1941 STROMBERG CARLSON model 542 restoration and repair PART 1

This lovely old Stromberg Carlson console radio has been in its owner's family since new. It is a true survivor - the cabinet retains its original finish and light patina - and it even worked when I applied restricted power, as these old valve / tube radios often do.
It does have the usual issues though, and I will attempt to put it back into reliable working order.

[electronicsoldandnew]

Great job Don. A nice long video on this topic was exactly what I needed to make my day. Restoration videos are becoming more and more scarce.

[genestatler]

I love old tube type radios and this Stromberg Carlson is one of the best. I'm so glad that you're restoring it I sure am looking forward to the next episode. Gene from Tennessee.

[DavidTipton]

Haha.... well played Don, I'm still smiling 😄 I'm traveling around and completely missed this video. All week I've been getting obscure references to tea bags in the comments and couldn't work out why when there was no speaker repair in the video. All the same your speaker look pretty impressive when you had finished it. The tubes of Liquid Electrical tape seem to be clear with blobs of black. Great job on the radio so far and finding the bad solder was clever, hard to find something like that.
Looking forward to part 2 Don, Cheers and take care 👍🙂

[ottodydaktyk]

Thanks again, Don. I'm looking forward to the next installment in this series! Cheers!

[domtrimboli]

Great work Don, I think this one is going to turn out real nice once completed looking forward to part 2.
Cheers Dom

[UTuber]

Love the dial glass on this one Don.
Looks like it will be a nice radio when it's done. Should sound great too once back in the cabinet

[johnpettiford]

A very good job Don - look forward to seeing you do the next part.

[radio-ged]

Great job on the speaker. Tip top tips with the Tipton's teabags. 😂

[klumpy]

Interesting use of teabags 👍 I sometimes layered toilet paper with nitro as it seemed to mimic the original materials quite well and retained some flexibility.

[jimburns]

Great job on that speaker cone. Those fine coil wires can be a problem.

[Roundymooney]

I have to say I was expecting a bigger chassis inside that beautiful and upscale cabinet. I'm sure it'll sing though-best of luck with it Don.

[coltronex]

Another superb repair/refurb Don, I really enjoy your video productions!

[maryrafuse]

I'm so happy to have found your site. That is a beautiful radio and I can only assume it has been well cared for over the years. All the best from your commonwealth cousins in Canada.

[zxztv]

You are doing well Don, i like your methods of fixing the dodgy mechanisms :-D.
Sanding a tube in a pillar drill was ideal.
Ok ideal would be a tube that was spot on without any work, but that would be no fun lol.
I did detect that you wanted something to eat, sausages may have been your desire.
Dam i want a sausage sandwich now :-D.

Teabags to repair speakers, that must be a crime 😀
You are not the only man to solder to imperfect wire, mistakes are a good reason to swear lol.
Keep up the good work Don :-D.

[tubeDude]

Also see: Jim Burns - He REALLY tares a radio down!

[kfl]

I wont one. I love that dial and the shape of the cabinet looks so nice and fancy ! For as grand as the set looks it has a rather low tube count.

[leif.Jakobsson]

Thanks Dave, oohhh, Don of course! Good work on a very nice radio and your editing is very good ands sits very vell this the morning coffe, we don't have Tipton in Sweden...

[iantyler]

Nice repair of that speaker. Might be worth replacing the voice coil dust cap. I have an identical speaker in an STC radio of similar vintage to yours and the dust cap was missing which allowed dust to get into the voice coil gap causing scraping. I blew it out with compressed air and glued a new dust cap into place. Problem solved. (Tipton tea bags eh ;-)

[birdy]

Nice Video, I'am wondering where to buy tiptons speaker repair kit ;-)

[Simon-mzsf]

Nice work as always. Tell me, did that Tipton tea leave you with an insatiable appetite to re-stuff capacitors? Lol