Do you think it can work again?

[iw5ci]

Found this trasmitter in a barn..

http://boatanchors-net.googlegroups.com/web/gelo-01.jpg?gda=aIwEhDwAAAAq4Jfr9NL35UoorHBy-WgBS3VXm2iaRj45l0cZHNW0qPMpETDmqWJY18Zr2eLtHUxUt9a2UDQdXia4AB2cE-EO

http://boatanchors-net.googlegroups.com/web/gelo-03.jpg?gda=-7jIUzwAAAAq4Jfr9NL35UoorHBy-WgBS3VXm2iaRj45l0cZHNW0qE4tbEHZzbbn1jdYYbG_y3BUt9a2UDQdXia4AB2cE-EO


is just what i was looking for my am tx project...

It appears to be a 40/80 meters tx for am..

After washing:

http://boatanchors-net.googlegroups.com/web/gelo-07.jpg?gda=VwhDsjwAAAAq4Jfr9NL35UoorHBy-WgBS3VXm2iaRj45l0cZHNW0qK4EcCPYu1yPtyOqm_yxF2hUt9a2UDQdXia4AB2cE-EO

http://boatanchors-net.googlegroups.com/web/gelo-08.jpg?gda=q8JaZTwAAAAq4Jfr9NL35UoorHBy-WgBS3VXm2iaRj45l0cZHNW0qHprI745kU5V5eQIGuWap3BUt9a2UDQdXia4AB2cE-EO

do you think i can fix it or i have to expect that is suitable only for spares?

where to start from for restoration?

I know ... it's a really mess.

[KC4VWU]

Looks very similar to a Harvey Wells Bandmaster layout. 807 modded by a pair of 6L6's. VFO controlled too! Go for it; doesn't look too far gone.

Phil

[KB5MD]

Sure you can....I restored one that dogs had been using in place of a fireplug.  That was one stinky project, but it finally came to life.  Go for it.

[KM1H]

Hey neat, an old Geloso, Italian built. They also had a Geloso USA product line. Geloso was an American with family and friends in Italy.

Carl

[WQ9E]

Definitely restore!  I really like the looks of Geloso gear. 

I had Dr. No (vintage James Bond) on the TV earlier today while doing some computer work and the transmitter featured near the start looks like in might have been a Geloso.

[w3jn]

Wow, amazing job of cleaning that up!  You probably will have some troubleshooting and capacitor replacement ahead of you, but there's no reason you can't get it going again, Andrea.

[KF5FWU]

I can't git over how good it cleaned up.
Good job on givin it a bath,, and i say fix er up.

[The Slab Bacon]

It cleaned up pretty good.

However I would have pulled the transformers out of it before soaking it down!!

I would start by pulling the transformers out and baking them real good to get the moisture out of them

I have the matching receiver (It is pretty good!) and Joe, N3IBX has both that transmitter and also the receiver.

If you have the time, it is definately worth fixing. Geloso made some high quality stuff!!

[KA0HCP]

Of course it's worth fixing up!  You must be one of the great Italian Archeologists, Andrea.  You started by removing the soil!



Bill

[Opcom]

Go for it! Like he said bake out the transformers.

[ke7trp]

rinse the rig out with distiled water from the Drug store.  This will ensure you wont get corrosion.  Then set the thing in the sun for 2 or 3 days.  If you live in a real humid climate you can use your oven set down to 150 or so.  It will bake the moisture right out.  You might need to get creative. I have used high watt lamps facing the rig for a few days or even a small space heater.  I have put rigs like this in the dishwasher before with no ill effects if you Dry it out. IN AZ its so damn hot with little humidity that you can set a rig like this outside for 2 days and its Dry as a bone.

1.  Obtain a schematic for the rig if you can.
2. Make a list of all the electrolytic caps in the rig and order them.
3. Test all the tubes.
4. Sit down and check all the resistors and make a chart. Replace the bad ones.
5. Order some De0xit and spray the controls out, Lube the air caps at the bushings.
6. Turn it on and load it up!

C

[KB2WIG]

FWIW,

150 Celsius is about 300 Fahrenheit .....

or

150 Fahrenheit is about 66 Celsius.

klc

[vincent]

An interesting website with John Geloso story (it's in English):

http://www.qsl.net/i0jx/geloso.html

[KA0HCP]

Great site on the Gelosos.  They still look sleek and modern.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

It definitely cleaned up better than a lot of working rigs I've seen at hamfests!

As Slab said, baking the transformers to get the moisture out is a requirement. Whether the rig spent a lot of time submerged or just got soaked more from the cleaning, it will at least minimize the chances of a zorch when you turn on the power switch. This will also allow you to wire brush or otherwise clean the outside on them and repaint with new black paint, which will really perk up the inside of the radio. But even if you have a bad transformer, either a replacement or a rewind would still be cheaper than buying another working radio.

Good job so far. Looking forward to the final result.

[WBear2GCR]

yah, that would be 150 deg F or 66 deg C... no warmer!! Because the plastic will be unhappy...

Hot sun is good... dry, dry, dry...

              _-_-bear

[The Slab Bacon]

Baked Transformers Fricasee   

this is my recipe for well baked small transformers ! !

Dissassemble and remove end bells (covers) for access, cleaning and painting.

Inspect transformer carefully to be sure the paper insulation isnt crumbling too badly. If it looks fairly good proceed to the next step.

Bake at somewhere between 175 and 190F for 6 to 8 hours (or more)to force out any and all moisture. (if you can heat it under a vacuum that is even mo betta)

Remove transformer from oven, and while still hot, drop it into a bucket of oil based spar varnish to cool. Leave soaking for at least 24 hours or more.

After soaking in varnish remove and allow to "drip dry" for a day or so.

Redunk in varnish and allow to drip dry again, repeat dunk / dry cycle at least 3 times until glazed nicely, more is better.

Put on shelf sitting on waxed paper to dry for a month or more, preferably in a warm dry area.

After thoroughly dry, if you have any cracked insulation on the leads, slip some heat shrink tube over them and shrink now.

Reassemble end bells and reinstall into the equipment. power it up and lt her rip!!

this works well for small to meduim sized iron, and will give an old transformer a new lease on life!!

                                                         The Slab Bacon

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Excellent recipe, Slab! I don't use plastic transformers either, so 175-200 works well for chasing out the moisture. 

After reassembly/sealing/testing as above, shoot with black or gray paint (semi gloss or high gloss, depending on original), bake again at 150 for half hour or so, voila - 'new' transformer.

[KB2WIG]

Per the Slab recipie,

How long does the  oder 'o tar last in the oven??  Can it be masked by something like...

"I was baking your favorite cookies and they got burnt"
 
or,

" Did you use oven cleaner and forget to wipe it out?"

Sometime the warden spends the night with relatives, so the time element is important.

klc

This post may self distruct at any moment.

[The Slab Bacon]

Per the Slab recipie,

How long does the  oder 'o tar last in the oven??  Can it be masked by something like...

"I was baking your favorite cookies and they got burnt"
 
or,

" Did you use oven cleaner and forget to wipe it out?"

Sometime the warden spends the night with relatives, so the time element is important.

klc

This post may self distruct at any moment.

Actually if they're not potted in tar, they dont smell all that bad after baking for an hour or so. But.................................

If you're risking death, dismemberment, and worse yet................possible CASTRATION  
Try using a portable oven like a large toaster oven or similar out on the porch where they cant smell it.  they dont call em "the war dept" for nothin   

[Ed/KB1HYS]

I picked up a good sized "Toaster-oven" from the local recycle drop off for just such a use.  Also good for toasting freshly painted parts. 

It isn't really big enough for everything but the price was Right -- free! And no complaints from "the war dept." .   

[WBear2GCR]

Fwiw, a pressure cooker and a source (ha ha) of vacuum, even modest vacuum connected to the nib on the top (and the pressure relief valve on the cover defeated) will definitely SUCK the air pockets out of the windings and fill them with varnish.

The fellow who did the OTL amplifier known as Futterman did exactly this with heated varnish on top of his stove!! There are pictures to prove it. Guess he potted the power iron... there was no output iron.

I get "used" stoves from the back of the local appliance store and use them for my all purpose industrial overn - i have it next to my breaker box in the shop (formerly known as the garage). Keeps nasty stuff away from the food, and if you really mess it up, you just throw it out and get another one...

I use "spot filler" primer for the end bells and potted cans that have rust and dings to fill... bake that too. Then paint. Bake that too. Not sure if they changed the Rustoleum receipe yet, but that used to bake hard as a rock.

                       _-_-bear

[KM1H]

For big non potted iron a low value high wattage resistor plus meter across the HV secondary and a variac with another ampmeter in the primary work well. Bring the voltage up slowly watching for any nasty primary meter wiggles to about 50% of the currrent rating. Let it cook for a couple of days to drive the moisture out from the inside.  I did that (out in the garage) to the 7500/6000V full secondary at 1.5A CCS, built in 1946, used in a shoe factory, and stored in a shed for 25 years, iron that Ive been using on the big amp and modulator...it doesnt even get past barely warm even in buzzard mode.

Carl

[iw5ci]

Ok! It will be a winter project