[David G4EBT]

A few more pictures of the 'rehabilitated' Toaster.

Pic 1 is the crack that needed to be filled.
Pic 2 is after filling and sanding.
Pic 3 is the cabinet primed.
Pic 4 is the finished radio sprayed Wilko 'duck-egg' blue.

Pic 5 - Hunts waxy paper cap on test:

I mentioned in my earlier post that I'd changed the last remaining paper waxy cap that had been left in the set. I know there are two schools of thought on whether the blanket replacement of waxy caps with no diagnosis is the correct approach, but given that sets such as this one and the DAC90A are now close on 70 years old, and knowing the problems that can be caused if the leak in the electrical sense (audio coupling caps passing DC overdriving the output valve and stressing the output transformer), I share the view it makes sense to change them on sight.

Not everyone is able to check the insulation of caps at their rated voltage and putting a multi-meter across them gives no indication as to how they'll perform at their working voltage. I checked this one out of curiosity on my Victor VC60B insulation tester to see how it held up when subjected to 250 Volts and at its rated voltage of 500V DC. It measured 23 meg Ohms, so quite a high resistance, and unlikely to have caused a problem if left in circuit, but it's had a good life and for the sake of a new cap and a few minutes work, why skimp?

Charming little sets and well thought out. When released in September 1950 they cost £8. 17s. 1d plus purchase tax, so maybe £12.00 in total. When adjust for inflation, that equates to £400 in 2018. How times change - £400 would by a large screen internet enable colour TV. If I'm not mistaken, 1950 was the year that the Queen Mary was converted back from being a troop ship to being an ocean liner, and KB gained a lot of welcome publicity from fitting radios in all the cabins.

Hope that's of interest.