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Old 13th Jul 2019, 9:42 am   #1
Radio_Dave
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Default Ever Ready sky emperor

I've just brought an Ever Ready Sky Emperor and am about to start the restoration of it. Because it's a bit special I really don't want to wreak anything so I thought I'd just ask for any experiences or advice about this model.

I've only just taken it apart but I notice it's full of, hard to get at, Hunts Moldseals. Normally they're brown and crumbly and I change them on sight. In this radio however they're black and seem to be coated in something much more rubbery and physically look fine. Because of this and their relatively low voltage I intend to leave them alone, unless I'm advised otherwise (apart from the audio coupling C71, Trader sheet).

Something that's really going to bug me, if left alone, is the aperture around the magic eye. The dial backing seems to be some sort of red fabric that's stuck to a paxolin sheet. As you can see in the photo this has shrunk and partially obscured the opening. In not sure how to fix this?

And lastly, for now, has anybody successfully washed the tuning dial on this radio. White letters on glass always seem to be the most fragile in my experience!

Thanks
David
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Old 13th Jul 2019, 10:00 am   #2
Mike. Watterson
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Default Re: Ever Ready sky emperor

No, the Hunts in this are bad.
Replace them all. The IF & RF gain is affected. Any on a g2 pin are a problem.
Last night I measured 10uA at only 30V on a paper dielectric cap. It's only 9V sets I'd consider leaving them alone.
I have one. I had to make a new glass as it was broken. €5 for the glass and €5 for each of the two holes. Printing the white text from mono black laser printer was problematic.

Only dust inside of glass, wipe outside.

The VHF-FM mixer/osc is a triodised DF97. The 1st IF (V2 DF97) is reflexed to also be the phase splitter (-1 gain) for the push pull audio using the g2 as an auxiliary "triode anode".
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Old 13th Jul 2019, 10:23 am   #3
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Default Re: Ever Ready sky emperor

I also had to make replacement badges for front and back, also new tips for the aerials. Maybe I even had to fit aerials (possibly from a modern Pound/Euroshop TV aerial).
Print this and glue to heavy aluminium foil (coffee can seal rubbed smooth with teaspoon). Emboss on on soft mat (rear of table mat?). Then fill front with red nail varnish and colour raised bits with a metallic pen.
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Just print. I think I used it as a mask on a scan of foil to get silver effect on a colour laser or inkjet print.
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Restored set with faked badge.
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Definitely version with new scale
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I don't remember any issue with the DM70/DM71.

I used white thermal transfer film and a laminater (an iron is possible). I did try to use waterslide film but there were problems, so I laminated to clear polyester film set behind the glass.
Laser printer toner is essentially soot and hotmelt glue, so if you laser print to very shiny paper or "greaseproof" or tracing paper, the application of heat and pressure makes the print stick to another surface such as waterslide.

However I simply printed direct to clear polyester for laser printers (make sure it's not write on only film as it melts!) and then the white of the transfer film sticks to laser toner after heat & pressure, then peel off backing.
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Old 13th Jul 2019, 10:30 am   #4
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Default Re: Ever Ready sky emperor

Get fine snips, either for jewellery or nails if you can't afford Lindstrom ones. Snip each cap close to body, ONE AT A TIME, and replace. You can use ceramic 100V rated parts, or in some places 25V parts. I also use the flat 150V rated PCB mount metalised polyester for battery sets and extend the wires if needed.

Part of chassis
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Old 13th Jul 2019, 10:39 am   #5
Mike. Watterson
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Default Re: Ever Ready sky emperor

My replica B103 pack uses 60 x AA and four D cells, all alkaline. It's used in other sets too, details available as is cleaned scan of scale.

I think I might have photos of all the locations that caps are replaced. There are a lot.
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Old 13th Jul 2019, 11:07 am   #6
60 oldjohn
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Default Re: Ever Ready sky emperor

I recently bought an Empire, it had been very wet, I suspect a victim of the floods. There was a big water mark where it was laid on its back, but worst of all the letters from the tuning scale had migrated on to the backing plate. Unfortunately I only had partial success in relocating the letters.
The covering on the backing plate has also shrunk and in the process pulled it tight around the Volume and tuning shafts causing it to wrinkle causing the tuning pointer to catch.
The ends of the aerials need replacing, also both the little plastic corners where the aerials exit the case are damaged, this seems a common problem.
The little foil badges are also missing.
Work still in progress.


John.
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Old 13th Jul 2019, 1:10 pm   #7
Mike. Watterson
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Default Re: Ever Ready sky emperor

I used Fimo or similar airdry clay and then red nail varnish.

I posted badges earlier.
Scale
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My case was so faded and water damaged I repainted with artist's Acrylic paint. I patted with a fine sponge to remove brush strokes. It's a close appearance to vinyl on various cases I've restored.
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Old 13th Jul 2019, 1:29 pm   #8
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Default Re: Ever Ready sky emperor

Thanks for all the replies.

Looks like I've got a major recapping job to do then! C23 and C39 look especially difficult to get at. Does the bank of push buttons have come out?

David
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Old 13th Jul 2019, 1:43 pm   #9
Mike. Watterson
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Default Re: Ever Ready sky emperor

No, I never took out the button bank. Not even on the scary Philips Annette and Colette valve portable sets with VHF.

There is a reason why Germany had successful Valve portable VHF from 1953, that the Vidor & Ever Ready (1957 & 1958) failed in UK market and the USA only had one novelty model. The Sky Emperor seems to me to be an attempt to sell the BEREC Commander (for non-Europe Export) in the home market because it existed. The Sky Monarch AM-FM is essentially a sort of HiFi set for people in the South East that wanted interference free Third Program (in 1955) but had no mains electricity.



Let me know if you want more photos.
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Old 13th Jul 2019, 7:01 pm   #10
crackle
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Default Re: Ever Ready sky emperor

Re. the magic eye window, does the paxolin sheet with the fabric cover stuck to it come out.
Can you not use a flat needle file to file the paxolin flush with the right hand side so it is not visible behind the fabric.

Mike
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Old 13th Jul 2019, 7:27 pm   #11
Robert Darwent
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Default Re: Ever Ready sky emperor

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike. Watterson View Post
No, the Hunts in this are bad.
Replace them all.
Hi Dave,

Perhaps I have been very lucky but I have two Sky Emperor's and a Berec Commander (restoration write-up in the Success Stories section) and I have not had to replace the Hunts wholesale in any of them.

My advice is, apart from the audio coupler, to see how the set performs before a complete recap is undertaken. As you are aware, Hunts tend to survive better in non-mains only sets.

Regards
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Old 13th Jul 2019, 7:28 pm   #12
Mike. Watterson
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Default Re: Ever Ready sky emperor

I don't think anything needs filed.
Perhaps it will be clearer when knobs, case & scale removed.
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Old 13th Jul 2019, 7:35 pm   #13
Mike. Watterson
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Default Re: Ever Ready sky emperor

Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert Darwent View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike. Watterson View Post
No, the Hunts in this are bad.
Replace them all.

My advice is, apart from the audio coupler, to see how the set performs before a complete recap is undertaken. As you are aware, Hunts tend to survive better in non-mains only sets.

Regards
I NEVER do that. How do you know? The ONLY way is to test the caps. Rule one of anything using more than 12V, test any likely dodgy parts and replace before powering. How do you know what dodgy parts are doing just from operating and maybe checking HT current?
Most of the radios I do are battery valve. I've only ever left Hunts in battery TRANSISTOR sets, only 9V HT and low impedance circuits. I've had to replace them in everything else.

No paper dielectric except truly hermetic types survive. The Hunts have a 12 year shelf life. I've NOS that 100% test bad at even 30V.

In theory you might leave ones that are purely filament decouplers. It's not worth the risk. They are garbage. They knew that in 1950, never mind 1958, but cheap and would last for life of the set.
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Old 13th Jul 2019, 7:52 pm   #14
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Default Re: Ever Ready sky emperor

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike. Watterson View Post
I don't think anything needs filed.
Perhaps it will be clearer when knobs, case & scale removed.
There's a photo of the problem in post #1. Filling might be the best option as long as the tuning indicator can be persuaded to move a little to the right.

David
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Old 13th Jul 2019, 8:13 pm   #15
Mike. Watterson
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Default Re: Ever Ready sky emperor

I don't remember and I can't figure it from the photo. Is the white border a label or printed on the fabric?
The DM70/71 is fragile so don't force it. Remove it while filing.

I looked at the photos of mine. The white band lines up with the hole. Mysterious.

I do see I had to soak the fabric off my rear panel and rebuild it entirely, glue cloth back on with PVA and then paint/texture with the artist's Acrylic.

So I can't imagine you won't solve it.

No photos of the switches removed. I'm sure there was no need.

The worst for cap replacement is some of Eddystones. I had to make a special tool to cut out caps under the wafer switches and also remove some of the coils in the diecast RF section box. Then used self locking forceps to position caps and resolder by reflow.
I've done two models like that for a friend. No more ever!
The caps aren't particularly hard on this. There are a lot on the screen grids (dramatically lower gain) and on the HT (lower HT).
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Old 13th Jul 2019, 8:13 pm   #16
Robert Darwent
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Default Re: Ever Ready sky emperor

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike. Watterson View Post
How do you know?
As I said before, by seeing how the set performs - usually a pretty good indicator of anything amiss without testing absolutely everything first.

The old saying "if it ain't broken, don't fix it" has served me well over the years especially when the object of the exercise, IMHO, is to preserve as much of the originality of the set as possible.

Dave asked for "experience and advice" - right or wrong, I've given him mine gained from working on three examples of this particular model.

Regards,
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Old 13th Jul 2019, 8:29 pm   #17
Mike. Watterson
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Default Re: Ever Ready sky emperor

Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert Darwent View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike. Watterson View Post
How do you know?
As I said before, by seeing how the set performs - usually a pretty good indicator of anything amiss without testing absolutely everything first.

The old saying "if it ain't broken, don't fix it" has served me well over the years especially when the object of the exercise, IMHO, is to preserve as much of the originality of the set as possible.

Dave asked for "experience and advice" - right or wrong, I've given him mine gained from working on three examples of this particular model.

Regards,
My advice is based on 40 years engineering and hundreds of sets.

No one is going to peer at the chassis. If you want original, don't make it go.

"by seeing how the set performs"
How? A test lab and full makers spec? No, it's EASIER and safer to test the KNOWN parts that can be faulty and to replace all the parts that INHERENTLY will be faulty. As I said, if you wanted to be lazy and take a risk you could leave all the filament decoupling Hunts. It's not worth it.
It's impossible to have any valve based set both original AND reliably working. You pick one. Which is why old rare valuable sets are NOT restored to work, but cleaned, even "restuffing" the big Bakelite cased caps is vandalism on some models. I "restored" my 1929 McMichael which isn't particularly special (models before 1927 certainly are) by snipping one end of the wire to the two big caps and tucking a small ceramic disc behind. I repaired wiring with vintage wire and repaired the wire-wound pot. I made working replica batteries.
I have a 1928 Marconi that someone dismantled. Probably I'll just reassemble it. I'm not sure.
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Old 13th Jul 2019, 8:34 pm   #18
60 oldjohn
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Default Re: Ever Ready sky emperor

Quote:
Originally Posted by crackle View Post
Re. the magic eye window, does the paxolin sheet with the fabric cover stuck to it come out.
Can you not use a flat needle file to file the paxolin flush with the right hand side so it is not visible behind the fabric.

Mike

On mine I sliced the fabric / plastic covering with a Stanley knife, I was then able to slide the covering, I intend painting the 2mm gap. I had considered recovering the whole piece of Paxolin but this would involve a lot of dismantling, volume and tuning controls.


John.
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Old 15th Jul 2019, 1:43 pm   #19
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Default Re: Ever Ready sky emperor

I love these sets and have both the Ever Ready Sky Monarch and Berec Commander versions. I bought the Monarch around 25 years ago from a junk shop in York - it had a corner of the glass scale broken, but I was able to cut the broken end off clean and glue a new piece on, held top and bottom (where its not visible) by small bits of metal angle. Amazingly, it worked perfectly from day one and continues to do so. I've only ever replaced 'that' capacitor. The name badge was missing of course, but I was able to make a very passable card replacement on the PC using one colour program. I laminated in between clear plastic sheet, cut it down to size and stuck it on.
The Berec, was a different kettle of fish with quite a few leaky 0.01uF Hunts. I got it working fine, but continued until I'd replaced them all except one that I simply couldn't get to. I painted them black to match the originals. Believe it or not, I even replaced most of the metal contacts within each valve holder as many had broken. It was a real painstaking labour of love and I doubt I'd have the patience to do it again, but it works very nicely too!
Like Mike W, I use B103 batteries reconstituted with 60xAA and 4xD-cells to power them.
These are excellent sets though and are well worth sympathetic restoration.
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Old 15th Jul 2019, 7:40 pm   #20
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Default Re: Ever Ready sky emperor

Looks like another vote for a full blanket change of caps! I'm still undecided but as I've go so much work to do on the cabinet and it's fixtures and fittings I'll have plenty of time to mull it over.

The radio came with a horrible home made battery eliminator. I tried it today with resistors on the outputs and the L.T. was ok but the H.T. was 122V! Hope the valves are ok

David
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