[AMRadio] Seeking advice for 1st time restoration -- Viking II

[Geoff Edmonson]

On 07/17/2011 04:18 PM, J. Mark Bolton wrote:
>
> So, here's where I am at present.
>
> 1.	I've resisted the urge to plug the rig in - even though I have a
> Variac - I've read enough to believe trying to heat it up would likely
> result is an exploded capacitor then I'd have a real mess to clean up.

That's a good move.

> 2.	I have an original manual

Required.

> 3.	I've made a shopping list of all of the paper/electrolytic
> capacitors

I'd replace those first, before you did anything else.  secondly, I'd 
obtain and install a pair of 6146's. ;-)

> 4.	I've made no efforts yet to clean the chassis or to lubricate the
> shafts of the various controls. Some are a little stiff.  One concern is the
> 160 meter In/Out control that uses dial cord to operate a ceramic wafer
> switch. I'm afraid it would not take much to break that cord and don't want
> to add restringing the dial cord to my list of "must do" items.

Once you get some DeOxit on the shafts and things move a little more 
freely, you shouldn't have the issues of a tight cord anymore.

> I would appreciate any advice on changing out capacitors. I haven't ordered
> yet but I have found most of then at www.justradios.com

Unsolder one end, and then the other and replace ;-)
Sorry.. sure, it sounds simplistic, but in a radio that's over 60 years 
old, replacing the caps would be the first thing to do, if you want to 
restore it fully.

> Do I need to also change the little square mica capacitors?

The ones on top?  Typically, those are ganged to add/subtract 
coarse-capacitance to the tank circuit to raise or lower the plate 
current while you run the roller in/out to resonance on the 
band/frequency you wish to operate.

> Hopefully just the paper electrolytics.

The disc ceramics and electrolytic's would be most critical, if they're 
all original.

> Other than blowing out the dust with an air compressor I had intended to do the least amount of disassembly possible
> until I could recap the transmitter and then power it up.

Sounds reasonable.

> But assuming that is a success, what is the best advice of chassis cleaning.
> I don't want to do more harm than good. I was thinking of DeoXIT for the
> controls and tube sockets.

That, and some light lithium or 'white' grease on the gears and chains.  
Where the shaft runs through the wafer'ed band switches would be a good 
place for that, as well.  A small bottle-brush with DeOxit on it, 
followed by some isopropyl alcohol (for rinsing) would work well for the 
6146, 807, and rectifier sockets.  You'll need something smaller to get 
into the 6AU6 and OA2 sockets.

> So that's where I stand for now. Here are a few pictures, actually a LOT of
> pictures.
>
> http://photos.coastalec.com/Other/Viking-II-Restoration/18091728_d2pktp
>
>
> I'd sure appreciate all advice and assistance.
>

I think you're on the right track, Marc.  It's pretty common sense 
stuff, since you've already been around this old stuff. :-)

73 = Best Regards,
-Geoff/W5OMR