1934 Marconi 284 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Radio_Dave · 10th Apr 2007, 12:45 pm

I took a risk when I brought this 1934 Marconi 284 from ebay, but I fancied a challenge and at £4.99 it was cheap!

It had obviously been painted for a reason and when I stripped it I found out why. There had been some damage to the veneer at the top front. I decided to fill the damage with mahogany coloured wood filler. Unfortunately it dried orange so I used a brown felt tipped to adjust it a bit. As you can see by the photos, it’s still visible, but I can live with it, I’ll call it a battle scar! I, then, stained the cabinet with mahogany wood dye, painted the end grain with brown enamel and finished with three coats of Danish oil.

I made a new Marconi logo, and stuck it to the top. The speaker fabric is a piece I picked from my Sid Chaplin collection as the original was a piece of curtain, or something

The chassis was very rusty, but it was improved greatly by colouring it in with a pencil and then wiping with white spirit.

The output transformer was open circuit, but I was lucky to something with a suitable turns ratio in my junk box. It didn’t look like the original, but as it’s mounted to the speaker and hidden in the cloth dust bag, I wasn’t bothered. Electrically, apart from that, there was nothing else to do. Even the waxies checked out OK! Mind you there’s only two.

I couldn’t work out how to use it so I asked advise in another thread. It does now work and it does work quite well, but it’s just too complicated so I don’t think it’ll get much use, I’ll just appreciate the way it looks

Anyhow I really enjoyed repairing this radio, it didn’t cost much to buy, it cost me nothing to restore and it gave me nearly 3 weeks of ‘restoration entertainment’

Here’s a link to the thread, showing it in it’s original, painted, guise https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=15658 and below are some pictures of the finished article

David

JoshWard · 10th Apr 2007, 1:29 pm

Wow Dave, that certainly is a transformation

. I have been told they do work fairly well once done so I've something to look forwards to with my 282. The 282 differs by having a bakelite surround on the grille and a different wood around the grille. Nice to see on looking so good, Josh.

Nickthedentist · 10th Apr 2007, 5:45 pm

Incredible work, Dave. A fiver doesn't usually go that far

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radio_Dave

IThe chassis was very rusty, but it was improved greatly by colouring it in with a pencil and then wiping with white spirit.

Certainly quicker than stripping everything, sandblasting it and having it re-plated

Nick.

Radio_Dave · 10th Apr 2007, 5:56 pm

I must admit the 'pencil trick' works better on smaller areas of rust, but this was always going to be a cheap restoration because of the damage to the veneer.

I've found a picture of the chassis with a, pencil, test area in the top right hand corner... I think it worked a bit

Brian R Pateman · 10th Apr 2007, 5:59 pm

Wow!

I'd looked at that on e-bay too but decided that as I'm not buying any more sets 'till the workshop is built (who am I kidding - NVCF in a couple of weeks) I'd give it a miss.

You've made a lovely job of it, well done - that must be one of the best £4.99s ever spent!

Congratulations.

Nickthedentist · 10th Apr 2007, 6:04 pm

Could you elaborate re. the transfer? What did you print it on? How did you attach it? Did you varnish/oil over it?

It certainly looks first-rate

howard · 10th Apr 2007, 9:49 pm

Hello David,

I sat here looking for the damage you mentionned and it took me quite a while to spot it ! For a 73 year old radio, it now looks splendid, well done

Howard

Radio_Dave · 10th Apr 2007, 10:25 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nickthedentist

Could you elaborate re. the transfer? What did you print it on? How did you attach it? Did you varnish/oil over it?

Hi Nick, it's printed on inkjet waterslide transfer paper. I made the image from a, good, logo on another radio.

The problem is that injet printers don't do gold, so I used two transfers, one had to be hand painted gold. As long as I paint up to, maybe into, but not out of the black outline, it works fine

.

They have to be lacquered individually with an oil based varnish, before application, to make them transparent then they are just soaked in water and attached on top of the Danish oil finish.

I'm not sure if I've explained the procedure very well, so I've attached a photo (I take loads as I go along

) which should clarify things

Quote:

Originally Posted by howard

I sat here looking for the damage you mentionned and it took me quite a while to spot it !

Hi Howard, I'm glad you like it

. I must admit that I'm normally bothered by dodgy type repairs like this, but I had so much, problem free, fun restoring it that I can live with its blemishes. The filler is actually shown up more by the flash of the camera anyhow.

Regards
David

Colin · 10th Apr 2007, 10:30 pm

Excellent job Dave, I really love the pencil and white spirit treatment on the chassis.

Rgds
Colin

slidertogrid · 10th Apr 2007, 10:41 pm

Hi Dave,
Excellent job ! I saw this on e-bay and thought it was a horror only suitable for spares! what a transformation ! another set saved!
Rich.

Radio_Dave · 10th Apr 2007, 10:46 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by slidertogrid

I saw this on e-bay and thought it was a horror only suitable for spares!

Yes, I must admit that the £4.99 starting bid was all the money that I put on it

10th Apr 2007, 12:45 pm	#1
Radio_Dave Nonode Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 2,543	1934 Marconi 284 I took a risk when I brought this 1934 Marconi 284 from ebay, but I fancied a challenge and at £4.99 it was cheap! It had obviously been painted for a reason and when I stripped it I found out why. There had been some damage to the veneer at the top front. I decided to fill the damage with mahogany coloured wood filler. Unfortunately it dried orange so I used a brown felt tipped to adjust it a bit. As you can see by the photos, it’s still visible, but I can live with it, I’ll call it a battle scar! I, then, stained the cabinet with mahogany wood dye, painted the end grain with brown enamel and finished with three coats of Danish oil. I made a new Marconi logo, and stuck it to the top. The speaker fabric is a piece I picked from my Sid Chaplin collection as the original was a piece of curtain, or something The chassis was very rusty, but it was improved greatly by colouring it in with a pencil and then wiping with white spirit. The output transformer was open circuit, but I was lucky to something with a suitable turns ratio in my junk box. It didn’t look like the original, but as it’s mounted to the speaker and hidden in the cloth dust bag, I wasn’t bothered. Electrically, apart from that, there was nothing else to do. Even the waxies checked out OK! Mind you there’s only two. I couldn’t work out how to use it so I asked advise in another thread. It does now work and it does work quite well, but it’s just too complicated so I don’t think it’ll get much use, I’ll just appreciate the way it looks Anyhow I really enjoyed repairing this radio, it didn’t cost much to buy, it cost me nothing to restore and it gave me nearly 3 weeks of ‘restoration entertainment’ Here’s a link to the thread, showing it in it’s original, painted, guise https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=15658 and below are some pictures of the finished article David Attached Thumbnails

10th Apr 2007, 1:29 pm	#2
JoshWard Octode Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Near Stowmarket, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 1,962	Re: 1934 Marconi 284 Wow Dave, that certainly is a transformation . I have been told they do work fairly well once done so I've something to look forwards to with my 282. The 282 differs by having a bakelite surround on the grille and a different wood around the grille. Nice to see on looking so good, Josh.

10th Apr 2007, 5:56 pm	#4
Radio_Dave Nonode Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 2,543	Re: 1934 Marconi 284 I must admit the 'pencil trick' works better on smaller areas of rust, but this was always going to be a cheap restoration because of the damage to the veneer. I've found a picture of the chassis with a, pencil, test area in the top right hand corner... I think it worked a bit Attached Thumbnails

10th Apr 2007, 5:59 pm	#5
Brian R Pateman Nonode Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Western Lake District, Cumbria (CA20) - UK Posts: 2,136	Re: 1934 Marconi 284 Wow! I'd looked at that on e-bay too but decided that as I'm not buying any more sets 'till the workshop is built (who am I kidding - NVCF in a couple of weeks) I'd give it a miss. You've made a lovely job of it, well done - that must be one of the best £4.99s ever spent! Congratulations. __________________ Brian

10th Apr 2007, 6:04 pm	#6
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,861	Re: 1934 Marconi 284 Could you elaborate re. the transfer? What did you print it on? How did you attach it? Did you varnish/oil over it? It certainly looks first-rate

10th Apr 2007, 9:49 pm	#7
howard Nonode Join Date: May 2005 Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK. Posts: 2,593	Re: 1934 Marconi 284 Hello David, I sat here looking for the damage you mentionned and it took me quite a while to spot it ! For a 73 year old radio, it now looks splendid, well done Howard

10th Apr 2007, 10:30 pm	#9
Colin Heptode Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Ilkley, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 656	Re: 1934 Marconi 284 Excellent job Dave, I really love the pencil and white spirit treatment on the chassis. Rgds Colin __________________ Colin Armstrong

10th Apr 2007, 10:41 pm	#10
slidertogrid Octode Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 1,898	Re: 1934 Marconi 284 Hi Dave, Excellent job ! I saw this on e-bay and thought it was a horror only suitable for spares! what a transformation ! another set saved! Rich. __________________ The rotation of the earth really makes my day...