GEC BC3860 back panel. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

jonnybear · 16th Oct 2014, 2:39 pm

I am looking for a back panel for a 1937 GEC BC3860 I am in the process of restoring.
I know it is a shot in the dark - a picture would do so I can get one made up.
John

This is the radio in question, before being stripped for restoration.

jimpezz61 · 20th Oct 2014, 4:22 pm

Hi,
here's some images of the back. Not great, will do some more if you need them.

Size is W 42.7 H 38 with the tags.

Could I ask you for a image of your dial as mine has turned to dust, please?

jimpezz61 · 20th Oct 2014, 4:37 pm

Hi John, did think if you would like me to make a template out of cardboard and send it to you I can do that.

Cheers,
Jim.

jonnybear · 20th Oct 2014, 11:49 pm

Hi Jim thank you for the photos and measurements. I should be able to do something with that: if not can I get back later to you for a template?

Yes I will get back to you ref dial, (what a chunk of glass 1/4" thick).

John

jonnybear · 21st Oct 2014, 10:23 am

Hi Jim
Having a bit of trouble getting a good image, tried on my scanner but due to the length of the glass and the lip on the scanner image was blurred, took the following pictures with my camera may be able to stitch together, if not maybe you have a suggestion on how to get a better scan, and I will give it a go. If these images are OK I can Email them through.
John

jimpezz61 · 21st Oct 2014, 1:00 pm

Hi John , thanks for that, may be able to do something with images of the dial. let me know if you need any more image's or the template of the back. Jim

jimpezz61 · 21st Oct 2014, 4:17 pm

Hi John, sorry to be a pain.

Is there any way you could send the images of the dial to me please?

Thanks, Jim.

jonnybear · 21st Oct 2014, 6:20 pm

I am out tonight will email them to you later.

I have had a word with my brother in law; he has one of these scanner mice which will probably do the whole dial in a single scan, but will not be going to see him until Friday week.

John

jimpezz61 · 21st Oct 2014, 8:50 pm

Thanks John, that sounds great.

If you can scan the dial it would be much better, we could then add it to the dial file on this website.

Regards, Jim.

jonnybear · 19th Dec 2014, 9:23 pm

Progress so far, back is next project.
John

Nickthedentist · 19th Dec 2014, 9:30 pm

Goodness me, that's fantastic!

I had to look at the "before" pics again to check whether I'd remembered what I looked like correctly.

How did you re-finish it?

Nick.

jonnybear · 19th Dec 2014, 10:23 pm

Well, to start with I thought it was too far gone, but thought it has been around a lot longer than me, so thought I give it a new lease of life.

I removed the chassis, removed all of the capacitors that had been hanging in the air bypassing the capacitor pack; this was removed and opened up and refurbished with new capacitors.

Removed the loudspeaker which was seized, dismantled, cleaned all of the rust, off sprayed with lacquer to prevent further rusting and reassembled.

After removing great amount of solder which had probably been applied with a plumbers iron, checked resistor values (90% ok) all original valves, all good.
The dial clutch assembly was another thing; it had been glued together so there was no fine tuning.
This was dismantled, cleaned and restored. The drive cord was a piece of parcel string, this was replaced with nylon coated fine stainless steel wire.

I cleaned switches and fitted new mains lead after checking insulation of the transformer and new dial lamp bulbs fitted.

Now it was the time to switch on. I was rewarded with the lovely mellow sound of the thirties.

The cabinet veneer had lifted so before I stripped it. I borrowed my wife's steam iron and with a piece of brown paper it flattened out beautifully.
It was then stripped and varnished with Dulux varnish, and a new speaker cloth fitted. So now on to make a new back, (courtesy of Jim) as that was also missing.

I enjoy getting these pieces of history back as near original as possible.

John

16th Oct 2014, 2:39 pm	#1
jonnybear Octode Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Cullompton, Devon, UK. Posts: 1,435	GEC BC3860 back panel. I am looking for a back panel for a 1937 GEC BC3860 I am in the process of restoring. I know it is a shot in the dark - a picture would do so I can get one made up. John This is the radio in question, before being stripped for restoration. Attached Thumbnails

20th Oct 2014, 4:22 pm	#2
jimpezz61 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Cardiff, South Glamorgan, UK. Posts: 160	Re: GEC BC3860 Back Panel ? Hi, here's some images of the back. Not great, will do some more if you need them. Size is W 42.7 H 38 with the tags. Could I ask you for a image of your dial as mine has turned to dust, please? Attached Thumbnails

20th Oct 2014, 4:37 pm	#3
jimpezz61 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Cardiff, South Glamorgan, UK. Posts: 160	Re: GEC BC3860 Back Panel ? Hi John, did think if you would like me to make a template out of cardboard and send it to you I can do that. Cheers, Jim.

20th Oct 2014, 11:49 pm	#4
jonnybear Octode Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Cullompton, Devon, UK. Posts: 1,435	Re: GEC BC3860 Back Panel ? Hi Jim thank you for the photos and measurements. I should be able to do something with that: if not can I get back later to you for a template? Yes I will get back to you ref dial, (what a chunk of glass 1/4" thick). John

21st Oct 2014, 10:23 am	#5
jonnybear Octode Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Cullompton, Devon, UK. Posts: 1,435	Re: GEC BC3860 Back Panel ? Hi Jim Having a bit of trouble getting a good image, tried on my scanner but due to the length of the glass and the lip on the scanner image was blurred, took the following pictures with my camera may be able to stitch together, if not maybe you have a suggestion on how to get a better scan, and I will give it a go. If these images are OK I can Email them through. John Attached Thumbnails Last edited by jonnybear; 21st Oct 2014 at 10:29 am.

21st Oct 2014, 1:00 pm	#6
jimpezz61 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Cardiff, South Glamorgan, UK. Posts: 160	Re: GEC BC3860 Back Panel ? Hi John , thanks for that, may be able to do something with images of the dial. let me know if you need any more image's or the template of the back. Jim

21st Oct 2014, 4:17 pm	#7
jimpezz61 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Cardiff, South Glamorgan, UK. Posts: 160	Re: GEC BC3860 Back Panel ? Hi John, sorry to be a pain. Is there any way you could send the images of the dial to me please? Thanks, Jim. Last edited by Mike Phelan; 20th Dec 2014 at 9:59 am.

21st Oct 2014, 6:20 pm	#8
jonnybear Octode Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Cullompton, Devon, UK. Posts: 1,435	Re: GEC BC3860 Back Panel ? I am out tonight will email them to you later. I have had a word with my brother in law; he has one of these scanner mice which will probably do the whole dial in a single scan, but will not be going to see him until Friday week. John

21st Oct 2014, 8:50 pm	#9
jimpezz61 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Cardiff, South Glamorgan, UK. Posts: 160	Re: GEC BC3860 Back Panel ? Thanks John, that sounds great. If you can scan the dial it would be much better, we could then add it to the dial file on this website. Regards, Jim. Last edited by Mike Phelan; 20th Dec 2014 at 10:01 am.

19th Dec 2014, 9:23 pm	#10
jonnybear Octode Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Cullompton, Devon, UK. Posts: 1,435	Re: GEC BC3860 Back Panel ? Progress so far, back is next project. John Attached Thumbnails

19th Dec 2014, 9:30 pm	#11
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,846	Re: GEC BC3860 Back Panel ? Goodness me, that's fantastic! I had to look at the "before" pics again to check whether I'd remembered what I looked like correctly. How did you re-finish it? Nick.

19th Dec 2014, 10:23 pm	#12
jonnybear Octode Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Cullompton, Devon, UK. Posts: 1,435	Re: GEC BC3860 Back Panel ? Well, to start with I thought it was too far gone, but thought it has been around a lot longer than me, so thought I give it a new lease of life. I removed the chassis, removed all of the capacitors that had been hanging in the air bypassing the capacitor pack; this was removed and opened up and refurbished with new capacitors. Removed the loudspeaker which was seized, dismantled, cleaned all of the rust, off sprayed with lacquer to prevent further rusting and reassembled. After removing great amount of solder which had probably been applied with a plumbers iron, checked resistor values (90% ok) all original valves, all good. The dial clutch assembly was another thing; it had been glued together so there was no fine tuning. This was dismantled, cleaned and restored. The drive cord was a piece of parcel string, this was replaced with nylon coated fine stainless steel wire. I cleaned switches and fitted new mains lead after checking insulation of the transformer and new dial lamp bulbs fitted. Now it was the time to switch on. I was rewarded with the lovely mellow sound of the thirties. The cabinet veneer had lifted so before I stripped it. I borrowed my wife's steam iron and with a piece of brown paper it flattened out beautifully. It was then stripped and varnished with Dulux varnish, and a new speaker cloth fitted. So now on to make a new back, (courtesy of Jim) as that was also missing. I enjoy getting these pieces of history back as near original as possible. John Last edited by Mike Phelan; 20th Dec 2014 at 10:05 am.