Vintage TV Cabinet Redux

In this instructable I will describe the steps I took to gut the inner workings (or non-workings) of a vintage TV, that was destined for the dump, and converted into a useable cabinet.

Step 1 Gut the cabinet.

Remove all the ancient electronics from this cabinet.

Some of the pieces you remove may be useful. Keep what you think you will need for this project, or another future project.

I saved the wooden piece that separates the TV from the Speaker enclosure. You'll see what I used it for later.

Comments

[dsandds2003]

If you only knew what a collector would have paid for these items....ohhhhh welllll...still neat projects.

[CementTruck]

Already tried that route. No one was interested, and I couldn't see tossing it out..

[JerryMopar]

I would have gutted it, then put a modern color tube into it, and mount all the button in a panel

[CementTruck]

That was what I suggested first, but that is not what was requested of me

[meddler]

I was thinking about finding the worst of the splits and applying a thin coat of epoxy to them, one of those 5 minute epoxy syringes should do it, i had a picture of it somewhere.(the cabinet i mean)

[meddler]

I found an old RCA floor radio cabinate and took the guts out and gave the parts to a HAM radio guy i know.Was going to put an aquarium in the top and you would look through the large brass circle the radio dial used to fit in.Sadly i bought it in Kansas when i was in the ARMY at Fort Riley. When i got to idaho the verneer (spelling?) split all over the thing, to dry here in idaho.I haven't tried to mess with that type of thing since, no time. I'll have to keep a look out for one here in Idaho.

[CementTruck]

Youy can always apply new veneer on things, although I dont know if it is worth the time, effort and money. You're just going to have to weigh the point of diminishing returns vs. the cool factor.

[thewoodcarver]

Very nice , I redid a old RCA "blond" wood I think it was called stereo years ago for my bother-in-law for his carving tools. (after carving lessons ,maybe one day he will return the tools he borrowed .) Good advice to meddler , try a few projects take your time , think first measure and then measure a few more times and your work will get better

[CementTruck]

Once I get my garage/workshop set up the way I want it I will put up a whiteboard with the names of the tools that have been borrowed, along with the date and the name of the borrower. This way there's a not-so-subtle reminder to them that I know they've got stuff I own. Either that or I have to learn to sa NO!

[meddler]

Nice, iv'e been wanting to do this for a long time but i'm not skilled with wood working so i have been kind of intimidated. I don't have a table saw either.You did a really good job

[thewoodcarver]

you can do it just try, I would have failed 7th grade woodshop but I got a passing grade when I sharpened a plane for a classmate and the teacher said get them all done and I will pass you 125 planes later I got a B

[CementTruck]

Thank you. Believe it or not, you can do everything I did with a router, a circular saw, a straight edge (long, straight piece of wood) and a couple of C-clamps. Don't let woodworking intimidate you. Once you get into it it's great fun, and very satisfying to proudly showcase things you've built to your friends and family. Be careful, however, of getting too good as it tends to get you on this "Hey, you're pretty handy. Can you......." trend amongst the people in your life. (This Instructable is a great example of that) Remember, measure twice, cut once.

[FrenchCrawler]

Nice job. I found one of those older tv's (larger screen: 27", didn't have doors) with the cabinet and gutted it and placed my 28" in it. The screen frame came out making more room, so I screwed in some boards to frame around it and attached wood contact paper to blend in. I also cut out a section near the bottom to allow access to the controls and placed an old metal speaker cover over it with a hinge.