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Vintage Radio (domestic) Domestic vintage radio (wireless) receivers only. |
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4th May 2019, 9:31 am | #21 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK.
Posts: 5,554
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Re: How bad does it have to be before its a scrapper set?
At the flea market less than a week ago I spotted a mantle clock that had been painted with Hamerite.
That would certainly be a donor if any part of it was to be saved. |
4th May 2019, 9:34 am | #22 |
Rest in Peace
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Basildon, Essex, UK.
Posts: 4,100
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Re: How bad does it have to be before its a scrapper set?
It's a matter of what skills you have, time, and a desire to see something looking as close as possible to how it was originally intended to be. That's where the reward comes in after you have finished the set.
If you ca'nt do the fancy work and are happy just fixing it to work that's fine. I tend to leave the cabinet as it is, unless it is a complete basket case and with very ugly scratches all over, then I will attempt a complete strip of the finish and try and restore the best I can. It makes me happy, and gives me a sense of achievement. Mike |
4th May 2019, 10:17 am | #23 |
Nonode
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 2,587
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Re: How bad does it have to be before its a scrapper set?
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4th May 2019, 10:46 am | #24 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: London, UK.
Posts: 3,687
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Re: How bad does it have to be before its a scrapper set?
"How bad does it have to be before its a scrapper set?"
Back in about 1987 I brought home what I think was a Bush VHF62 set from the local jumble sale. Think I paid 5p for it. My grandmother was not impressed. Especially when I took the back off and found a scene like Alien in it but with cockroach eggs. That one was a scrapper, at the threat of being hit with a broom handle! Somewhat driven by this very latent regret, I've gone to some extreme lengths recently to restore stuff however. To get a single nice condition working Heathkit GDO I actually bought 4 munted ones in the end just to get enough decent condition parts to build a working one. Result was worth it. I'm branching back into radios again now so will see where that goes. |
4th May 2019, 11:40 am | #25 | |
Octode
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Manchester, UK.
Posts: 1,875
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Re: How bad does it have to be before its a scrapper set?
Quote:
My mate, who's a builder and has to make a living, has a kindly dig at me sometimes and says the things I make are 'organic'. That is, I do a bit, and then need to change something, and the order it grew in is usually evident when you stand back and look at it. I look at my kitchen ceiling and think about which bits were rotten t&g garage doors and which bits were a crate a machine came in, in work. I quite like that, and if I were more of a craftsman I might claim that Japanese principle was the motivation. Meanwhile regarding the trim on the Pye, I've had similar thoughts about a Cossor 500. One of my hobbies is metal casting, so if you ever got around to making a pattern (the difficult bit...) you'd be welcome to spend half a day up here turning it into alloy! |
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4th May 2019, 1:57 pm | #26 |
Nonode
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Worcestershire, UK.
Posts: 2,052
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Re: How bad does it have to be before its a scrapper set?
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4th May 2019, 2:09 pm | #27 |
Triode
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Battle, East Sussex, UK.
Posts: 22
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Re: How bad does it have to be before its a scrapper set?
I have this quandary (or maybe hang up!) in one of my other hobbies, which is rescuing CNC machines, and my preference is as far as possible to return the 'beyond economic repair' machine destined for the scrap yard to be as close visually and functionally as originally made. Why - well there's the hang up - I supposed I'm a bit OCD about it and refuse to believe that things made by man cannot be repaired.
An example here: https://madmodder.net/index.php/topi....html#msg88581 |
4th May 2019, 2:24 pm | #28 |
Banned
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Congleton, Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 609
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Re: How bad does it have to be before its a scrapper set?
Indeed, to believe otherwise would be foolish. If man can make it & subsequently damage/destroy it, then man can certainly fix it. It all comes down to passion I think, If you're truly passionate about something and can devote the time and (sometimes) money to a project then nothing is impossible except for in our own mind.
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4th May 2019, 2:25 pm | #29 | ||
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Middlewich, Cheshire, UK. & Winter in the Philippines.
Posts: 3,897
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Re: How bad does it have to be before its a scrapper set?
Quote:
That's quite an offer Mark, thinking about how to do the trim. You wanted a Cossor Melody Maker in bakelite but with the painted cream trim but integral not a seperate part? 500 has the nasty trim bit, 494 is just paint. I still have a cabinet for a 494, intact. It has a chassis without IF transformers but if you want the cabinet I could be persuaded to seperate it. All the bits out of a 500 will fit. Sam. |
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4th May 2019, 2:33 pm | #30 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, UK.
Posts: 253
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Re: How bad does it have to be before its a scrapper set?
Pre WW1= high time. Much money.
Post WW2 = low time. Peanuts.
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"One small step for man".....because he has arthritis. www.retinascope.co.uk Albert. |
4th May 2019, 2:39 pm | #31 |
Nonode
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Cornwall, UK.
Posts: 2,338
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Re: How bad does it have to be before its a scrapper set?
That is a problem. Perhaps we should be better at appreciating others' work, and applauding their efforts. I know that I don't visit the 'successes' forum as much as I should, and that most people on here are far more accomplished than I'll ever be! That can be both an inspiration and a terror!
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4th May 2019, 5:41 pm | #32 |
Heptode
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Croxley Green, Hertfordshire, UK.
Posts: 979
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Re: How bad does it have to be before its a scrapper set?
I enjoy the challenge of saving sets that could have been otherwise scrapped, but they have to be prewar and interesting to me.
The only set I've had to partially scrap was the cabinet of 1930's HMV radio that was given to me but was ridden with woodworm. So bad there were holes everywhere and sawdust inside the case. I saved the chassis and passed that on to someone who was thankful for the parts.
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Clive |
4th May 2019, 7:49 pm | #33 | |
Octode
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Manchester, UK.
Posts: 1,875
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Re: How bad does it have to be before its a scrapper set?
Quote:
I bought a Cossor 500 (almost free as I remember, but miles away ) with a no-good gold trim, as my 501 (which has OK trim) has the 'wrong' mains transformer and I thought I might swap them. I don't think I need to own a 494 as well as a 501, but if you want any bits from my 500 (not mains transformer) you'd be welcome - let me know. The 500 box is too nice to scrap but might one day house a 15w p-p guitar amp I keep threatening to build. |
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7th May 2019, 9:10 am | #34 |
Moderator
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Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK.
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Re: How bad does it have to be before its a scrapper set?
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Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron. |
7th May 2019, 10:18 am | #35 | ||
Banned
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Location: Middlewich, Cheshire, UK. & Winter in the Philippines.
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Re: How bad does it have to be before its a scrapper set?
Quote:
Hi Mark. I would be pleased to have the IF transformers if the cores are still attached to the adjusters, my 494 needs them! Can I PM you my address? Cost paid of course. Paypal OK? Sam. |
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7th May 2019, 10:30 am | #36 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,833
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Re: How bad does it have to be before its a scrapper set?
There's no limit. I've seen restoration jobs done on sets that look like they have been salvaged from a ship wreck. I think Gerry Wells completely rebuilt a set that had languished outside in a garden for decades, basically just re-using the chassis. It's up to the individual and/or the desirability and rareness (value?) of the set in question. There's no limit.
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A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever.. |