Roberts RT22 - one spider now homeless - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

howard · 17th Sep 2005, 1:13 pm

Hello,

Ive spent a few hours restoring an early battery only Roberts RT22, one I bought from eBay for £5.50. It did look a bit grim in the pic described simply as 'Roberts radio in working condition' and I was expecting to break it for spares and when it arrived it did indeed look like a piece of junk, filthy dirty with a pitted chrome handle, a missing button cap and when I opened the battery door there inside was a big black spider and loads of cobwebs ....

I guess you folk who restore big old valve radios are used to things like that but Ive never seen one in a small transistor portable before, mind you Roberts radios of this era do have a inviting hole in the bottom for homeless arachnids ...

Any way, I connected the RT22 to a battery and it worked well .... whereupon out came the spider running for his life. The pitting on the handle cleaned off fine with some Autoglym (good chrome on Roberts, better than Hacker steel handles) and I gave the radio a good clean and replaced the missing cap and this poor neglected RT22 has really come up almost mint, quite amazing !

People do sell junk on eBay and I daresay the seller thought so too but a spider liked it (where the hell did he go) and so did I and on this occasion I had the last laugh cos this is a jolly nice old radio, the best RT22 Ive got.

Howard

Andrew c · 17th Sep 2005, 4:45 pm

Hi Howard the spider probably came free of charge nice radio well worth the money and the resoration

Andy

howard · 17th Sep 2005, 7:27 pm

Hello Andy,

Thanks and no I won't complain about the free gift

Ive found him, the spider, he's found a new home just above my table .... gosh he's 3 inches long .....

Howard

PS: Ive called him Robert ....

howard · 12th Sep 2006, 8:38 pm

Hello

I'm sure you'll all be delighted to hear that Robert is alive and well and growing ..... and growing

I have had a horrible thought, I hope this isn't in fact a Roberta .......

Howard

Nickthedentist · 12th Sep 2006, 8:46 pm

Lovely job, Howard. It's always very satisfying when you acquire something cheaply intending to use it for spares, then find out it's actually better than what you'd intended to mend with it

.

Here are some rather strange friends for Robert(a), all living in my workshop (i.e. garage

).

Nick

JoshWard · 13th Sep 2006, 6:42 pm

An excellent restoration and it's nice to see you're looking after Robert(a). If you want any more spiders I've got loads of big wooden pre-war sets which should have some in....

. Josh.

Hybrid tellies · 13th Sep 2006, 8:48 pm

Hi Howard
I reckon Roberta is a male house spider. Enjoy his company as before long the urge will drag him away to do the required thing for arachnids, mind you unless he is fast enough it will probably seal his fate.
I wonder if he has already been a naughty boy and was in hiding when you found him inside the RT22.

17th Sep 2005, 1:13 pm	#1
howard Nonode Join Date: May 2005 Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK. Posts: 2,593	Roberts RT22 - one spider now homeless Hello, Ive spent a few hours restoring an early battery only Roberts RT22, one I bought from eBay for £5.50. It did look a bit grim in the pic described simply as 'Roberts radio in working condition' and I was expecting to break it for spares and when it arrived it did indeed look like a piece of junk, filthy dirty with a pitted chrome handle, a missing button cap and when I opened the battery door there inside was a big black spider and loads of cobwebs .... I guess you folk who restore big old valve radios are used to things like that but Ive never seen one in a small transistor portable before, mind you Roberts radios of this era do have a inviting hole in the bottom for homeless arachnids ... Any way, I connected the RT22 to a battery and it worked well .... whereupon out came the spider running for his life. The pitting on the handle cleaned off fine with some Autoglym (good chrome on Roberts, better than Hacker steel handles) and I gave the radio a good clean and replaced the missing cap and this poor neglected RT22 has really come up almost mint, quite amazing ! People do sell junk on eBay and I daresay the seller thought so too but a spider liked it (where the hell did he go) and so did I and on this occasion I had the last laugh cos this is a jolly nice old radio, the best RT22 Ive got. Howard Attached Thumbnails Last edited by howard; 17th Sep 2005 at 1:17 pm.

17th Sep 2005, 4:45 pm	#2
Andrew c Tetrode Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Stockport, Cheshire, UK. Posts: 72	Re: Roberts RT22 - one spider now homeless Hi Howard the spider probably came free of charge nice radio well worth the money and the resoration Andy

17th Sep 2005, 7:27 pm	#3
howard Nonode Join Date: May 2005 Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK. Posts: 2,593	Re: Roberts RT22 - one spider now homeless Hello Andy, Thanks and no I won't complain about the free gift Ive found him, the spider, he's found a new home just above my table .... gosh he's 3 inches long ..... Howard PS: Ive called him Robert .... Attached Thumbnails

12th Sep 2006, 8:38 pm	#4
howard Nonode Join Date: May 2005 Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK. Posts: 2,593	Re: Roberts RT22 - one spider now homeless Hello I'm sure you'll all be delighted to hear that Robert is alive and well and growing ..... and growing I have had a horrible thought, I hope this isn't in fact a Roberta ....... Howard Attached Thumbnails

12th Sep 2006, 8:46 pm	#5
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,864	Re: Roberts RT22 - one spider now homeless Lovely job, Howard. It's always very satisfying when you acquire something cheaply intending to use it for spares, then find out it's actually better than what you'd intended to mend with it. Here are some rather strange friends for Robert(a), all living in my workshop (i.e. garage). Nick Attached Thumbnails

13th Sep 2006, 6:42 pm	#6
JoshWard Octode Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Near Stowmarket, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 1,962	Re: Roberts RT22 - one spider now homeless An excellent restoration and it's nice to see you're looking after Robert(a). If you want any more spiders I've got loads of big wooden pre-war sets which should have some in.... . Josh.

13th Sep 2006, 8:48 pm	#7
Hybrid tellies Nonode Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: 1966-1976 Coverack in Cornwall and Helston Cornwall. 1976-present Bristol/Bath area. Posts: 2,967	Re: Roberts RT22 - one spider now homeless Hi Howard I reckon Roberta is a male house spider. Enjoy his company as before long the urge will drag him away to do the required thing for arachnids, mind you unless he is fast enough it will probably seal his fate. I wonder if he has already been a naughty boy and was in hiding when you found him inside the RT22. __________________ Simon BVWS member