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Old 14th Mar 2012, 12:29 pm   #28
wireful3
Retired Dormant Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Bristol, UK.
Posts: 808
Default Re: What is a Success Story?

I find the comments on this thread very thought provoking. I must admit I have never had much affinity for collectors of any items that must be pristine unused and in the original boxes, though I can see some historical value, I suppose this would count as conservation.

There are two aspects of restoration that interest me. One is to restore an item to the appearance and function when it left the factory. Unfortunately I do not have the skill to do it myself but am mightily impressed when I see it. In this case re-stuffing capacitors etc. would not bother me very much. After all it is possible that some of the original materials are no longer available or may now be recognised as hazardous.

The other aspect is to restore an acquired set to the state when it was last used regularly. As others have said sets in use in the late 40s or the 50s would generally be repaired with contemporary parts to keep them working. Achieving either of these aims would seem to fit a success story. I would differ slightly from Lee because I would not mind if it did not look like a lost cause, though this would be more impressive and satisfying.

I am not too sure how I would rate keeping a set in it's as found state. I can accept that stabilising it so that there would be no further deterioration might be very satisfying to some and may be historically interesting.

A pile of rust is not really very informative. Having said that I watch "Time Team" and their reconstructions with amusement and wonder what they would reconstruct from a pile of rust, bits of bakelite and piles of copper wire (strands of verdigris) with a few 6BA nuts and bolts thrown in.
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