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Old 29th May 2018, 11:51 am   #1
MurphyNut
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Default Murphy A50 (1938) restoration

This Murphy was certainly more complex than anything else I’ve attempted restore before. It’s a big heavy radio, weighing at 50 pounds and 23 inches wide. Firstly I’d like to thank Andy Day for passing on this beast. Apparently it was saved from a skip 30 years ago and dry stored ever since.

The Cabinet
This radio clearly creates a lot of bass and it’s obvious by looking at how it was constructed effort has been put into dampening any annoying rattles or vibrations. The speaker baffle and glass front snugly fit into a rubber recess as well as other numerous rubber strips in selected places. Needless to say after 80 years these had all gone rock hard and weren’t doing their job anymore and needed replacing.
Chipping all this away was time consuming but worth the effort, when reassembled with the new rubber everything is now held nice and tight.
At first I was going to replace the speaker cloth as there was a small tear in it but I eventually decided to retain it, I’ve not found (as yet) anything that looks remotely close enough to the original Murphy material.
The main body of cabinet had suffered some water damage on the side with missing veneer, as well and a few knocks here and there. The top was badly marked with white paint, after completely removing all the original varnish I was pleased this paint hadn’t penetrated into the wood beneath. I refinished the cabinet it in 4 coats of Danish oil. I’ve not used this product before and very impressed with the finish and ease of use.
I was able to find a reasonable match when re-veneered the damaged areas, though not entirely the same grain the colour is almost spot-on and wouldn’t really be noticed unless pointed out.
The smoked glass panel was problematic; it had lost its silvered finish in places and gone a bit tarnished. Something I can live with, getting this kind of thing remade or repaired would no doubt be very costly.

The Chassis
Internally it was in very good condition no rust and completely unmolested with all the original wax and electrolytic capacitors in place. I decided to replace all of them before I powered it up. This was straight forward apart from a few in tricky hard to get places. The electrolytic caps were in “condenser box” containing 3 and a separate “wet” condenser in a metal tube, all these had completely failed.
The 10 inch mains activated speaker was in good shape but I did notice a scraping noise when I moved the diagram up and down, luckily these speakers contain a small nut which undone enables you to realign the voice coil.
Unlike Murphy sets from the 1940’s when they went over to rubber insulated wiring all the wiring here was covered in a type of robust fabric and perfectly sound only the main’s lead needed replacing, it made a lovely crackling noise when bent!
The tuning mechanism was horribly stiff; I noticed the drum was rubbing against the station name Perspex. This is curved and I suspect due to age and heat generated from the radio had caused it to shrink thus making contact. I took it all apart and managed to elongate the fixing holes and get the correct curve back and it now clears the drum.
Unfortunately much of the lettering on both the scale and drum had worn away many years ago, I’ll have to live with this until a better replacement is found, if anyone by chance has a spare pleased let me know, this set up was also used on the A48.
With a lot of cleaning and a bit of lubrication the tuning movement is now much smoother.
I got to the stage when I felt happy applying power to the set; at first I was disappointed as nothing much happened, there was power getting through but no stations. Then I noticed the rectifier valve wasn’t glowing, I gave it a gentle waggle and press and it came on and the radio burst into life, resulting in a big smile on my face!
I had cleaned all the contact and valve pins beforehand but this was actually a bad connection on the underside of the halve holder, re-soldering did the trick.
With the chassis and speaker back in its cabinet it sounds fantastic! Lovely deep sound with plenty of volume and I’m pulling in lots of station.
A really nice radio, cosmetically it isn’t perfect but this hasn’t spoil the enjoyed and the rewarding process of getting it back in working order again.
Before pictures-
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Old 29th May 2018, 11:53 am   #2
MurphyNut
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Default Re: Murphy A50 (1938) restoration

After pictures
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Old 29th May 2018, 2:18 pm   #3
Nickthedentist
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Default Re: Murphy A50 (1938) restoration

Very nice work, Clive.

There can't be many of these beasts left, espcially as the SWMBO appeal of sets like these is usually rather low!

Could we have a pic of it doing its duty indoors and with the scale illuminated at some point, please?

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Old 29th May 2018, 3:01 pm   #4
MurphyNut
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Default Re: Murphy A50 (1938) restoration

Yes, unless you're a Murphy lover the styling might seem rather challenging, my wife certainly doesn't like the look of it much.
I'll try and take a picture tomorrow, it's got a nice warm glow.
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Old 29th May 2018, 4:13 pm   #5
dave walsh
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Default Re: Murphy A50 (1938) restoration

Another excellent restoration Clive. Will it feature in one of your amusing 1930's shorts? You do seem adept at digging out the older more obscure models. I enjoyed the photo on your other thread re you having the only original house on the row.

I like the Murphy designs, even the [shall we say] less than glamorous ones but they certainly look better when you restore the woodwork. They may well have looked more futuristic and attractive, in context, in their day than we can appreciate nearly a century later. The setting can be crucial sometimes as we know from the excellent photos Forum members post.

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Old 30th May 2018, 8:02 pm   #6
MurphyNut
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Default Re: Murphy A50 (1938) restoration

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nickthedentist View Post
Could we have a pic of it doing its duty indoors and with the scale illuminated at some point, please?
There you go Nick, just spent an hour listening to Radio 4.
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Old 30th May 2018, 8:05 pm   #7
Nickthedentist
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Default Re: Murphy A50 (1938) restoration

Ah, that's more like it! Thanks, Clive.
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Old 31st May 2018, 1:13 am   #8
AC/HL
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Default Re: Murphy A50 (1938) restoration

Actually, for a Murphy it's quite restrained I think.
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Old 31st May 2018, 6:22 pm   #9
CambridgeWorks
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Default Re: Murphy A50 (1938) restoration

A very nice job indeed! Although I have not done any restorations even approaching that, seeing the illuminated dial with all those place names has just brought back memories from the early 60s when i received my first "belt" from a large old Philco wooden cased model bought for 2 shillings at a jumble sale and transported home balanced on my bike whilst I walked alongside.
Currently, I have a lovely condition (only 1 owner, believed working) Marconi AC42 to check out sometime. In the back bedroom covered in a bath towel to stop fading.
Plus a Bush BAC31 batt/mains portable set, as well as lots of R1155, "command" tx/rx sets and several BC348. Plus a 52 set, WS58 and a rare TR9/D!
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Old 31st May 2018, 7:25 pm   #10
Phil G4SPZ
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Default Re: Murphy A50 (1938) restoration

Great work. The before and after pics are very descriptive! Well done.
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Old 31st May 2018, 8:09 pm   #11
Andy Day
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Default Re: Murphy A50 (1938) restoration

Brilliant job Clive, I'm so glad I gave it to you. The realisation had dawned on me I would never get one of those round things, a tuit, so it was time to pass it on.

Thanks, Andy
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