Gecophone revival - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

radiopotty · 9th Nov 2017, 9:07 pm

I bought recently an empty Gecophone Smokers Cabinet from an antique store.I would like to install a 2 valve radio in the cabinet using vintage parts . Does anyone have a suitable source for circuits and build details for this venture. I do not have in mind to recreate the original radio but I do have a workshop full of vintage components.

Many thanks. Frank

Ed_Dinning · 9th Nov 2017, 9:17 pm

Hi Frank, plenty of 2 and 3 valve circuits about in various PW books from the 30's to 50's as well as things such as the Telsen Radiomag.
If you can get to Golbourne on Sunday you may find some parts for sale there; failing that an ad in the wanted section on this forum could get you what you want.

Ed

60 oldjohn · 9th Nov 2017, 10:23 pm

Hi Frank, If you are a member of the BVWS there are construction details including the sizes of the wood used for the usual missing internals. It is in 8/2 edition of the Bulletin dating from 1983 there is a Geophone on the front page. It is available on the first 20 years of the BVWS CD. It may be available on the net. Tip, The 3/8" mahogany used is best found in unwanted 1920s brown furniture.

John.

AC/HL · 9th Nov 2017, 11:49 pm

It is on the net: http://www.bvws.org.uk/publications/...letin_08_2.pdf.
You may as well try to get is as near as possible.

greenstar · 10th Nov 2017, 8:57 am

There's also the American Radio History website, which has several 20's British magazines on now - the early Wireless Worlds have construction projects. The tricky thing with reproducing the original is the plug in reactance unit. I wonder if anyone has details of it?
http://americanradiohistory.com/index.htm#Else

John M0GLN · 10th Nov 2017, 9:01 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenstar

There's also the American Radio History website, which has several 20's British magazines on now - the early Wireless Worlds are good.

These are a couple of links,

http://www.americanradiohistory.com/...d_Magazine.htm
http://www.americanradiohistory.com/...s_Magazine.htm

John

60 oldjohn · 10th Nov 2017, 10:46 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by AC/HL

It is on the net: http://www.bvws.org.uk/publications/...letin_08_2.pdf.
You may as well try to get is as near as possible.

Thank you Bill for the finding and linking the article. All the information you need to make a replica, even down to the instruction labels to print off and to pin on the inside of the doors.

John.

greenstar · 10th Nov 2017, 2:29 pm

I mean no disrespect to John or anybody else, but surely if Frank wanted to reproduce the original as closely as possible the crucial information is the design and construction of the reaction unit and the two coils alongside - to emulate the performance and save a lot of experimentation. I too have a cabinet, so it is of interest to me!

thevalveset · 1st Feb 2018, 5:46 pm

I have nearly completed building my replica BC2001 and have some details of the reactance unit if you are interested?

My replica is totally manufactured from scratch. I have moulded all the ebonite/bakelite parts (valveholders knobs dials) I have machined all the metal parts and nickel plated them. I have replicated the tuning cap and variometer from scratch including manufacturing the correct sized paxolin tube for the variometer from brown paper and resin. I have constructed the filament rheostat and wound the correct resistance element, and am in the process of manufacturing the 'Telephone Condensers'.
I have made the brass engraving machine templates and engraved both front and back panels in the correct font.
The challenge was to take the empty smokers cabinet and make every last part (other than valves!) from scratch and get the set working.......
Yes I'm completely bonkers!
Dave

AC/HL · 1st Feb 2018, 5:58 pm

Well, at least two are very interested, and probably many more!

TonyDuell · 1st Feb 2018, 6:03 pm

Make that at least 3 interested

. This sounds like a very interesting project.

Reelman · 1st Feb 2018, 8:36 pm

Make that four, I also have an empty smokers’ cabinet.
Peter

Cobaltblue · 1st Feb 2018, 9:00 pm

5
Cheers

Mike T

HamishBoxer · 1st Feb 2018, 9:38 pm

Agh! I sold my empty cabinet a few years ago.

Cobaltblue · 1st Feb 2018, 9:41 pm

I have had my empty cabinet torturing me for 29 years its enough !

Cheers

Mike T

greenstar · 1st Feb 2018, 9:55 pm

Yes, would be great to know more about said reaction unit! What valves will you be using?

9th Nov 2017, 9:07 pm	#1
radiopotty Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Doncaster, South Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 20	Gecophone revival I bought recently an empty Gecophone Smokers Cabinet from an antique store.I would like to install a 2 valve radio in the cabinet using vintage parts . Does anyone have a suitable source for circuits and build details for this venture. I do not have in mind to recreate the original radio but I do have a workshop full of vintage components. Many thanks. Frank

9th Nov 2017, 9:17 pm	#2
Ed_Dinning Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, UK. Posts: 8,195	Re: Gecophone revival Hi Frank, plenty of 2 and 3 valve circuits about in various PW books from the 30's to 50's as well as things such as the Telsen Radiomag. If you can get to Golbourne on Sunday you may find some parts for sale there; failing that an ad in the wanted section on this forum could get you what you want. Ed

9th Nov 2017, 10:23 pm	#3
60 oldjohn Dekatron Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 3,988	Re: Gecophone revival Hi Frank, If you are a member of the BVWS there are construction details including the sizes of the wood used for the usual missing internals. It is in 8/2 edition of the Bulletin dating from 1983 there is a Geophone on the front page. It is available on the first 20 years of the BVWS CD. It may be available on the net. Tip, The 3/8" mahogany used is best found in unwanted 1920s brown furniture. John.

9th Nov 2017, 11:49 pm	#4
AC/HL Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 9,642	Re: Gecophone revival It is on the net: http://www.bvws.org.uk/publications/...letin_08_2.pdf. You may as well try to get is as near as possible.

10th Nov 2017, 8:57 am	#5
greenstar Octode Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Leicester, Leics. UK. Posts: 1,685	Re: Gecophone revival There's also the American Radio History website, which has several 20's British magazines on now - the early Wireless Worlds have construction projects. The tricky thing with reproducing the original is the plug in reactance unit. I wonder if anyone has details of it? http://americanradiohistory.com/index.htm#Else Last edited by greenstar; 10th Nov 2017 at 9:03 am.

10th Nov 2017, 2:29 pm	#8
greenstar Octode Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Leicester, Leics. UK. Posts: 1,685	Re: Gecophone revival I mean no disrespect to John or anybody else, but surely if Frank wanted to reproduce the original as closely as possible the crucial information is the design and construction of the reaction unit and the two coils alongside - to emulate the performance and save a lot of experimentation. I too have a cabinet, so it is of interest to me!

1st Feb 2018, 5:46 pm	#9
thevalveset Tetrode Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, UK. Posts: 73	Re: Gecophone revival I have nearly completed building my replica BC2001 and have some details of the reactance unit if you are interested? My replica is totally manufactured from scratch. I have moulded all the ebonite/bakelite parts (valveholders knobs dials) I have machined all the metal parts and nickel plated them. I have replicated the tuning cap and variometer from scratch including manufacturing the correct sized paxolin tube for the variometer from brown paper and resin. I have constructed the filament rheostat and wound the correct resistance element, and am in the process of manufacturing the 'Telephone Condensers'. I have made the brass engraving machine templates and engraved both front and back panels in the correct font. The challenge was to take the empty smokers cabinet and make every last part (other than valves!) from scratch and get the set working....... Yes I'm completely bonkers! Dave

1st Feb 2018, 5:58 pm	#10
AC/HL Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 9,642	Re: Gecophone revival Well, at least two are very interested, and probably many more!

1st Feb 2018, 6:03 pm	#11
TonyDuell Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Biggin Hill, London, UK. Posts: 5,215	Re: Gecophone revival Make that at least 3 interested . This sounds like a very interesting project.

1st Feb 2018, 8:36 pm	#12
Reelman Octode Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Rotherham, South Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 1,724	Re: Gecophone revival Make that four, I also have an empty smokers’ cabinet. Peter

1st Feb 2018, 9:00 pm	#13
Cobaltblue Moderator Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Exeter, Devon and Poole, Dorset UK. Posts: 6,876	Re: Gecophone revival 5 Cheers Mike T __________________ Invisible airwaves crackle with life or at least they used to Mike T BVWS member. www.cossor.co.uk

1st Feb 2018, 9:38 pm	#14
HamishBoxer Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: W.Butterwick, near Doncaster UK. Posts: 8,935	Re: Gecophone revival Agh! I sold my empty cabinet a few years ago. __________________ G8JET BVWS Archivist and Member V.M.A.R.S

1st Feb 2018, 9:41 pm	#15
Cobaltblue Moderator Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Exeter, Devon and Poole, Dorset UK. Posts: 6,876	Re: Gecophone revival I have had my empty cabinet torturing me for 29 years its enough ! Cheers Mike T __________________ Invisible airwaves crackle with life or at least they used to Mike T BVWS member. www.cossor.co.uk

1st Feb 2018, 9:55 pm	#16
greenstar Octode Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Leicester, Leics. UK. Posts: 1,685	Re: Gecophone revival Yes, would be great to know more about said reaction unit! What valves will you be using?