Charity works yields tube stuff

[Cygnus X1]

My son's AFJROTC unit helped out with Homeworks, an organization that cleans and reburbishes houses for the needy.

We were busy outside and I came across a broken RCA tube. Then one of the other parent volunteers came out with an antique radio. I asked, and turns out there was a room full of old radios, TV's, parts, and a few tubes. Many TV type plinkers.
Some GE Sylvania, RCA, etc. 6V6's, 12AT7's, 12AZ7, AT7.
A couple of 6SN7GTA's!

And a parts box with unused Dubillier caps (600V, .001 to .05 variety). Also a bunch of rectangular color coded caps, like "Sickles Silver Caps". NOS. Are those good?

A Fomoco car radio that had 2 Fomoco branded 6V6's!
"Stop sign" labeled, like Sylvanias.

Also some radio equipment so old that the familiar octal looking tubes were actually metal based, with small pins and a ball like retainer in the center.

Biggest question is, is it worth my time to go through some of these and salvage those old tone caps? Or just continue to buy the Mallory 150's?
Same with tube sockets. A lot of them look like bakelite.
I buy ceramics. Any particular value in bakelite sockets?

I will have to figure out if the transformers are worth hanging on to for guitar amp work. Most of this stuff is so old that they were set up for field coil speakers.

[Andy Le Blanc]

Store it , its a boneyard, use it as needed. It could be a huge resource,
for many years. Where else can you get truely vintage parts for nothing, nice find.

[Cygnus X1]

Thanks, Andy.
Only so much I can store.

I want to to part most of it out, I probably will keep the better quality sockets and iron. Some of the smaller chassis. Just curious if old caps (paper in oil and polyester I guess, along with some wax) are really worth keeping or not. Seems some people rate these high in the "mojo tone" department. But I am not sure.

[Andy Le Blanc]

The tubes you should hang on to, if you do repairs keep an eye open for caps
and resistors with long leads. new parts are made for machine assembly and have short leads,
some point to point repairs just cant be done right without proper lead length.
Electrolytics dry out with age but the little FP can mounting plates are useful.
The knobs and feet and dials and bakelite shells should hold a value for restorations.
If there are complete units that appear very clean, you might see some
return as antiques, but keep in mind the disassembly is a chore
and might not be worth the while unless your confident of the return.
definitly hang on to the unused parts. someone will want the "period" parts
or use them exclusivly in a build.

[Alexo]

Watch out for the sheets of asbestos you sometimes find in old tube radios.

[M Fowler]

In 2003 I sold all my old stock. Where did I get all this stuff, cleaning out old garages, homes, schools, community centers and churches. They are all loaded with this stuff. I got boxes full of old tubes from a local hospital tech that said they don't have one piece of equipment left that uses tubes so I took them. What a mother load should have kept them all.

My best source for high powered caps was in television sets and they had nice long leads. Had a lot of 6V6 and duel 6V6 record player amps that I used for guitar amps. Now when I am hunting I don't find this stuff anymore. Darn clean up projects people are tossing these things out.

Mark

[Cygnus X1]

Perhaps just one of the radios is worthy of a restoration.
I keep some old can type electrolytics around, and re-formed a few but I don't keep them in my projects.

I do find a use for the old (are they polyester, or what?) tone caps.

I'll get some pix and ask for more opinions based on the pictures. Thanks, keep it coming!

[Phil_S]

Also some radio equipment so old that the familiar octal looking tubes were actually metal based, with small pins and a ball like retainer in the center.

Quite a find! What you refer to above are probably Loctal tubes. Pin sizes closer to 12AX7 type, pattern and size more like an octal. Look it up on the internet. You'll find it. Tube numbers usually start with a 7 and they use 6.3v heaters.

[Cygnus X1]

Yes, that's it.
There are a few Loctals.

I brought the best looking radio up with a variac, and it works! No name...all octal tubes. It looks like a Philco, but more than likely some kind of knock off. AM only.

There is also just a metal box Motorola Golden Voice.
About 12"x8"x8". Unfortunately too trashed to save.

Only things that have caught my eye are quite a few 6SN7 pulls, a couple of NOS, and a bunch of NOS 5U4G rectifiers.
And one Sylvania JAN 6SN7GT!

I'm using these for my low watt SEL amp, as the power tube. Low watt, high gain, and it does sound sweet.
I ought to save these for a Hi Fi tube amp I would like to build.

Also salvaged some nice caps...bumblebees, Sangamo polys, a bunch of wax. I have to check these for tone.

[moj067]

I stash those old waxes for tone caps in guitars, the bumblebees go w/out saying. Check those values out, they drift way out anyways I'm sure you know all this, enjoy the tone stash and doing your part in the recycling process.