[morzh]

After I have soldered in the interstage transformers, I covered them with fishpaper. Just in case, it seems they did not touch anything.
   

Then I closed it and eventually used a stiff toothbrush with some extra Goop on the embossed letters and  the creases around the tubes' sockets.
The result is pretty decent.

   
   

Now to rebuilding the 0.2uF decoupling cap.
   

It shows 0.9uF on my DMM and 0.5 to 0.9uF on my Stanford Research LCR analyzer, depending on the measuring frequency.
   


Thing is, I forgot how I did lifting the can's bottom before. I know I removed solder. But this one is stubborn.
I will consult my AK82 thread. Though I doubt I put the exact technique there. Will have to figure it out all over again.
Short of using a can opener.

PS. Well...I was of a worse opinion of myself. I did put the exact technique in the thread. And it is exact same as I've been doing now. Heat the can and shake off teh solder.
Except the solder is not shaking off. Maybe gotta get it hottel. Maybe the tin is thicker.
Oh well, I'll get it somehow.

[radiorich]

Hello mike,
nice job and I also like using that fish paper I have a roll of it .

Sincerely Richard

[morzh]

I also have a roll of it. It usually is pretty expensive when sold by a sheet, but I snatched one on eBay, for very reasonable money, and have been using it for many years.

[radiorich]

Hello mike,
I did the same thing good old ebay GC electronics .
Sincerely Richard

[MrFixr55]

Gotta love Morzh's stories.  Morzh, it is not just Russian Mothers in law, it is universal.  However, I dearly loved my Mom in Law, even when she needed to express her opinions.  I had to hide sometimes, but I greatly respected her supporting her family as a young widow.  My Mom and Ms. Fixr did NOT get along.

Nice job on the AK10.

On mine, I removed all hardware and scrubbed, then used GoJo and brushes, after I glued the parts that broke off the bakelite due to the eBay seller's sloppy packaging (He packed the A-K E2 speaker in the same box on top of the breadboard instead of under it and did not use enough packaging material or tying anything down.

Here is a pic of my Island.  No pics of one disassembled.  I used the same transformers as Morzh did and wrapped the frames in tape.  Morzh, yours is more elegant.  At some time, I will soup this up by adding a terminal for bias by using an existing hole.  The tubes are ca 1923/24 Radiotron 200 and 201 BBTs, no brand etching on bulbs but paper meatball labels.  Came with my FADA 160. Suspect them to be GE made.  And they work.  The radio is quite loud but usual distortion.  BBT 201 and a DeForest in the RF sockets. Caption says AK10A but it is a 10C, Pooley version (without the cabinet.  The boards for the Pooley sets were not beveled, therefore not pretty.  But I got it for $600 3 years ago when a good AK10 was still selling for $1200-$1800.
   

Time to brave the cold.

[morzh]

It looks nice. Enlightened.

[morzh]

Well, I remembered that for 10 plus years I have had my AK33 (or 40, forgot; Kirk still owes me the cabinet) that had all the tubes in it. The UX201A.
I decided I'd get them tested.
When Istarted looking for them, I realized those I tested before, a couple of weeks ago or so, were them.
And the tubes John sent me were the ones I forgot about.
So I have two sets of working 201A.


Now back to the capacitor.
The heat-n-shake technique did work, though this time it was more of a "heat-n-whack." And then I had to jam a screwdriver inside and do "heat-n-pry". Then I had to clean up the table from the wax that, while looking white, landed as pink.
But the cap is opened. The cover will have to be straightened out and then re-soldered, which is fine. No creases means no unsmoothability. Is there such word, "unsmoothability?" I have just come up with it. Who knows, maybe this is what I will be remembered by after I'm gone.

   

[MrFixr55]

Here lies Morzh, the epitome of unsmoothability. He calls 'em the way he sees 'em

[morzh]

Amen.

Actually, one idiom in Russian, an equivalent of "to kick the bucket" is "to glue the flippers together."

Walrusses have flippers.

Though I would make it like so:
Russian. "Здесь лежит Морж. Доморжевался".

No good translation. "Here lies Morzh. It was one dip too many." (the prefix "до-" have a meaning of "overdid it"; as you can see, Russian sometimes can be concise.)

[MrFixr55]

Morzh, I'm sorry, I should have added "Seen on a tombstone 100 years from now".

Ad multos annos, friend!

(To many years!)

[morzh]

100 years...

We had a good toast in my parents' circle of friends for someone's birthday.

"May you die in a 100 years from an STD".

[MrFixr55]

Believe it or not, that is a common ailment in nursing homes now.

[morzh]

First, the question: what tint of Howard Restor-a-Finish should I be using on the AK10?
Walnut, Dark Walnut, Mahogany?

[morzh]

So, this is your typical AK cap block rebuild.
Not sure why they use this one, considering it is but one cap, maybe for protection.

It is somewhat cold in the workshop, have to use a spaceheater (the one I fixed recently). Though I decided to order another one, and a Black and Decker of an equal caloric output is $21.
So, due to this, the wax block was stuck to the case and I had to use a heatgun for a minute or so. Came out easy after that.
   

Then I realized I have no 0.22uF cap thin enough to not present problems when soldering the cover back in. Somehow I overlooked the fact I do have a cap, but it was very small, 86V or so rated. Then I saw the cap. Then I looked at the sch and realized this is pretty much the feedback cap for all the Cathodes, so the voltage across it should be very small, so I used it. I even remember why I bought them on Amazon: I repaired my APC UPS and saw these caps broken off (vibration? else? I bought it used 20 years ago from some company going out of business).
   

Soldered it in place
   

Then had to straighten the cover. I have a large steel pipe, so I used it as a rollin pin.
   

With good success.
   

Soldered it in place and potted the hole.
   
   

Gave it one final check.
   

Not sure if I should put it back now or wait until I get the "Restor-a-Finish" and then put it together with the output amp.

[MrFixr55]

After reading the entire thread, I don't know if a 01A can drive a cone speaker. A 112A or 71A can, but you would have to run separate C- and B+ leads for a 71A, as the B+ was only 45 or 90V for the 01A audio tubes with no bias. A 01A, even at 90V plate voltage is not enough to drive a cone speaker IMHO. Running a 71A or 112 with no bias gets you more power but they sound horrible with no bias.

A-K did not offer a set with an option for a '71A until the AK20 Compact, AK 30 series and 35. The 20C has a single C-lead that biases the 1st Audio and the Audio Output tube. This limits the bias level used. The 30, 32, etc. and the 35 have a single C- lead that biases only the output tube, as one can go to whatever you have for batteries. 180V on a 71A plate with -22V on the C- will get you 0.7W, same as an A-K Model 40 or Radiola 17, 18 or 60.