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Success Stories If you have successfully repaired or restored a piece of equipment, why not write up what you did and post details here. Particularly if it was interesting, unusual or challenging. PLEASE DO NOT POST REQUESTS FOR HELP HERE!

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Old 3rd Sep 2008, 10:59 am   #1
camtechman
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Default A Couple Of Quick Repairs/Restoration Successes

The first one was to a Murphy B801 Transistor Radio (one that Howard inspired me to collect). Unfortunately, the only one that came a long was fairly well aged & with it's top brass panel completely missing.

Fortunately, although the radio had quite a bit of damp corrosion, especially evident on the front speaker grill, which took on a tarnished alluminium look, this polished up well after first applying some Methanol/Diethyl Ether mixture (that's we use in the Camera Repair Trade for cleaning Matt Chrome metal work), followed by Brasso wadding.

Next came the problem of making a new top panel. This was achieved by creating a 1:1 scale panel & matching/positioned type/font face on my computer. This was then printed on to matching brass coloured, 'metallised' ink jet 'paper' (that I mentioned on one of my other restorations). This new panel was then stuck to the top with double sided, adhesive tape.

The results, as per the thumbnails, I hope you find acceptable.

The second repair/restoration was even more important to me, as I'd been after one of these radios for some years: a Decca Debonette TP50, which I finally got via Ebay.

Although the colour would be considered somewhat "bright", I think it was considered one of Decca's "Gay" colours, suitable for the period & market it was made for.

Fortunately, there was nothing wrong with the operation of this radio, it worked first time and only needed a spray of Servisol Switch/Contact cleaner to the Volume & Wave Change controls.

The biggest problem being the tarnished brass finishing to the Tuning Dial, Volume & Wave Change Knobs, Speaker surround & finally, the two strap fixing rivets.

This was restored back to original condition & brightness by removing all the brass trims & fittings, then chemical removal of old varnish & a great deal of elbow grease with even more Brasso wadding.

Once all brass was restored, finishing off with the application of new lacquer and, once dry, the fittings were re-glued back into place.

The final touch was to re-infill red paint to the DECCA badge and although this turned out as successful as the other parts, it doesn't show up well in the finished photo, as my camera seems to bleed reds and the result make it look like a 5 year old has splattered red paint all over the 'gold' metal but I promise it hasn't & does look excellent in real life!

The first thumbnail is the before shot, the picture was that from the auction & the second is the final result.

Enough from me & happy restoring,

Tony
Attached Thumbnails
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Name:	Murphy B801 (Before).jpg
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Name:	Murphy B801 (After).JPG
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Name:	Murphy B801 (After-Top).JPG
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Name:	Decca Debonette TP50 (Before).jpg
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Name:	Decca 'Debonette' TP50 (After).JPG
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Old 3rd Sep 2008, 11:05 am   #2
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Default Re: A Couple Of Quick Repairs/Restoration Successes

p.s:

I think the colour of the Decca Debonette is called Lemon?
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Old 3rd Sep 2008, 11:36 am   #3
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Default Re: A Couple Of Quick Repairs/Restoration Successes

Great Work ! The DECCA looks like it just came out of the box ! Andy
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Old 3rd Sep 2008, 2:44 pm   #4
Steve_P
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Default Re: A Couple Of Quick Repairs/Restoration Successes

Nice jobs there. Two sets that would put any modern day sets to shame!

Cheers,

Steve P.
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Old 3rd Sep 2008, 5:10 pm   #5
Colin
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Default Re: A Couple Of Quick Repairs/Restoration Successes

Tony, great work. The top panel on the Murphy is a real work of art. It's excellent and shows just what can be done with sets that would normally be considered beyond help.

I like the Decca Debonette too. I have a really nice sky blue one and a scrapper in red. Neither of them have the brass trim on the Volume and Wavechange knobs, which is a shame because the blue one would be 'mint' as Howard would say ;-)
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Old 3rd Sep 2008, 9:55 pm   #6
mark pirate
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Default Re: A Couple Of Quick Repairs/Restoration Successes

Nice work tony, i have never seen a debonette in yellow, looks fantastic!
Cheers
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