How bad does it have to be before its a scrapper set?

[Refugee]

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.

[crackle]

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

[ajgriff]

Originally Posted by crackle

It makes me happy, and gives me a sense of achievement.

Mike

If it does that then it's a success story in my book.

Alan

[MrBungle]

"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.

[mark_in_manc]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bulgaria

There is no genius loci, and however fatuous that sounds, I think it matters to society.

That's not a phrase I was familiar with, so thanks for the interesting trip down Google lane

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!

[Nymrod121]

Originally Posted by mark2collection

[snipped]

I now have a wonderful example of its type, fully working. I'm not just happy with it, but proud too.

Mark

... a 'modus operandi' that is so neatly summed up by your signature, Mark
Guy

[Andrew Mawson]

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

[ekjdm14]

Originally Posted by Andrew Mawson

....refuse to believe that things made by man cannot be repaired.

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.

[Boater Sam]

Originally Posted by mark_in_manc

That's not a phrase I was familiar with, so thanks for the interesting trip down Google lane

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!

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.

[Viewmaster]

Pre WW1= high time. Much money.
Post WW2 = low time. Peanuts.

[Uncle Bulgaria]

Originally Posted by Boater Sam

It is enjoyable salvaging a dead duck but will anyone appreciate it? I write up successes on here and then never hear from anyone.

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!

[MurphyNut]

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.

[mark_in_manc]

Originally Posted by Boater Sam

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.

Making a pattern is the time-consuming bit - I leave that to you Pouring it without it freezing in the narrow cross section before filling the mould would be tricky - extravagant heavy sprues might do it.

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.

[Station X]

One post moved to a new thread here:-

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=156366

[Boater Sam]

Originally Posted by mark_in_manc

Making a pattern is the time-consuming bit - I leave that to you Pouring it without it freezing in the narrow cross section before filling the mould would be tricky - extravagant heavy sprues might do it.

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.

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.

[stevehertz]

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.