Baird T5 restoration project. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

FERNSEH · 3rd Dec 2018, 10:54 pm

As you can see from the pictures this Baird T5 TV set has a problem with the cabinet. Woodworm! In fact I reckon the cabinet is in a worse state than the HMV 900 that appeared on this Forum back in 2011.
The two power supply assemblies were removed today only to discover that the cabinet floor is completely rotten and it's likely so is the shelf that supports the timebase chassis and the separate vision and sound receivers.

It's going to be a complete cabinet rebuild.

Note the "Televisor" emblem instead of the usual Baird brand name. There is a small label inside the cabinet informing us that the set was made by Bush Radio Ltd.

DFWB.

mark pirate · 3rd Dec 2018, 11:37 pm

Now that's what I call a winter project David, lets hope the electronics are in better shape than the cabinet!

I am sure that I read somewhere that Baird sets of this era were built by Bush.

Mark

FERNSEH · 4th Dec 2018, 2:17 am

Hi Mark,
Here's the evidence that the set was made by Bush Radio.
The CRT was made by Baird Television Ltd, Cathodevisor type 15MW1

DFWB.

Jac · 4th Dec 2018, 8:11 am

That's a very interesting set David.
I'm going to follow this restoration!

Jac

mark pirate · 4th Dec 2018, 9:20 am

More evidence of it being built by Bush is seen in the chassis construction quality. it had certainly gone down hill in post war Baird sets, my T164 is proof of that

I would dearly love to have a prewar set to restore, but sadly well out of my budget!

I look forward to following your progress with this rare beast.

Mark

Heatercathodeshort · 4th Dec 2018, 10:12 am

Those connectors to the power supply look almost identical to the ones employed in the Bush T91/TV1/2 models of 1947/48.

A massive undertaking David. I would guess that most of the cabinet is infested. The power supply is usually reliable with a very well made EHT transformer.

Realistically about a years work given time off to recover. Regards, John.

Tractionist · 4th Dec 2018, 10:55 am

Mein Gott! (As they say in Blaydon .....).

You do 'dig 'em up David !!!!

ianm · 4th Dec 2018, 11:02 am

Great stuff! Wasn't this set the subject of a thread entitled "Baird T5 garage find", back at the beginning of July?

FERNSEH · 4th Dec 2018, 11:33 am

Here's the link:

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=147823

DFWB.

Brigham · 4th Dec 2018, 1:40 pm

Is the Dual-Standard switch still fitted?

linescan87 · 4th Dec 2018, 1:49 pm

No one can say you don't like a challenge! Good luck with it, I'll be following this thread with interest.

How do these early Baird CRT's hold up?

Regards,
John Joe.

FERNSEH · 4th Dec 2018, 2:37 pm

From Television and Short Wave News. A prototype Baird T5.

DFWB.

beery · 4th Dec 2018, 3:24 pm

Hi David,
I'm glad you have been able to get the chance to restore this set.
I was tempted to have a go, but I don't have your cabinet skills. Also renting a very small Edwardian house with hardwood flooring and no external storage really puts me off anything with woodworm at the moment.

I look forward to seeing how you get on with it.

Hi Jon Joe,
The Baird tubes seem to have had a fairly short working life, but I can tell you that having restored a T5 with a good CRT that they are capable of really excellent pictures.

Cheers
Andy

Panrock · 4th Dec 2018, 4:22 pm

Quote:

The Baird tubes seem to have had a fairly short working life, but I can tell you that having restored a T5 with a good CRT that they are capable of really excellent pictures.

I'll second that. There was a working T5 at the Science Museum Exhibition (re. Gordon Bussey) in 1980, and the picture was bright and sharp... the picture looked big for a pre-war set too.

Steve

FERNSEH · 4th Dec 2018, 5:17 pm

That's right a 15" CRT in a pre-war TV was a really big screen, typically 10 X 8 inches. Didn't Baird Television Ltd make a speciality of making really large CRTs? Isn't there a story about 22" round tube being made.

The Cathodevisior tubes fitted in the T5 had directly heated cathodes which means the video drive must be supplied to the grid or as it was called then, the Wehnelt electrode.

DFWB.

peter_scott · 4th Dec 2018, 5:31 pm

I'm really looking forward to this restoration too.

Peter.

Heatercathodeshort · 4th Dec 2018, 6:58 pm

David takes these rotten wrecks in his stride. Think of it as a little puppy with wagging tale that you dragged out of the river when only 100 yards from the weir.

John Joe, Its not really a case of holding them up, more a case of don't let go. If I discover bits of a 15MW-1 on my grass I will know David did in fact let go. Regards, John.

Nanozeugma · 4th Dec 2018, 9:01 pm

My word, this really be a project and a half (which I shall follow with great interest.

Magpie66 · 4th Dec 2018, 9:12 pm

Thanks Beery for recommending Dave,He certainly knows his stuff.
We are certainly looking forward to following the restoration on the forum and seeing the end result.
After reading the comments on the original post”Baird T5 garage find”, I feel privileged to own this important piece of history. Thanks for your commitment Dave.

Ant

FERNSEH · 4th Dec 2018, 9:37 pm

Hi Ant, About 80 per cent of the cabinet will need renewing and to do the job properly the correct materials will have to be found. The cabinet floor and shelf require furniture quality 15mm plywood. The cabinet sides and front panel use much thinner plywood. The cabinet mirror lid can be saved but will need re-veneering. Strange some wood parts have not been attacked by the woodworm.

DFWB.

3rd Dec 2018, 10:54 pm	#1
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,378	Baird T5 restoration project. As you can see from the pictures this Baird T5 TV set has a problem with the cabinet. Woodworm! In fact I reckon the cabinet is in a worse state than the HMV 900 that appeared on this Forum back in 2011. The two power supply assemblies were removed today only to discover that the cabinet floor is completely rotten and it's likely so is the shelf that supports the timebase chassis and the separate vision and sound receivers. It's going to be a complete cabinet rebuild. Note the "Televisor" emblem instead of the usual Baird brand name. There is a small label inside the cabinet informing us that the set was made by Bush Radio Ltd. DFWB. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by FERNSEH; 3rd Dec 2018 at 10:59 pm.

3rd Dec 2018, 11:37 pm	#2
mark pirate Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK Posts: 5,182	Re: Baird T5 retoration project. Now that's what I call a winter project David, lets hope the electronics are in better shape than the cabinet! I am sure that I read somewhere that Baird sets of this era were built by Bush. Mark

4th Dec 2018, 2:17 am	#3
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,378	Re: Baird T5 retoration project. Hi Mark, Here's the evidence that the set was made by Bush Radio. The CRT was made by Baird Television Ltd, Cathodevisor type 15MW1 DFWB. Attached Thumbnails

4th Dec 2018, 8:11 am	#4
Jac Heptode Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Eindhoven, Netherlands. Posts: 633	Re: Baird T5 retoration project. That's a very interesting set David. I'm going to follow this restoration! Jac

4th Dec 2018, 9:20 am	#5
mark pirate Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK Posts: 5,182	Re: Baird T5 retoration project. More evidence of it being built by Bush is seen in the chassis construction quality. it had certainly gone down hill in post war Baird sets, my T164 is proof of that I would dearly love to have a prewar set to restore, but sadly well out of my budget! I look forward to following your progress with this rare beast. Mark

4th Dec 2018, 10:12 am	#6
Heatercathodeshort Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING. Posts: 9,127	Re: Baird T5 retoration project. Those connectors to the power supply look almost identical to the ones employed in the Bush T91/TV1/2 models of 1947/48. A massive undertaking David. I would guess that most of the cabinet is infested. The power supply is usually reliable with a very well made EHT transformer. Realistically about a years work given time off to recover. Regards, John.

4th Dec 2018, 10:55 am	#7
Tractionist Heptode Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK. Posts: 853	Re: Baird T5 retoration project. Mein Gott! (As they say in Blaydon .....). You do 'dig 'em up David !!!! __________________ Red to red, black to black. Throw the switch and stand well back!

4th Dec 2018, 11:02 am	#8
ianm Hexode Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, UK. Posts: 340	Re: Baird T5 retoration project. Great stuff! Wasn't this set the subject of a thread entitled "Baird T5 garage find", back at the beginning of July? __________________ Regards Ian McLaughlin, BVWS member

4th Dec 2018, 11:33 am	#9
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,378	Re: Baird T5 retoration project. Here's the link: https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=147823 DFWB.

4th Dec 2018, 1:40 pm	#10
Brigham Octode Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Co. Durham, UK. Posts: 1,102	Re: Baird T5 retoration project. Is the Dual-Standard switch still fitted?

4th Dec 2018, 1:49 pm	#11
linescan87 Heptode Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Meath, Ireland Posts: 539	Re: Baird T5 retoration project. No one can say you don't like a challenge! Good luck with it, I'll be following this thread with interest. How do these early Baird CRT's hold up? Regards, John Joe.

4th Dec 2018, 2:37 pm	#12
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,378	Re: Baird T5 retoration project. From Television and Short Wave News. A prototype Baird T5. DFWB. Attached Thumbnails

4th Dec 2018, 3:24 pm	#13
beery Heptode Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Ware, Hertfordshire, UK. Posts: 984	Re: Baird T5 retoration project. Hi David, I'm glad you have been able to get the chance to restore this set. I was tempted to have a go, but I don't have your cabinet skills. Also renting a very small Edwardian house with hardwood flooring and no external storage really puts me off anything with woodworm at the moment. I look forward to seeing how you get on with it. Hi Jon Joe, The Baird tubes seem to have had a fairly short working life, but I can tell you that having restored a T5 with a good CRT that they are capable of really excellent pictures. Cheers Andy __________________ www.youtube.com/user/andyvalve100

4th Dec 2018, 5:17 pm	#15
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,378	Re: Baird T5 retoration project. That's right a 15" CRT in a pre-war TV was a really big screen, typically 10 X 8 inches. Didn't Baird Television Ltd make a speciality of making really large CRTs? Isn't there a story about 22" round tube being made. The Cathodevisior tubes fitted in the T5 had directly heated cathodes which means the video drive must be supplied to the grid or as it was called then, the Wehnelt electrode. DFWB.

4th Dec 2018, 5:31 pm	#16
peter_scott Dekatron Join Date: May 2003 Location: Edinburgh, UK. Posts: 3,259	Re: Baird T5 retoration project. I'm really looking forward to this restoration too. Peter. __________________ http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterScott/videos

4th Dec 2018, 6:58 pm	#17
Heatercathodeshort Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING. Posts: 9,127	Re: Baird T5 retoration project. David takes these rotten wrecks in his stride. Think of it as a little puppy with wagging tale that you dragged out of the river when only 100 yards from the weir. John Joe, Its not really a case of holding them up, more a case of don't let go. If I discover bits of a 15MW-1 on my grass I will know David did in fact let go. Regards, John.

4th Dec 2018, 9:01 pm	#18
Nanozeugma Heptode Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: London, UK. Bury, Lancashire quite regularly :) Posts: 571	Re: Baird T5 retoration project. My word, this really be a project and a half (which I shall follow with great interest. __________________ Thermionic Emission, warms the cockles of your tubes.

4th Dec 2018, 9:12 pm	#19
Magpie66 Diode Join Date: Jul 2018 Location: Chesham, Buckinghamshire, UK. Posts: 6	Re: Baird T5 retoration project. Thanks Beery for recommending Dave,He certainly knows his stuff. We are certainly looking forward to following the restoration on the forum and seeing the end result. After reading the comments on the original post”Baird T5 garage find”, I feel privileged to own this important piece of history. Thanks for your commitment Dave. Ant

4th Dec 2018, 9:37 pm	#20
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,378	Re: Baird T5 retoration project. Hi Ant, About 80 per cent of the cabinet will need renewing and to do the job properly the correct materials will have to be found. The cabinet floor and shelf require furniture quality 15mm plywood. The cabinet sides and front panel use much thinner plywood. The cabinet mirror lid can be saved but will need re-veneering. Strange some wood parts have not been attacked by the woodworm. DFWB.