Dial Glass Reconstruction - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

awc · 9th Jul 2009, 6:13 pm

Here are the before and after scans of the GEC SW4 dial glass I decided to try and recontruct in Adobe Photoshop. There was just enough detail on the old glass to enable the recontruction but all the text had to be renewed from scratch as did the graduations. Started in March and just finished after many, many hours clicking away. Perhaps I should have asked if anyone had a scan first...... The final product was reverse printed onto waterslide transfer (first time I've used it - great fun!) and two prints laid one over the other and acyrilic varnished, two coats. I used a new piece of glass so I could put the remains of the original in the cabinet. The varnish on the set was in a terrible state so I stripped it and repolished with brushing wax. This gives a not-too-glossy finish and is dead easy to use. Pic of glass in set and powered up attached.

Colin · 9th Jul 2009, 6:25 pm

What an astounding piece of reconstruction! Truly amazing given the starting point. The finished set looks very nice too, and the new dial sets it off beautifully. I've had a go at this sort of thing myself and it is really time consuming and painstaking work. Very well done I hope it sounds as good as it looks.

Sideband · 9th Jul 2009, 6:25 pm

What a brilliant job!

Well done that man!

Rich.

Boom · 9th Jul 2009, 7:23 pm

Wow!

mark pirate · 9th Jul 2009, 7:58 pm

Fantastic reconstruction, very well done that man!

Mark

Hermit6345 · 9th Jul 2009, 8:25 pm

Wonderful work! I wouldn't have thought it possible judging by what you started with.

Ian.

awc · 9th Jul 2009, 8:55 pm

Many thanks all, for your comments. There were times when I wondered if all the time and effort was worth it but once I'd started.... I discovered early on to save each sessions work to a disc as well as the hard drive and create a copy to work on the next time just in case disaster struck. As a matter of interest, does anyone know the relevance of the letters "A" and "B" above the short wave markings?

The set works quite well, but the valves are a little tired, particularly the frequency changer and with the exception of the D41 seem difficult to get hold of. Short wave is the perkiest with medium wave only just about adequate and long wave very feeble. This is the first set I've restored with a Barretter on board, not much glow but lots of heat!

Station X · 9th Jul 2009, 9:04 pm

Quote:

As a matter of interest, does anyone know the relevance of the letters "A" and "B" above the short wave markings?

Amateur and Broadcast.

chipp1968 · 9th Jul 2009, 10:33 pm

Dial and set look good , very impressed

stuie319 · 10th Jul 2009, 7:25 am

Hello,

I *never* cease to be astonished with the things people achieve here

Thats fabulous, well done

Regards
Stu

Boom · 10th Jul 2009, 8:49 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by awc

the valves are a little tired, particularly the frequency changer and with the exception of the D41 seem difficult to get hold of.

I don't know this set. What are the numbers and I'll go through my spare valves.

kalee20 · 10th Jul 2009, 12:28 pm

Good work, AWC.You've obviously spent some time on this. I'm really impressed!

Radio_Dave · 10th Jul 2009, 1:11 pm

Looks damn good to me, well done!

David

awc · 10th Jul 2009, 4:28 pm

Thanks David for your offer to look out for some valves for me and to everyone for their kind comments and encouragement. The valves are Osram X31 W31 N31 and U30. The Barretter and the D41 are ok.

Thanks again.

benjamin77 · 12th Jul 2009, 3:35 pm

Blimey the patientance of saint...! Truly amazing

now I know who to come to if I should need this doing

60 oldjohn · 12th Jul 2009, 9:31 pm

Well done. If possible work of this standard should be archived for others to use. I think there was a thread somewhere on the forum. John.

awc · 13th Jul 2009, 8:39 am

Thanks again for your kind comments. I was thinking about uploading the finished copy to an archive until a decent scan of an original dial glass is available. Perhaps someone can give me instructions on the where and how.

Aerodyne · 13th Jul 2009, 10:30 am

Many hours of patient work expended here. I know - been there, done that. A labour of love, truly. Well worth the effort, though. Excellent outcome.
-Tony

Brian R Pateman · 13th Jul 2009, 3:57 pm

As a first step towards archiving I have applied some ahhesive to make this thread "Sticky."

Regards,

howard · 13th Jul 2009, 7:00 pm

Excellent work

Howard

9th Jul 2009, 6:13 pm	#1
awc Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Somerset, UK. Posts: 334	Dial Glass Reconstruction Here are the before and after scans of the GEC SW4 dial glass I decided to try and recontruct in Adobe Photoshop. There was just enough detail on the old glass to enable the recontruction but all the text had to be renewed from scratch as did the graduations. Started in March and just finished after many, many hours clicking away. Perhaps I should have asked if anyone had a scan first...... The final product was reverse printed onto waterslide transfer (first time I've used it - great fun!) and two prints laid one over the other and acyrilic varnished, two coats. I used a new piece of glass so I could put the remains of the original in the cabinet. The varnish on the set was in a terrible state so I stripped it and repolished with brushing wax. This gives a not-too-glossy finish and is dead easy to use. Pic of glass in set and powered up attached. Attached Thumbnails

9th Jul 2009, 6:25 pm	#2
Colin Heptode Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Ilkley, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 656	Re: Dial Glass Reconstruction What an astounding piece of reconstruction! Truly amazing given the starting point. The finished set looks very nice too, and the new dial sets it off beautifully. I've had a go at this sort of thing myself and it is really time consuming and painstaking work. Very well done I hope it sounds as good as it looks. __________________ Colin Armstrong

9th Jul 2009, 6:25 pm	#3
Sideband Dekatron Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK. Posts: 7,100	Re: Dial Glass Reconstruction What a brilliant job! Well done that man! Rich. __________________ There are lots of brilliant keyboard players and then there is Rick Wakeman.....

9th Jul 2009, 7:23 pm	#4
Boom Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Westbury, Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 2,451	Re: Dial Glass Reconstruction Wow!

9th Jul 2009, 7:58 pm	#5
mark pirate Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK Posts: 5,164	Re: Dial Glass Reconstruction Fantastic reconstruction, very well done that man! Mark

9th Jul 2009, 8:25 pm	#6
Hermit6345 Heptode Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: North Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 636	Re: Dial Glass Reconstruction Wonderful work! I wouldn't have thought it possible judging by what you started with. Ian. __________________ "It's the volts that jolts, but the mill's that kills!"

9th Jul 2009, 8:55 pm	#7
awc Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Somerset, UK. Posts: 334	Re: Dial Glass Reconstruction Many thanks all, for your comments. There were times when I wondered if all the time and effort was worth it but once I'd started.... I discovered early on to save each sessions work to a disc as well as the hard drive and create a copy to work on the next time just in case disaster struck. As a matter of interest, does anyone know the relevance of the letters "A" and "B" above the short wave markings? The set works quite well, but the valves are a little tired, particularly the frequency changer and with the exception of the D41 seem difficult to get hold of. Short wave is the perkiest with medium wave only just about adequate and long wave very feeble. This is the first set I've restored with a Barretter on board, not much glow but lots of heat!

9th Jul 2009, 10:33 pm	#9
chipp1968 Rest in Peace Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Somerset, UK. Posts: 2,356	Re: Dial Glass Reconstruction Dial and set look good , very impressed

10th Jul 2009, 7:25 am	#10
stuie319 Pentode Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Stockport, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 229	Re: Dial Glass Reconstruction Hello, I never cease to be astonished with the things people achieve here Thats fabulous, well done Regards Stu

10th Jul 2009, 12:28 pm	#12
kalee20 Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Lynton, N. Devon, UK. Posts: 6,557	Re: Dial Glass Reconstruction Good work, AWC.You've obviously spent some time on this. I'm really impressed!

10th Jul 2009, 1:11 pm	#13
Radio_Dave Nonode Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 2,540	Re: Dial Glass Reconstruction Looks damn good to me, well done! David

10th Jul 2009, 4:28 pm	#14
awc Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Somerset, UK. Posts: 334	Re: Dial Glass Reconstruction Thanks David for your offer to look out for some valves for me and to everyone for their kind comments and encouragement. The valves are Osram X31 W31 N31 and U30. The Barretter and the D41 are ok. Thanks again.

12th Jul 2009, 3:35 pm	#15
benjamin77 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, UK. Posts: 326	Re: Dial Glass Reconstruction Blimey the patientance of saint...! Truly amazing now I know who to come to if I should need this doing

12th Jul 2009, 9:31 pm	#16
60 oldjohn Dekatron Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 3,587	Re: Dial Glass Reconstruction Well done. If possible work of this standard should be archived for others to use. I think there was a thread somewhere on the forum. John.

13th Jul 2009, 8:39 am	#17
awc Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Somerset, UK. Posts: 334	Re: Dial Glass Reconstruction Thanks again for your kind comments. I was thinking about uploading the finished copy to an archive until a decent scan of an original dial glass is available. Perhaps someone can give me instructions on the where and how.

13th Jul 2009, 10:30 am	#18
Aerodyne Octode Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Hampton Vale, Peterborough, UK. Posts: 1,698	Re: Dial Glass Reconstruction Many hours of patient work expended here. I know - been there, done that. A labour of love, truly. Well worth the effort, though. Excellent outcome. -Tony

13th Jul 2009, 3:57 pm	#19
Brian R Pateman Nonode Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Western Lake District, Cumbria (CA20) - UK Posts: 2,136	Re: Dial Glass Reconstruction As a first step towards archiving I have applied some ahhesive to make this thread "Sticky." Regards, __________________ Brian

13th Jul 2009, 7:00 pm	#20
howard Nonode Join Date: May 2005 Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK. Posts: 2,593	Re: Dial Glass Reconstruction Excellent work Howard