast but this past week was finals week at school so I did not have my regular teaching schedule. With the time that I should have used grading exams I worked on this set instead!

Steve

#13 05-15-2006, 09:30 AM

Nice work you do Steve. It was enjoyable talking to you at the convention.
Dave Johnson

Tubejunke · #14 05-24-2006, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiseguy

if the knob you need is the same as the 8ts30 then i have a few you can have.. the channel select has that brass pointer.. just let me know

Anyone who has been here a while may think this is de ja vous but I STILL need knobs for my 8T-243. I think a lot of different models and several years of these RCA sets used a lot of the same knobs. I have mentioned this for two years off and on and still have had no one produce any. I mainly need the fine tuner and I believe what is a channel sleeve which of course marks the channel being pointed to by the bakelite and brass pointer which I already have. I also have a couple of others.

I can get a similar set only a floor model with doors for $50 at a local flea market but I have limited space and am trying (its so hard to resist) not to clutter up my place any more than it already is with floor model sets. The set I mentioned is 100% complete with only a rough finish on top. The rest is primo. Looks ready to plug in and watch. I guess $50 is a fair price. Maybe cheap. Who knows? For now I would like to complete my existing RCA with some knobs. I will buy, or trade if anyone has seen my list of N.O.S. Flybacks and Yokes that I posted. I also have vintage N.O.S.Tubes. If you are ever in my area and I'll sell you a console 50's set or two cheap. If I make space I can buy new projects. One is a 58 Zenith Space Command (remote control). I recapped the blasted thing and ended up with the same set I started with. NON WORKING!!
Little or no vertical sweep and a hum for sound. Yes I know it sounds like a badly shorted cap or two but I tried all that and a bunch of resistors. Not a change from the way I brought it home. The weird thing is the set looked almost unused with little dust on a pristine chassis containing all original Zenith tubes. I wondered if the thing didnt have some uncommon problem when new and has been in storage somewhere for all these years.

Geez! I didnt mean to write a novel! Sorry for rambling.. If I said anything interesting drop me a line.

Tim · #15 05-25-2006, 03:13 AM

Fantastic job Steve. Sometimes those sets that look the worse turn out the best because the original finish was protected.

I can supply the inner fine tuning knob but not the outer channel selector. Let me know if you are interested.

Tubejunke:
I think I can help with your 8T-243 knobs as well. Let me know if you still need them.