Radio back panels. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Retired · 3rd Nov 2009, 4:30 pm

Hi,

A while ago I covered making radio back panels in the BVWS Bulletin and thought it might be worth while adding a thread on the subject.

A friend had two Philco people’s sets both without back panels and he was disappointed after buying a panel only for it to go missing in the post. In desperation my friend borrowed a panel and used it to draw the details onto plywood in the hope of making a pair; he had painstakingly marked every individual hole and was hoping to drill these one by one using a hand drill.

Having excellent workshop facilities I volunteered to have a go as a number of my sets also required back panels. My friend paid for a sheet of 3mm thick 8’ x 4’ MDF for me to experiment with.

These panels have each; in excess of 670 holes to be bored which at first was very daunting and to get every hole in the right position looked impossible using hand methods also I was thinking of making a number of panels at one go stacked together?

I roughed out twenty blanks of MDF and made a template of Contiplas to the exact size using the cut out plywood pattern; holes were bored in waste sections and a sandwich of ten blanks and the template were securely fastened together using countersunk set screws and nuts then the whole sandwich was machined on my Startrite universal using a large rebating head; they came out perfectly to size so whilst the machine was set up I ran another sandwich of ten blanks through.

I bought ten 3/16” dia. drill bits but needed a method of accurately drilling the holes so reverted back to my engineering training and made a drilling guide from 1/8” thick mild steel; a computer drawing was produced and printed then the hole pattern was cut out and attached to the steel blank; the blank was very carefully center punched using a sharp punch and each hole was bored on my drill press.

The new drilling guide was attached to the MDF sandwich using masking tape and each pattern of holes was bored right through the sandwich re-taping the guide for each pattern of holes. The first ten panels were a lot better than nothing but the MDF was extremely hard on drill bits so the second sandwich of ten was bored a lot more slowly with a lot of drill sharpening and these came out perfectly. The large diameter holes were bored using a Forstner bit.

Each panel was sanded using my random orbital sander and dusted off before being given a coat of auto black paint which dried to a mat finish. Twenty panels had taken me four full days to make and I’ve since used the same drilling guide to make backs for other sets as can be seen in the pictures. MDF dust is dangerous so I donned my respirator.

My friend was rather pleased to receive eighteen back panels and I retained two. It’s not a job I would like to do every day but I enjoyed the learning curve involved. I hope this is of interest and hasn’t been covered elsewhere. Col.

dave walsh · 3rd Nov 2009, 5:15 pm

True engineering and as fascinatingly detailed as your other posts. Can I ask the obvious question though ie, famous as back panels seem to be for going awol, has your friend got a plan for the eighteen replacements?
Cheers, Dave W

Robert Darwent · 3rd Nov 2009, 5:35 pm

Really excellent work Col, I read your article in the Bulletin with interest at the time without knowing you were the author.

Not having your well equipped facilities I resort to making my reproduction backs with just an electric jigsaw and hand-drill. I made a similar back panel to yours for a Philco C-537 here in post #16 of this thread;

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...530#post207530

and more recently for an Ekco A22 in post #4 of this thread;

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...357#post270357

Quite time consuming doing it by my method, but really enjoyable making them nevertheless.

Regards

Boom · 3rd Nov 2009, 5:40 pm

I think you would be the ideal bloke to have a go at cloning these A22 dials Col. Have you considered it?

Dave

Retired · 3rd Nov 2009, 8:54 pm

Hi, My sincere thanks for the kind comments and sorry for bringing up a previously posted subject but I did a quick search before adding this one but didn't go back far enough.

I've just e-mailed my friend for you Dave W to enquire if any of the panels are still with him and will PM you with the reply.

Robert; what can I say; your work is absolutely outstanding and to say it was quite time consuming is extremely modest of you; I aged a great deal making mine. What is even more remarkable is the meagre tool kit at your disposal; this is an inspiration to us all. First class work. Can I please beg a full size copy of the A22 back on paper Robert? I'll be happy to pay costs.

Dave; thanks for finding me yet more work but yes it would be a lovely project to have a go at making A22 backs; at least then I would own a back even if I couldn't afford the set. With winter fast approaching I don't want to start any big projects in the garage as I need to work with the doors closed; machining MDF produces lots of fine dust even with my large dust extractor running but I could have a go next springtime. Col.

Boom · 3rd Nov 2009, 9:04 pm

I meant A22 DIALS Col. The printing is probably the easiest bit. The cutting out is the pain.

Dave

Peter.N. · 3rd Nov 2009, 11:16 pm

Very professional job!

Paul LS · 3rd Nov 2009, 11:17 pm

Can I put in an order for a back for an Ekco AC86?

Retired · 3rd Nov 2009, 11:30 pm

Hi, Apologies Dave; I would need to see what's involved regarding A22 dials so any information would be most helpful. I'm already considering having a go at A22 back panels so all I need now is the middle bit and I'm into radio production. I love a challenge but wish I lived somewhere warm all the time.

Thanks Peter that's kind of you.

Thanks for the order Paul; if I move my bed into the garage I might just get on top of all the projects. Life is wonderful with an hobby as good as this. Col.

Retired · 4th Nov 2009, 10:56 am

Hi,

In reply to Dave W's question my friend no longer has any spare back panels but the good news for you Dave is that I have a spare if you need one and as you live not too far away it's yours for free if you care to pop over and collect it. I'll PM my details. Col.

3rd Nov 2009, 5:15 pm	#2
dave walsh Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ramsbottom (Nr Bury) Lancs or Bexhill (Nr Hastings) Sussex. Posts: 5,817	Re: Radio back panels. True engineering and as fascinatingly detailed as your other posts. Can I ask the obvious question though ie, famous as back panels seem to be for going awol, has your friend got a plan for the eighteen replacements? Cheers, Dave W

3rd Nov 2009, 5:35 pm	#3
Robert Darwent Heptode Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK Posts: 990	Re: Radio back panels. Really excellent work Col, I read your article in the Bulletin with interest at the time without knowing you were the author. Not having your well equipped facilities I resort to making my reproduction backs with just an electric jigsaw and hand-drill. I made a similar back panel to yours for a Philco C-537 here in post #16 of this thread; https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...530#post207530 and more recently for an Ekco A22 in post #4 of this thread; https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...357#post270357 Quite time consuming doing it by my method, but really enjoyable making them nevertheless. Regards __________________ Robert G0UHF www.wavesintheair.co.uk

3rd Nov 2009, 8:54 pm	#5
Retired Heptode Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Fenay Bridge, Huddersfield. UK. Posts: 673	Re: Radio back panels. Hi, My sincere thanks for the kind comments and sorry for bringing up a previously posted subject but I did a quick search before adding this one but didn't go back far enough. I've just e-mailed my friend for you Dave W to enquire if any of the panels are still with him and will PM you with the reply. Robert; what can I say; your work is absolutely outstanding and to say it was quite time consuming is extremely modest of you; I aged a great deal making mine. What is even more remarkable is the meagre tool kit at your disposal; this is an inspiration to us all. First class work. Can I please beg a full size copy of the A22 back on paper Robert? I'll be happy to pay costs. Dave; thanks for finding me yet more work but yes it would be a lovely project to have a go at making A22 backs; at least then I would own a back even if I couldn't afford the set. With winter fast approaching I don't want to start any big projects in the garage as I need to work with the doors closed; machining MDF produces lots of fine dust even with my large dust extractor running but I could have a go next springtime. Col.

3rd Nov 2009, 9:04 pm	#6
Boom Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Westbury, Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 2,451	Re: Radio back panels. I meant A22 DIALS Col. The printing is probably the easiest bit. The cutting out is the pain. Dave

3rd Nov 2009, 11:16 pm	#7
Peter.N. Dekatron Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Charmouth, Dorset, UK. Posts: 3,601	Re: Radio back panels. Very professional job!

3rd Nov 2009, 4:30 pm	#1
Retired Heptode Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Fenay Bridge, Huddersfield. UK. Posts: 673	Radio back panels. Hi, A while ago I covered making radio back panels in the BVWS Bulletin and thought it might be worth while adding a thread on the subject. A friend had two Philco people’s sets both without back panels and he was disappointed after buying a panel only for it to go missing in the post. In desperation my friend borrowed a panel and used it to draw the details onto plywood in the hope of making a pair; he had painstakingly marked every individual hole and was hoping to drill these one by one using a hand drill. Having excellent workshop facilities I volunteered to have a go as a number of my sets also required back panels. My friend paid for a sheet of 3mm thick 8’ x 4’ MDF for me to experiment with. These panels have each; in excess of 670 holes to be bored which at first was very daunting and to get every hole in the right position looked impossible using hand methods also I was thinking of making a number of panels at one go stacked together? I roughed out twenty blanks of MDF and made a template of Contiplas to the exact size using the cut out plywood pattern; holes were bored in waste sections and a sandwich of ten blanks and the template were securely fastened together using countersunk set screws and nuts then the whole sandwich was machined on my Startrite universal using a large rebating head; they came out perfectly to size so whilst the machine was set up I ran another sandwich of ten blanks through. I bought ten 3/16” dia. drill bits but needed a method of accurately drilling the holes so reverted back to my engineering training and made a drilling guide from 1/8” thick mild steel; a computer drawing was produced and printed then the hole pattern was cut out and attached to the steel blank; the blank was very carefully center punched using a sharp punch and each hole was bored on my drill press. The new drilling guide was attached to the MDF sandwich using masking tape and each pattern of holes was bored right through the sandwich re-taping the guide for each pattern of holes. The first ten panels were a lot better than nothing but the MDF was extremely hard on drill bits so the second sandwich of ten was bored a lot more slowly with a lot of drill sharpening and these came out perfectly. The large diameter holes were bored using a Forstner bit. Each panel was sanded using my random orbital sander and dusted off before being given a coat of auto black paint which dried to a mat finish. Twenty panels had taken me four full days to make and I’ve since used the same drilling guide to make backs for other sets as can be seen in the pictures. MDF dust is dangerous so I donned my respirator. My friend was rather pleased to receive eighteen back panels and I retained two. It’s not a job I would like to do every day but I enjoyed the learning curve involved. I hope this is of interest and hasn’t been covered elsewhere. Col. Attached Thumbnails

3rd Nov 2009, 5:40 pm	#4
Boom Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Westbury, Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 2,451	Re: Radio back panels. I think you would be the ideal bloke to have a go at cloning these A22 dials Col. Have you considered it? Dave

3rd Nov 2009, 11:17 pm	#8
Paul LS Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southampton, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 196	Re: Radio back panels. Can I put in an order for a back for an Ekco AC86?

3rd Nov 2009, 11:30 pm	#9
Retired Heptode Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Fenay Bridge, Huddersfield. UK. Posts: 673	Re: Radio back panels. Hi, Apologies Dave; I would need to see what's involved regarding A22 dials so any information would be most helpful. I'm already considering having a go at A22 back panels so all I need now is the middle bit and I'm into radio production. I love a challenge but wish I lived somewhere warm all the time. Thanks Peter that's kind of you. Thanks for the order Paul; if I move my bed into the garage I might just get on top of all the projects. Life is wonderful with an hobby as good as this. Col.

4th Nov 2009, 10:56 am	#10
Retired Heptode Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Fenay Bridge, Huddersfield. UK. Posts: 673	Re: Radio back panels. Hi, In reply to Dave W's question my friend no longer has any spare back panels but the good news for you Dave is that I have a spare if you need one and as you live not too far away it's yours for free if you care to pop over and collect it. I'll PM my details. Col.