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Old 6th Sep 2014, 12:08 pm   #1
andycapp
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Default Civilian receiver cabinets.

Hi everyone,

I now have two civilian receivers, both working after a fashion, and I am hoping to restore both cabinets myself.

Wood-wise one is original bare wood, just the colour of age and smoke and dust so not much to do there, the other has been varnished and that is flaking so should strip okay.

One definitely needs a new cloth, which thanks to another member I have enough to redo two and nearly a dead match.

Has anyone ever redone the cloth on one of these, they don't look flat like most cloths I see?

Any tips would be great. Also on the back panels you have the paper warning label, both are present, but on one it has a printed warning on the other side of panel, pic attached.

The first one doesn't have this but it does have an oblong indentation where it may have been at some time, could this be replicated.

Lastly which side of back panel faced out?
Was it the paper warning side or the other?

Many thanks for any advice offered.

Andy
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Old 6th Sep 2014, 3:38 pm   #2
60 oldjohn
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Default Re: Civilian receiver cabinets.

Hi Andy,

From memory, the cloth and speaker are mounted on a removable baffle board.
Once the old coth has been removed the new cloth can be wrapped around the board and secured at rear with Evo-stick. The back of the material is flat where the glue goes.

I hope I explained well enough. I think you have one of the excellent reproduction backs that are around.
The original card back on my set has expanded and buckled. The original would have a paper sticker on the outside rear of set.
Yours in the picture looks like a modern safety notice in keeping with the set.

Pleased the cloth is a good match,

John.
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Old 6th Sep 2014, 3:47 pm   #3
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Default Re: Civilian receiver cabinets.

Thanks John, I must admit I couldn't believe how close a match it was to both radios. I will try stripping out the broken one tomorrow. I intend making a false base and front with cut outs to house the chassis while I do the cabinets, it should keep them safe until I find someone to do them. Interesting about the back being a repro, you wouldn't think to see it especially the paper warning sticker. I'm surprised anyone would even do a repro of those, ah well you live and learn, cheers John Andy
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Old 8th Sep 2014, 9:32 am   #4
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Default Re: Civilian receiver cabinets.

Quote:
Originally Posted by andycapp View Post
Interesting about the back being a repro, you wouldn't think to see it especially the paper warning sticker. I'm surprised anyone would even do a repro of those, ah well you live and learn
The label does indeed go on the outside, but though that's a neat label, it isn't a copy of an original one.

Yes, the back is a repro, and looking at the neat uniformity of the slots, it has almost certainly been made on a router jig of some kind. I wrote an article in the Summer 2013 BVWS Bulletin on a 'universal router jig' that I designed for making replica backs for radios, which featured an example of a Wartime Civilian Receiver back panel including a repro label. I 'aged' the label as best I could by soaking an A4 sheet of paper in strong black (cold!) coffee and allowing it to dry, then ironed it smooth. (It's darker than it appears on the pic below).

I've attached pics of other backs that I made on the router jig.

The last pic is what inspired me to make the jig in the first instance. It's off a Little Maestro 'woodie' showing the damaged back and the replica that I made.

I should add that there's no way anyone could make replica backs for financial gain - the cost and time involved would far outweigh the value of the set, unless it's something like a round Ekco worth many hundreds of pounds. There are several different slot lengths and spacing used by manufacturers, so the jig has to be set up for the particular back in question. You need an original back (or at least a 'brass rubbing' of one) as a pattern, and even using a router jig it's quite time consuming - maybe 1.5 Hrs to cut the slots then cut the panel to size, paint it, drill any fixing holes, and design, print and apply a label.

That said, of all the backs that may be needed, the Wartime Civilian one is the least challenging as it's rectangular. Most original radio backs were made from 'Millboard' and would have been punched out on a press. However, fortuitously, the WCR backs were of hardboard, which means that either 3mm MDF or hardboard can be used to make a passable replica. (The best material to use is 'oil tempered' hardboard, but it's not easy to find. Unlike normal hardboard, it isn't 'fluffy' and cuts much more cleanly with a router bit).

Without a router jig it would take an eternity. The only other way to cut slots would be to drill a hole at the top and bottom of each slot and cut the sides of the slots with a fretsaw or chisel. I know it's been done, and done skilfully, but I'd have to be in prison to be induced to do that, as a condition of my early release!

I don't hold these examples out to be the best backs that could be made - just the best that I could make!

Hope that's of interest.
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Old 8th Sep 2014, 10:43 am   #5
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Default Re: Civilian receiver cabinets.

Well David your repros certainly look the business, this is a pic of the inside label from that back on the WCR, it's all the seller put on of that label, don't know what you can make out from that. The reason I didn't think of repros was as you say I didn't think it would be financially viable. It's not what you know David it's who you know. I don't know the right people.

Thanks for interesting reply. Andy.
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Old 8th Sep 2014, 4:58 pm   #6
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Default Re: Civilian receiver cabinets.

That looks like a genuine back and label Andy, in that the holes looked to have been 'punched' into millboard on a press, rather then cut with a router. But oddly, the label seems to be on the inside, despite it having the instructions for use on that label, so it should clearly be on the outside.

You'll note that there are two holes at the RH end of the bottom row of slots, the purpose of which eludes me, but I included them on my repro back for the sake of authenticity. Those holes are at the RH end on your first picture. If you put the instruction label on the outside, the holes would be at the LH side of the back, not that it would matter one jot as they seem to serve no useful purpose that I can see.

I suppose that the most genuine looking repro label would be one that's been scanned off a presentable original so that it looks 'aged', but the original back I had didn't have a good enough label to scan, so coffee stains was the best I could do on mine.
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Old 8th Sep 2014, 6:22 pm   #7
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Default Re: Civilian receiver cabinets.

David, the quality of your work is, as always, first class. I am amazed at the skilful replication of the wartime receiver back panel, but most especially at the repo label. It looks like you just got it out of 'stores'!
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Old 8th Sep 2014, 9:17 pm   #8
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Default Re: Civilian receiver cabinets.

Thanks for your kind comments Nick, but the credit for the label should be rightly accorded to Tony 'Aerodyne'.

My own effort of a cleaned up scan left much to be desired!
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Old 8th Sep 2014, 9:46 pm   #9
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Default Re: Civilian receiver cabinets.

Quote:
Originally Posted by David G4EBT View Post
You'll note that there are two holes at the RH end of the bottom row of slots, the purpose of which eludes me, but I included them on my repro back for the sake of authenticity. Those holes are at the RH end on your first picture. If you put the instruction label on the outside, the holes would be at the LH side of the back, not that it would matter one jot as they seem to serve no useful purpose that I can see.
My set (the version with long wave) also has the two holes, which are used to "park" the two-pin 5 amp mains plug which it came with.
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Old 8th Sep 2014, 10:37 pm   #10
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Default Re: Civilian receiver cabinets.

Thanks for explaining the mystery holes Terry!

Well I never
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Old 9th Sep 2014, 9:49 am   #11
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Default Re: Civilian receiver cabinets.

Quote:
Originally Posted by David G4EBT View Post
I 'aged' the label as best I could by soaking an A4 sheet of paper in strong black (cold!) coffee and allowing it to dry, then ironed it smooth. (It's darker than it appears on the pic below).
The easiest way to get the aged paper look is to use old paper! Such as the front and back pages of old books (which can be found in charity shops for a few pence). Heathkit manuals often have a couple of blank pages too, and look suitably aged now. It will go through a laser printer fine (best to use the manual feed), and I think it looks better than any attempt at staining or ageing new paper.
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Old 9th Sep 2014, 11:14 am   #12
60 oldjohn
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Default Re: Civilian receiver cabinets.

Good tip Paul, I used to use Tea to age paper. I will remember that one.

Thank You, John.
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Old 9th Sep 2014, 1:41 pm   #13
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Default Re: Civilian receiver cabinets.

Just finished taking the chassis and speaker out and taken the old grille off. It doesn't look too bad but I am not quite sure what to use, whether to go with a fine wet and dry with white spirit or try to scrape it first dry. I don't really want to damage the top sticker as I would prefer to keep it original if I can, any suggestions will be welcome. I think the speaker in this is a new one and I think the two lower feet are new I will put some pics on later today.
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Old 9th Sep 2014, 2:27 pm   #14
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Default Re: Civilian receiver cabinets.

I'd initially see how it comes up after rubbing it over with beeswax polish on fine wire-wool.

- Joe
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Old 9th Sep 2014, 2:34 pm   #15
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Default Re: Civilian receiver cabinets.

Thanks Joe trouble is some previous owner put varnish on it.
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Old 9th Sep 2014, 2:38 pm   #16
60 oldjohn
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Default Re: Civilian receiver cabinets.

I agree some sort of wax, possibly cleaning first with soapy water if the set needs it, and leaving a few days to properly dry out. You don't want to destroy the natural patina by sanding. I use this method and it can be used on most wooden sets, depending on their condition.

Don't try taking the varnish off, It may be original, Some manufactures used some sort of dark varnish. some just left the wood bare.

John.
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Old 9th Sep 2014, 3:18 pm   #17
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Default Re: Civilian receiver cabinets.

I will try beeswax and fine wire wool then first and see how it goes, thanks a lot.. Andy
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Old 10th Sep 2014, 9:12 pm   #18
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Default Re: Civilian receiver cabinets.

Every one of these sets that I have seen has been varnished but I understand they were supplied as plain Pine. This is my own set and I love the natural pretty patterns shown by just a small dollop of pine wax polish.
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Old 12th Sep 2014, 12:45 am   #19
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Default Re: Civilian receiver cabinets.

Very nice Dave, I don't think my cabinet will come up quite so light. I don't know whether it is just a varnish or a stain and varnish but I will be starting it later today so I will find out soon. andy
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Old 18th Sep 2014, 10:58 am   #20
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Default Re: Civilian receiver cabinets.

hi, just a few pics of 1st cabinet minus varnish, a few knocks and dings but I will leave them in, one pic of one of the knobs just to show how good the last person who varnished it was, they couldn't be bothered to mask the knobs or take them off. Couldn't manage to save top label but have one coming thanks to Dave G4EBT. As soon as that is on it will be a couple of coats of BOL and then polish. Pic 4 shows what I knocked up to keep chassis and speaker safe while I do cabinets. Sits in a stiff cardboard box as well.
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Last edited by andycapp; 18th Sep 2014 at 11:00 am. Reason: wording wrong
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