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Old 28th Oct 2011, 4:21 pm   #1
ed731pdh
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Default Ekco A104

Another from the DH collection. This one came to me sans knobs and the case in an atrocious state. The insides were fluffed up with dust balls and the mains cable had just rotted away.

First job, strip everything out and clean up. The plastic grill had shrunk away and was in an horrendous state, full of dirt and god knows what else. This was left to soak overnight in sugar soap and scrubbed as best as possible the next morning, same with the dial gauge bezel. The wooden case was gone, no woodwork thankfully but just tired, scratched and gouged with varnish / laquer cracking off the timber below. This is a three tone case, dark and light veneer with a mid strip veneer between. A complete strip back to bare wood, sanded, stained and several coats of varnish brought up a quality finish. Nothing that I could do about the plastic shrinkage, the grill was refitted and positioned as best as possible to minimise the gappage but if I'd had the choice again I would have dumped the plastic and put back fabric for a better finish (not original but would have looked better). The back was cleaned up, the internal aerial loop fitted with new connection leads and wander plugs.

The chassis was in a dirty state and a high pressure air line got the majority of the muck out along with a paint brush follow up. Usual selection of waxies to replace but the elects came along just nicely. The power cord was replaced, fabric coated rubber flex just does not last the distance. The A104 is fitted with a transformer (the U104 has a dropper resistor) and testing with no valves in place showed the set was ok. Re-fit the valves and powered up to be rewarded with a violet fireworks display on the UL42 pentode which had gone soft. A replacement restored full operation. During testing I was aware that performance was dropping off. Flicking off the lights I noticed that the UCH42 in the tuning stage was getting dimmer, eventially going right out along with any remaining tuning. A meter across the heater revealed 27 ohms and no output. A replacement again restored full operation but I have noticed that these valves with the glass alignment pips more often than not have a habit of going futt.

Finally, those knobs. I only had one original but a rummage through the spares box obtained four matching knobs that would do the set proud. The one original has been put to one side pending obtaining in the future three matching models. The set looks good, not fully original but I'm happy with it compared with the state of the original set.

Performance on the internal aerial is acceptable, but add a long aerial and the stations come flooding in. The design could have done with a better reduction on the tuning dial as the selectivity can be challenging at times, especially late evening on the short wave.
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Old 28th Oct 2011, 4:22 pm   #2
ed731pdh
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Default Re: Ekco A104

And after the works were completed.
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Old 28th Oct 2011, 7:10 pm   #3
neil29
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Default Re: Ekco A104

Hi Paul, are the knobs the same as the A144? If so I'm sure I've still got some that you are welcome to free if it helps. It looks a lot better now you have restored it.

Cheers,
Neil.
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Old 28th Oct 2011, 9:57 pm   #4
ed731pdh
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Default Re: Ekco A104

That's the ones, the very same, very kind of you.
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Old 29th Oct 2011, 3:15 pm   #5
bobbyball
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Default Re: Ekco A104

Nice job! The set has a good "tone" to it if I remember.

I had one of these sets a few years ago but it "had to go" in one of my parents' "enforced clearouts" of the time - I shudder now when I realise what I "had" to chuck away!

I've got my own place now so no more "losses", one of these days I might come across one of these sets myself.

Well done again

Robert
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Old 29th Oct 2011, 3:27 pm   #6
paulsherwin
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Default Re: Ekco A104

It's a shame that the plastic grilles of the A104/A144 are so prone to shrinkage and distortion. They can also go brittle and actually disintegrate. It's possible to replace them with fabric, but it never looks right.

This is my favourite early 50s woody.
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Old 29th Oct 2011, 4:35 pm   #7
ed731pdh
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Default Re: Ekco A104

Yup, the rearside of the plastic was cracked and crazed but still holding together so seemed a shame to discard. Same for the plastic bezel, just shrunk away. I'm finding the Ekco's along with the Pye's decent sets to work on.
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