another Bush VHF 61 springs to life - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Steve G4WCS · 21st Jan 2006, 10:01 pm

Ive just completed my first Bush VHF 61, and what a nice little set.

Its ended up as a "bitsa", I had one with an intact case, but very sorry chassis, and the earlier grille cloth which was ripped. the dark coloured knobs were in a very sorry state.

The other one I bought off stevekendal for a tenner, supplied with no valves and a cracked case, but had a good chassis, the later tygan grille cloth, and the cream knobs, which contrast nicely against the tuning scale.

Anyway, I built the series lamp limiter, swapped the valves, and powered the second set up.
I was met with a flickering lamp, and the VHF head decoupler visibly arcing inside !!. I had already ordered a set of caps from RS, as the moldseals and waxies were in a visibly distressed state !!
I went through and replaced all the moldseals and waxies, and checked the power supply electrolytic for leakage. this took a good couple of afternoons as I wanted to keep all the lead lengths an positions the same as the originals, and some were a bit fiddly to get at.

I checked all resistors visually and the droppers for value. all were fine.

I then powered it up again via the limiter and the set burst into life. A quick check confirmed operation on all bands, so I bypassed the lamp and let the set soak test.

The case needed a good dose of tape removal, as at some point the back panel had been vinyl taped on !!. this was followed by a good brassoing, and wax polishing. the brass bar acrosss the front was polished and lacquered, and the brass paint renewed (odds and ends from B+Q was a good match).

the piano keys were cleaned up, and the knobs checked for binding. The tone knob had sheared from its collet where it pushes onto the shaft, so I drilled the remains out, and cut the collet from another knob. this was turned to diameter to fit the drilled hole, and the two parts were araldited together.

I fibreglass brushed and brassoed the brass trims, and gave them a coat of lacquer.

the tuning mechanism was cleaned up and relubed, and the chassis was then put back together.

everything was then bolted back into the case, and the set was treated to a new EM81 (1.99 off ebay).

the back panel was cleaned up with bath cleaning foam and wax polished, and fastened on.

the set has now displaced the philips 462 in the hall, as it's got FM, it has quite a good sound for the size of speaker, and is a very tidy looking set.

next on my list is getting the nixie clock kit finished that santa brought !!

yestertech · 22nd Jan 2006, 12:23 am

Steve - well done you ! It looks fabulous.
A small set with a surprisingly good sound. ( Mind, not so hot if you remove the frequency adjusted feedback, but what's wrong with a bit of cheating ? )
A.

howard · 23rd Jan 2006, 9:21 pm

Hello Steve,

Thats a lovely radio

And a super job .... I really like these late 50s Bush valve radios a in black bakelite case and lots of brass trim and with VHF ! Theyre quite compact arent they ? I ask cos I dont have a lot of room and I really would like to aquire one of these

Howard

Steve G4WCS · 24th Jan 2006, 10:37 am

Ill measure it up for you.
They have chaeted a bit with the VHF 61 as the chassis acutally sticks out of the back of the case for a bit, and the back panel comes out a bit- like a telly. They are reasonably compact thought, and a nice looking set.

howard · 24th Jan 2006, 2:11 pm

Thanks Steve.

Hunts smoothing bomb · 24th Jan 2006, 2:52 pm

I didn't realise that they didn't use the same chassis as the VHF71. I have a VHF71 that I restored 2 years ago and the two sets look identical all bar the positioning of the tuning indicator...... they do sound superb though.

Well done... Great job!!

Lee

Aub · 24th Jan 2006, 3:03 pm

Super job. Well done!

Aub

Paul Stenning · 24th Jan 2006, 7:47 pm

The VHF71 also has one less button and a couple of filler pieces to allow them to use the same cabinet. I think the VHF71 is an AC/DC set, so the missing button is GRAM.

Steve G4WCS · 25th Jan 2006, 9:29 am

And the dimensions are ( all in good old inches)

16 1/2 wide

11 1/2 high

9 1/2 deep

howard · 25th Jan 2006, 9:43 am

Thanks Steve,

Yes, it is a compact set ! I WILL get one ! Thanks.

Howard

21st Jan 2006, 10:01 pm	#1
Steve G4WCS Heptode Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Preston, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 632	another Bush VHF 61 springs to life Ive just completed my first Bush VHF 61, and what a nice little set. Its ended up as a "bitsa", I had one with an intact case, but very sorry chassis, and the earlier grille cloth which was ripped. the dark coloured knobs were in a very sorry state. The other one I bought off stevekendal for a tenner, supplied with no valves and a cracked case, but had a good chassis, the later tygan grille cloth, and the cream knobs, which contrast nicely against the tuning scale. Anyway, I built the series lamp limiter, swapped the valves, and powered the second set up. I was met with a flickering lamp, and the VHF head decoupler visibly arcing inside !!. I had already ordered a set of caps from RS, as the moldseals and waxies were in a visibly distressed state !! I went through and replaced all the moldseals and waxies, and checked the power supply electrolytic for leakage. this took a good couple of afternoons as I wanted to keep all the lead lengths an positions the same as the originals, and some were a bit fiddly to get at. I checked all resistors visually and the droppers for value. all were fine. I then powered it up again via the limiter and the set burst into life. A quick check confirmed operation on all bands, so I bypassed the lamp and let the set soak test. The case needed a good dose of tape removal, as at some point the back panel had been vinyl taped on !!. this was followed by a good brassoing, and wax polishing. the brass bar acrosss the front was polished and lacquered, and the brass paint renewed (odds and ends from B+Q was a good match). the piano keys were cleaned up, and the knobs checked for binding. The tone knob had sheared from its collet where it pushes onto the shaft, so I drilled the remains out, and cut the collet from another knob. this was turned to diameter to fit the drilled hole, and the two parts were araldited together. I fibreglass brushed and brassoed the brass trims, and gave them a coat of lacquer. the tuning mechanism was cleaned up and relubed, and the chassis was then put back together. everything was then bolted back into the case, and the set was treated to a new EM81 (1.99 off ebay). the back panel was cleaned up with bath cleaning foam and wax polished, and fastened on. the set has now displaced the philips 462 in the hall, as it's got FM, it has quite a good sound for the size of speaker, and is a very tidy looking set. next on my list is getting the nixie clock kit finished that santa brought !! Attached Thumbnails

22nd Jan 2006, 12:23 am	#2
yestertech Nonode Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Coulsdon, Surrey, UK. Posts: 2,130	Re: another Bush VHF 61 springs to life Steve - well done you ! It looks fabulous. A small set with a surprisingly good sound. ( Mind, not so hot if you remove the frequency adjusted feedback, but what's wrong with a bit of cheating ? ) A.

23rd Jan 2006, 9:21 pm	#3
howard Nonode Join Date: May 2005 Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK. Posts: 2,593	Re: another Bush VHF 61 springs to life Hello Steve, Thats a lovely radio And a super job .... I really like these late 50s Bush valve radios a in black bakelite case and lots of brass trim and with VHF ! Theyre quite compact arent they ? I ask cos I dont have a lot of room and I really would like to aquire one of these Howard

24th Jan 2006, 10:37 am	#4
Steve G4WCS Heptode Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Preston, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 632	Re: another Bush VHF 61 springs to life Ill measure it up for you. They have chaeted a bit with the VHF 61 as the chassis acutally sticks out of the back of the case for a bit, and the back panel comes out a bit- like a telly. They are reasonably compact thought, and a nice looking set.

24th Jan 2006, 2:11 pm	#5
howard Nonode Join Date: May 2005 Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK. Posts: 2,593	Re: another Bush VHF 61 springs to life Thanks Steve.

24th Jan 2006, 2:52 pm	#6
Hunts smoothing bomb Octode Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Wimborne, Dorset, UK. Posts: 1,407	Re: another Bush VHF 61 springs to life I didn't realise that they didn't use the same chassis as the VHF71. I have a VHF71 that I restored 2 years ago and the two sets look identical all bar the positioning of the tuning indicator...... they do sound superb though. Well done... Great job!! Lee __________________ Lee

24th Jan 2006, 3:03 pm	#7
Aub Nonode Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Nuneaton, Warwickshire, UK. Posts: 2,037	Re: another Bush VHF 61 springs to life Super job. Well done! Aub

24th Jan 2006, 7:47 pm	#8
Paul Stenning Administrator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Cardiff Posts: 9,071	Re: another Bush VHF 61 springs to life The VHF71 also has one less button and a couple of filler pieces to allow them to use the same cabinet. I think the VHF71 is an AC/DC set, so the missing button is GRAM. __________________ Paul Stenning Forum Admin/Owner and BVWS Webmaster

25th Jan 2006, 9:29 am	#9
Steve G4WCS Heptode Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Preston, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 632	Re: another Bush VHF 61 springs to life And the dimensions are ( all in good old inches) 16 1/2 wide 11 1/2 high 9 1/2 deep

25th Jan 2006, 9:43 am	#10
howard Nonode Join Date: May 2005 Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK. Posts: 2,593	Re: another Bush VHF 61 springs to life Thanks Steve, Yes, it is a compact set ! I WILL get one ! Thanks. Howard