1969 Baird 8724 - Single Standard CTV (A Rebuild)

Both tubes are A63-200X and almost 90%, well into the green when put on the CRT tester.

The Mazda crt fitted to my 25 inch 2000 chassis gives a brilliant picture. All guns read 1.6 on the Dynascan BK467.

The Mazda '200X CRT in my 8724 gives a cracking picture too Chris so I shouldn't worry unduly. You might be lucky.

PS. If there are any specific odds and ends you need then just let me know - I don't have any chassis lying around alas but I might have fittings or whatever.

Hi Mike,

If I could trouble you for some hi-res internal photo's so I can get a feel for how it should look and one of the back cover. I would be most grateful, probably best to e-mail them. If your set is buried away or too difficult to get at, no problem.

Regards
Chris

Now this is going to be an interesting thread to follow

I must say, I've had more luck with Mazda tubes than I have with Mullards! I've got 2 definitely duff Mullards, one's got a O/C heater, and the other has a shorted heater, and terrible emission, while all my set's with Mazda tubes seem fine! I can't remember what tube is in my 26" 3500, but that works well too.

Good luck with the rebuild Chris!

Lloyd.

Chris, my 25 inch 3000 is here if you need to check on anything. The A67-120X is fitted in the 26 inch 3500.

If you have a working chassis and tube, rebuilding the set shouldn't be too difficult. In the past I've done transplant operations where I've had one working TV with a scruffy, damaged cabinet and another with a good cabinet but faulty tube and chassis. Put all the good bits together and you make one good set out of two. Of course, if the donor chassis has some faults (and it probably will), then the fun begins ...

Well done for saving the cabinet though. At least it won't become another cocktail cabinet or fish tank. There can't be too many of these early Baird colour TVs left. I've so far avoided collecting any large console televisions like this one, simply because my house would fill up too quickly plus they're very heavy and awkward to move around and work on. It must be great to have the space to repair and store these rare sets.

Just one question : What are you going to do about the missing back cover?

Hi All,

Just to be clear there is no whole donor chassis, this project won't be just a simple plonk in of a donor.

All the bits gathered to make up a chassis are from various sources that a few local TV chaps ( Gary & Stan) have kindly offered. Today I purchased the CRT, which if not found would have been the show stopper. The chassis parts comprise of Thorn 3000 and Thorn 3500 parts, (interchangeable) luckily a complete 3000 harness.

From these parts I had the option of making a 3000 chassis or a 3500 chassis. I have to decide which way to go, discussing this with Gary we both felt it deserves to be returned to original state, remembering the rarity these sets hold. Therefore I have opted to build a 3000 chassis from the bits, it might not be the easiest though.

When something has been assembled, then the fun will really begin in the form of getting it to splutter into life and diagnose the inevitable faults.

Hence my warning that this project is going to be a long, long campaign, a war of many battles to be overcome, and of course my learning curve with such a task. Thus far I've only restored 405, B&W dual std sets and as you know one colour hybrid. I've never built something from a box of bits and certainly not an item as complex as a colour TV. I'm sure when I find myself staring at the mountain this set presents, the guidance of the many excellent TV tech's at VRAT will help me move forwards.

As to the back cover, I will fashion something from 2.5mm fibre board and hope to replicate as best I can the original. With photo's from Mike this will help the task greatly.

Chris

Hi Chris,

Well as far as I'm concerned this should be a damn good show. From what you have demonstrated in the past with your determination and willingness to learn not to mention that you are effectively building from a "box of bits", this should prove to be a brilliant post. I shall be watching with keen interest !

Good luck !
Marc.

Thanks for explaining. I understand the challenge a lot better now.

Assuming you have a complete set of PCB panels and the wiring loom, the first challenge is putting it together correctly. This television used a modular chassis. The individual panels (modules) were designed to be unplugged and swapped easily, for fast repairs in the customer's home. However, with a bundle of panels and wires all unplugged, you may find some of the plugs can fit in more than one socket. Disastrous results ensue if you get it wrong.

Fortunately you have a Ferguson 3703 arriving soon https://www.radios-tv.co.uk/pivotx/?p=1969-ferguson-3703
This uses the same BRC 3000 chassis. You can follow and copy the wiring and panel layout from it, and even use it to test any suspect panels if you can get it working first. Well, that's what I would do. With a set of working panels connected correctly, the Baird project stands a much greater chance of success. Otherwise there are too many unknowns.

Interesting scan and convergence yokes you have there.. Not quite the ones I'm familiar with, but obviously working in the same way.

Do you have a "blue lateral shift" assembly for it? I can't see one in the picture.

By the look of the scan yoke, they have most likey survived better than the earlier plastic framed jobbies found on Mullard CRTs.

Marion

If I could trouble you for some hi-res internal photo's

No problem Chris. I'll get the camera out over the weekend and email you the pictures.

Kind regards.

From Mike.

Chris

Good project! I have no doubt you'l get it built and going.

Who knows maybe the allure of colour will get to me too!

Cheers

Ian

And so it begins

Gary and Stan visited this afternoon like a couple of wise old sages or perhaps more appropriately at this festive time of year, a couple of kings bearing gifts.

The gifts? a 3000 chassis for the Baird rebuild. Gary supplied the core of the 3000 chassis and Stan had the all important chassis vertical mount/runners. Stan also brought me a 3500 Fergy 3703, but that's another thread.

I mounted the vertical chassis runners to the top of the cabinet. I will need to get myself a length of 1" x ½" batten to act as a cross member for the bottom of the the verticals.

I'm still missing two boards, so I'm looking for Chrominance and I.F. panels. I will place an ad in the wanted section on the off chance a VRAT has some spare.

I've not put the new tube in yet, whilst I'm doing all this I'm worried I will end up necking it, 25" colour CRT's make rocking horse poo look decidedly common. It will be the last thing to go in once I've got everything sussed, sourced and tested.

This is getting very interesting, Chris. You've taken on quite a challenge even though there are complete assemblies available, I'm sure it will be a real labour of love once all the bits are in place and you're looking for first light. It's a great thing that there are so many VRATs willing to advise, suggest and help. It helps to mitigate that "I'm getting lost here" feeling.
The very best of luck with you project and its associated searches.

All great stuff, I look forward to hearing more about the rebuild.
Cheers,
Brian

Today I made the missing crossbar that should support the chassis vertical bars. Once this is in place the chassis will be able to move in and out on its runners.

The back cover I've decided to go down the two part route. The bottom section will have a flat 2mm hardboard cover with some vents cut in, then sprayed chocolate brown. The upper section then is tackled like a table size back, who knows I might even find an old back that can be adapted. If not I will copy the one I have on another 3000 but enlarge to fit the width.

Hopefully I might have a lead on an I.F. panel and Chroma board, so fingers crossed on that.

Then I have to decide how to tackle the convergence board which will need a lot of work. PL28 has a missing pin this pin had a semi circle isolation cut-out so I suspect that's how it broke away. L701 is broken and unwinding, L705 missing, Red- A1 switch missing, Blue- A1 switch missing, some diodes and finally all convergence pre-sets rusted solid.

That's looking good Chris!!
Just getting the chassis in has made it go from looking like a basket case to simple restoration!
Will it be getting some mains applied before Christmas??
One of my all time pet hates is CRT's fitted 'upside down', the EHT cap goes at the top! D'oh.
John

I think that CRT has a problem