What is a Success Story?

[Paul Stenning]

I have had a few PMs regarding what belongs in this section, so to clarify:

A "Success Story" thread should be one containing some details of the work done. Rather like the Recent Repairs on my website or the repair/restoration articles in the magazines, but not necessarily that long. It helps if there is something interesting or unusual about the repair, but that is not essential. What is needed is some detail though, to give others confidence in tackling repairs themselves.

It is for repairs/restorations that are finished. If only part of the job is done, it is not yet a success story. Obviously you as the restorer decide when it is finished, as it is your set. You don't have to do things just because others would.

Success stories should not be asking for further information or need further discussion - although that sometimes results anyway. So if you have questions about parts of the repair, ask them elsewhere first.

[Paul Stenning]

Following the forum rearranging this section is no longer just for vintage radios. So we welcome and indeed would like to see restoration reports on other vintage equipment such as tellies, tape recorders, audio and hi-fi equipment, amateur and military radio, telephones etc.

Success Stories can inspire others to tackle something they may otherwise not consider, so what better way to encourage other members to be interested in the type of equipment that interests you than to post a success story about one or more of your restorations.

[Chris Parry]

This section appears to be used only for >restoration< success stories. How about stories of radios that are more suitable for conservation than restoration? Where should they go? My view is that radio conservation goes under-reported. Many people in the future will wonder at all the radios with restuffed capacitors and revarnished cabinets, showing only how repair work was performed in the early 21st century. I wonder how to report that far rarer thing, ORIGINALITY? Chris.

[Darren-UK]

Well, to me a success story is one detailing the successful repair or restoration of a piece of equipment - as indeed outlined in the section description.

Conservation is an entirely different thing. The Mary Rose was conserved when her remains were raised from the seabed, she wasn't restored or repaired.

I know one or two members have deliberately retained the odd radio in 'as found' condition but quite how you'd make such a thing into an SS thread is hard to imagine.

These are my own personal views and as such don't reflect any forum policy and may or may not reflect the views of other moderators.

[ThePillenwerfer]

How do you 'Conserve' a radio beyond storing it in a safe environment?

I'm not criticising anybody but what is there to say about such an approach?

To my mind success is achieving what you set out to do, be it repair, restoration, modification or conservation.

Certainly food for thought.

- Joe

[Alistair D]

Since conserved sets do not really need a write up what about a photo gallery? I have seen these on other forums.

Al

[Chris Parry]

I contend that some conserved sets do deserve a little write-up. Many of them show unmistakable signs of years hard use in difficult circumstances. I don't see where to post that sort of content onto this site. Here's an example: I have a Chinese radio made in about 1952. It's a very boring and ordinary bakelite AM broadcast radio, in what we would normally call "poor, non-operational and unrestored" condition. It's interesting because of the circumstances of the times, because of its survival in a hostile climate over several decades, and because it still has many original components. Of course I could butcher it by fitting lots of new capacitors, polishing the cabinet to a non-original extent and fitting a set of nice shiny new valves. That may result in an entry that could be accepted into the "Success Story" section of this website. But where's the sense in doing that? This radio is far better left exactly as it is - rust and all. Chris.

[ThePillenwerfer]

I'm not suggesting that they don't deserve a write-up, far from it, just that the act of conservation is by its very nature not about what you do to them but what you don't.

It's not my place to say but I would have thought that the appropriate bit of the Specific Vintage Equipment section would be the place.

Frankly I admire you for having the self-control to leave things alone.

- Joe

[Radio_Dave]

Sorry Chris, Please don't take offence, but what do you expect to talk about on a "Repair and Restoration forum"?

A non working, wreck of a radio is just one step away from the dump. IMHO restoring a radio to full working order, with an acceptable appearance is the best way ensure it's survival

David

[Alistair D]

I think that part of the problem here is in the definition of conservation and the grey area between that and restoration.

The simplest level of conservation would be taking a radio from the floor and putting it on a shelf to ensure no damage occurs. Not a lot to write up here.

The next level of conservation could possibly cleaning an polishing. Still not a lot to write up.

After that comes the need to take restorative measures, woodworm treatment, gluing the case back together etc. Personally I still do not think that warrants writing about. For me, I am only interested in reading about projects that bring a set back to working order.

Al

[Robert Darwent]

Originally Posted by Alistair D

Since conserved sets do not really need a write up what about a photo gallery? I have seen these on other forums.

Don't know if you're aware Alistair, but the forum does have photo albums under the 'Community' heading and on each members profile page.

Originally Posted by ThePillenwerfer

To my mind success is achieving what you set out to do, be it repair, restoration, modification or conservation.

Originally Posted by ThePillenwerfer

I would have thought that the appropriate bit of the Specific Vintage Equipment section would be the place.

I agree with Joe's two comments there, if you want to conserve rather than restore then simply post with a description and images under Specific Vintage Equipment.

Originally Posted by Radio_Dave

...but what do you expect to talk about on a "Repair and Restoration forum"?

I also agree with Dave's comment. Repair and restoration is the primary reason for the forum and related discussions regarding such activities. I've no problem with conservation however, but it shouldn't be given a dedicated section IMHO.

Regards

[Chris Parry]

Looks like the best place for my projected post would be the VINTAGE RADIO (DOMESTIC) section, so that's where I will post it as and when.

Chris.

[GrimJosef]

Having recently seen the remarkable Chinese radio, and a good deal of Chris's other impressive kit, I'll look forward to that !

Cheers,

GJ

[Robert Darwent]

Originally Posted by Chris Parry

Looks like the best place for my projected post would be the VINTAGE RADIO (DOMESTIC) section, so that's where I will post it as and when.

I'll look forward to seeing your thread too Chris. I've never seen a Chinese bakelite radio before, sounds very interesting.

Regards

[Skywave]

Conservation: two scenarios spring to mind:

1. An item that, upon inspection, is found to be not in the original manufactured state, or is in poor condition or is not fully functional.
2. An item that, upon inspection, is found to be in the original manufactured state, is in very good condition and is fully functional.

For case 1, a full restoration exercise could be carried out, resulting in the item entering category 2 (as above), or the item can simply be left 'as is'.

For any of these scenarios and choices, to conserve the item, it now needs to be deposited in a suitably protected environment where no further changes - for any reason at all - can occur: a museum springs to mind. If, prior to that deposition, pictures of the item are taken (prior to, and post, any selected restorative work having been carried out), then perhaps the Success Story section would be the best place to enter those pictures - with comments as appropriate - such as where the item now resides, so that anyone who is interested can then view it 'in the flesh', so to speak.

Al.

[Robert Darwent]

My view on this is that something has to have been carried out; a repair or restoration for example, however minor, in order to qualify as a 'success' and so be eligible for posting in the Success Stories section.

However, if the intention is simply to conserve; in other words leave completely untouched in as acquired condition, then IMHO that can't be called a success of any kind and the post is better placed in the Specific Vintage Equipment section.

Otherwise, every time a set was bought and placed in the 'to-it' pile it would automatically qualify as a Success Story!

Regards

[Skywave]

Fair comment, Robert - agreed.

Al.

[Lucien Nunes]

There was a lively thread on the merits of conservation here

What it revealed is that the majority of forum members are not 'conservationists', they are people who enjoy working on radios and having working radios, which is after all what this forum is mainly about. So I think any question about conservation will draw a different conclusion than it would if (say) posted on a forum about museum operation. A museum curator might think of a conservation as a success, especially as contrary to many opinions here it may not simply be a case of putting a radio on a shelf.

How can we arrest the deterioration of rubber wiring? How to deal with electrolytics oozing and destroying other parts, without destroying the electrolytics? What temperature is best to store steel-cored nylon gears? How to prevent dial paint flaking? Which kinds of dirt must be removed from celluloid to prevent discolouration, even if minor damage occurs to the celluloid in the process? Conservation can be an active process, the success of which is that decay is slowed or stopped. However it is rather painstaking, sometimes academic and the 'results' appear only in the distant future.

The forum is very well organised for its purpose, however I would welcome a section about conservation because IMHO at the moment it presents a slightly one-sided view of the way to go about 'owning' a vintage set. I would be happier to see conservation promoted a little more, which could come about by allowing conservation work to qualify as a success.

Lucien

[Brian R Pateman]

There's no reason why conservation shouldn't be a "Success Story" in its own right.

Success stories are what we want them to be and that means there will (I hope) always be a variety of themes and stories. The majority of the threads on here are about radios, very little on test equipment.

To quote the section heading;

If you have successfully repaired or restored a piece of equipment, why not write up what you did and post details here. Particularly if it was interesting, unusual or challenging.

The distinction is that a success story is about what we've done. The work we do to get there and the help and information we need to do it is the subject of the relevant section (Vintage Radio, Vintage Test Equipment etcetera).

[Radio_Dave]

Trouble is, conservation is always ongoing. Would a conservation thread, about a particular radio, ever finish?

Originally Posted by Lucien Nunes

What it revealed is that the majority of forum members are not 'conservationists'

I consider myself a conservationist... both before and after I restore them.

David