1936 Zenith 8S154 Tube Radio Restoration 

This brings back memories. Radio, then the tv. Then my mother wanted a radio/phonograph combo, the radio had to go. Then the HiFi stereo, new tv, but kept the counter top radio in the kitchen. I remember coming home for a visit and they had a color tv!

Looks good! I love these old radios.

Jack, thanks for fixing this instead of doing what a few others have done and that is to put a blue tooth mod in it and do nothing to the old electronics!!!

I'm sending admiration for your wonderful restoration from Nova Scotia, Canada. Heartfelt congratulations for saving another home companion from the 1930's. The history of Radio is the history of bringing people together. Radio entertained and informed while also comforting the lonely in the vast wide open spaces of North America. Every radio saved helps us understand, a little better, the world of our grand and great grandparents. Great work Jack!

great job and love the cat!

I was watching another channel's radio restoration, and I happened to glance to the right column. I saw this thumbnail, and said "Hey I've got one of those, let's see what he does, and then I'll copy his moves". Also, I subscribed...

That’s crazy how you fine tune those I remember watching the Waltons and always fiddling with that radio ha ha nice work thanks for the videos

Man, this is an absolutely astonishing work! Thank you for giving new life to this beatiful piece of the 30's.

That's a beautiful radio. You improved it greatly. How cool that it works too!

Mark is an easy guy to work with.Glad to see that you found him !

I love these radios. My grandma had a few in the living room. Felt like home.

I started on guitars. For this nice set an output transformer for this you could use a commonly found Fender Champ transformer. What I use for smaller tabletop radios is a 70v line matching transformer, you can hook them up as single ended or push pull and they are cheap, they have multiple primaries and usually 3 secondaries so you can make most arrangements work. They are not the highest quality but work great as an affordable solution to a bad vintage tube radio OT problem. I would like to start rewinding transformers. On the veneer patch I would suggest cutting out a section the full width of that strip using a ruler at the angle of the grain then glue in the plug. It will fit better and all but disappear.

I am very pleased to hear the pure classic sound just coming out from that rare piece. Really a wonderful restoration.

Love those Zenith aircraft dials. I have a 37' Zenith Stars and Stripes I just finished restoring.

So beautiful!!! You've inspired me to take on a project of my own!

I just found a similar 1938 model from an attic in an old shed. It had been sitting up there for 40 years! The finishing is all ruined but it still barely picks up a station

Beautiful work!!! Congrats!

What a stunning piece! I was really interested to see how you fixed it though and I guess this is a channel for people who already know what that looks like 🤣 I just really enjoy watching people who know what they're doing taking things apart and putting things together again. If wood furniture restoration isn't so much your thing it's probably worth connecting with someone who has a channel focusing on that. You could collaborate on content.

beautiful zenith radio thank you brazil

This is great. I subscribe to Mr. Carlson's channel what you are doing is very similar!

Nice work, looks great too!

Beautiful work

Excelente trabajo.

Wow that is really nice good job 👏

I’m in the process of restoring one of these similar to this one. Mine is a Philco from 1942 that also has a built in record player that tilts out, fun fun!

Well done!

That is a Beautiful model

Absolutely great job! New subscriber here, best to you!

Art decco masterpiece!!!😀😀😀

Very nice radio. Just one comment, I think the best way to fix the veneer is to replace ~4 inches of that side part with strait edges running parallel with the grain.

Great job. I'm guessing that metal looking bezel around the dial is brass. And probably matched the gold lines when it was polished up. It would also match up with the center dial pointer. But that would take the age off of it, so that's more of a personal choice move I suppose.

Another good one 👍 I still don't know how your thumb bends backwards like that😎✌🎼🎵🎶

I like how the radio has gospel

Such a beautiful, and sophisticated, radio. Glad to see it get new life. Sad though, that AM in such a wasteland now. Curious as to what you get on shortwave. (Assuming this set has shortwave.)

That is the most beautiful Art Deco radio I have ever seen, even before restoration. Disappointed though you didn't do all the work yourself and got an expert involved @15:27 that you didn't even credit.

Thanks heaps. I just got hold of the exact same radio and will do the same. I might need some advise if possible.

Nice radio, and nice job. Got lucky finding someone for the volume control, these tapped controls are hard to find. When you do grill cloth, don't use staples. Instead get 3M spray adhesive - works much better. Also, these candohms like to short to chassis and take out the power transformer. Best to replace the whole thing with discrete resistors.

That's a big radio man, wow. For that veneer patch, i guess if you cut along the lines in the wood from the side and into where it meets the middle part (the big section in the center), so you take out a larger peace then it would be easier to hide the patch. If you manage tho get it the same color.

Lmao thats some crazy station you were on at 9:00 All of it really is crazy. Insane how much christian and conservative radio the US seems to have

Maravilha!

Did dial assembly is supposed to have a clutch feature where you push in to move the dial a greater distance.

Hi, did you sand it at all or did you just use the wood bleach?

That is a beautiful dial. I have just picked up a Sparton model and want to get it restored .Where are you located ?

The cat maaaan the cat big love

Hi Jack : please which is better for elmenaiting the interferences in the antique radios : - the ferrite antenna or the - xphase qrm eliminator Thanks

For woodworking I'd check out a YT channel called Thomas Johnson antique furniture restoration. I've learned much from him. Also get some furniture markers to help blend in that veneer repair. Maybe some wood putty too. Good luck with the resto! Just discovered your channel. Will be watching more. Thanks for sharing.

I was hoping to pick your brain. Im starting from ground zero knowing nothing about these old tube radios. I inherited a collection from my grandmother who was an antique dealer and I’m very committed to restoring them to their natural state. Where does one begin? Should I know basic electrical work before anything? Where can I learn about all the parts of these radios and schematics? TIA

I have the same radio, I absolutely love it. But I just broke the dial belt. Could you tell me where you got yours? I’ve searched the internet but can’t find the right one. Thank you

9:15...aw, you've got KITTY-(!)

My Dad has old cabinets he was planning to redo for his children. I would love to refurbish one and bring it home but I have no ideas where to start. Any suggestions?

So do these radios only have AM tuning or do they have AM and FM?

👌👍❤📻

18:41 ! ! ! ! ! !

I have a 1930s console radio same as the one you have now on RU-vid?

Hi eng. Jack : Is it possible to disassemble the entire antique radios machine ( utterly dismentaling ) to make a complete cleaning and repairing , and then assemble it again, is that possible !

Hey jack, I'm looking for a dial face and glass for this radio. Could you point me in the right direction?

Can you tell me where you grill cloth

Radio is very dusty.

Isnt that the Walton"s radio?