1924 Crosley 51 Wood Panel Receiver Repair and Restoration

The 1924 Crosley model 51 was a simple and popular radio at that time. Inexpensive but surprisingly easy to operate. It had options that most inexpensive radios at that time did not have. Like the ability to use a C voltage for power type tubes. In this video we give a quick look at the history of the Crosley company and how this radio came about. Introduced initially as a hard rubber paneled radio, the wood panel was offered later and more were actually produced than the rubber paneled radio. But it seems that more of the rubber panels survived than the wooden ones so the wood paneled version can be harder to find in decent condition. Of course, it wouldn't be a true Crosley without their patented "Book" capacitor and slide out tuning knob. This one is in good shape, but does need cleaning up and has a bad transformer that we will replace with an Antique Electrical Supply P-T431 replacement core. Then we will fire it up and see what happens. This is one of the easiest 1920's model to restore and anyone new to the hobby might want one of these as their first restoration.

[@lwilton]

Nice job! I'm incredibly impressed with how clean that unit was, both inside and out!
A suggestion: get yourself a hand-drive small socket set. Basically a screwdriver-like handle with a 1/4" square drive on the end, and a set of 1/4" sockets. Almost all of those nuts were 1/4" or 5/16" in the old days, and spinning them on and off with a socket is a heck of a lot easier (and safer) than using pliers.
You might also want to get a cheap ignition wrench set. These are little end wrenches with all kinds of both standard and crazy sizes, in the right range for taking small electronics apart. They can be very useful in those few cases you can't get a nut with a nut spinner.

[@antiqueradioarcheology-wil8878]

I have the right tools, they just never seem to be in the right place when I'm working on stuff. I try not to use pliers, but a lot of the time the angle isn't right for a nut driver and wrenches tend to be problematic at times when working in tight spaces. I know, poor excuse! I also have a workshop in the basement, so the tools tend to be split between my upstairs work bench and downstairs shop. So I have to decide if I really want to go all the way down to the basement, or just use the pliers that are right there looking at me.

[@stevesmith3556]

These are cool little radios. I've had two in the past. They were both the bakelite type facing. Ive never seen a wood faced one. Very cool!

[@jeffreyhickman3871]

That looks like 👍 a true work of art 🖼️. This is memory lane, way too lightly traveled 🧭. So sad 😞 to give 🆙 yesterday’s good 😊 stuff for today’s technology. Your friend, Jeff.

[@kennethdaust3793]

I have to ask have you ever rewound a transformer? You seem like you would know how. I’m sure it’s cheaper and easier just to buy one but I would like to see one done. Another good video I’ve picked up a lot from you. THANKS

[@antiqueradioarcheology-wil8878]

I actually haven't. Not to say I won't at some point, I've always wanted to, but time is always a big issue for me. I'm actually doing a video right now that will throw a big curveball in the mix. I have a transformer replacement in the form of a solid state circuit card that fits neatly inside a transformer shell. I'll be comparing them to the coil I used in this video. Should be interesting as it uses a Darlington pair that mimics the amplification of the transformer, and the rest of the circuitry gives you the right impedances for the coupling. I'm sure the purists will go bonkers, but it's something that might get a few radios out of the basement and back to working status.

[@tedrobinson372]

I have had success locating and repairing where the winding attached to the flying leads. It may take digging into the winding.

[@jamescrofutt8767]

I forgot to mention that the ARBE III site also sells adapters if you prefer to run an alternate tube, (199) etch one other important thing I would like to mention is the Crosley tube sockets were known to warp with age and the tube will not lock in, easy fix is just a paper shim will usually do the trick.--J