Advice on HMV transfer.

[MurphyNut]

My next restoration is a HMV Model 1121, after replacing a cracked valve it actually works very well apart from the usual hum, probabily a smoothing cap.
I'm going to tackle the cabinet first which is in a sorry state. Luckily it has no woodworm but some veneer needs repairing and has some deep scratches so I'm going to completely strip the cabinet.
The only problem is the transfer on the top, it would be nice to retain this, has anyone found a solution to this?

[Nickthedentist]

As you say, retaining this is fairly essential if you want the set to look complete. Along with the louvre tuning scales, it's one of its best features aesthetically and stops it just being a bland wooden box.

Some people here have managed to refinish sets successfully whilst leaving the area of the transfer pretty much untouched and intact. You may even want to consider leaving the original finish intact, scrub it clean, then touching-up the scratches with woodstain or even felt pens, and finishing with a wipe over with Danish Oil. I know that that's what I'd do, as re-finished sets tend to look awful unless done by a real expert.

The feet, of course, being solid wood, could be removed, aggressively sanded and entirely re-finished (brown paint), which would improve the look of the set no end.

N.

[ukcol]

Hello MurphyNut.

I won't advise you about the cabinet as there are plenty of people here better qualified than me to do so.

As for as the chassis is concerned, you will need to replace all the paper dielectric capacitors. Two in particular must be replaced, the coupling capacitor between the audio amplifier triode and the output valve control grid (often called "that" capacitor here) and also the tone correction capacitor between the anode of the output valve and chassis. Change these before you power up the set again or you risk destroying the output transformer and the output valve.

I apologies for wandering from the topic of your thread but you won't want to do a nice cabinet job only to end up with expensive damage to the electronics.

[wireless_john]

I have a Bush VHF41 and many years ago I made the mistake of rubbing it all down and revarnishing it, leaving the logo on top as it was. I'm no expert at this and it never did look quite right and I wish I hadn't done it.

So I think, given the time again, I would follow Nicks advice. Only thing I would say is that it wasn't as bad as your cabinet though so I can see why you're tempted.

John

[MurphyNut]

Originally Posted by ukcol

As for as the chassis is concerned, you will need to replace all the paper dielectric capacitors. Two in particular must be replaced, the coupling capacitor between the audio amplifier triode and the output valve control grid (often called "that" capacitor here) and also the tone correction capacitor between the anode of the output valve and chassis. Change these before you power up the set again or you risk destroying the output transformer and the output valve.

Thanks, advice taken. I would replace most of the capacitors as a matter of course before using the radio. If I hear a a hum I'll switch it off pretty sharply.

[Mike Fulton]

I stripped and restored an 1123 and obtained a replacement waterslide transfer - I seem to remember that I bought a few at the time but it was so long ago.........
It sticks in my mind I obtained them from/via Tony Thompson and he has a much better memory than me (he writes things down) so might be worth asking him. in the mean time if I remember where I put them I'll be in touch

[Mike Fulton]

I've just checked and you can buy them from auction sites for around a tenner, but if you care to have a jaunt down to the NVCF on Sunday you can probably pick one up from the guys on the gramophone stalls and have a great time into the bargain!!!

See you there

[MurphyNut]

Unfortunately I cant make the NVCF, but I've decided to retain the original logo anyway. it's far too good to remove. I'll touch in the damage to the top but strip the sides and front, this needs to be done as new veneer needs setting in. Then matching these sides to the top, tricky but not impossible.
I have a fair amount of experience with this kind of thing as I have a house full of 1930's walnut furniture most of which I've restored.
Many thanks for the suggestions and interesting replies, I'll post on my progress when I get started on it.

[HamishBoxer]

Please do as it will help many of us.

[MurphyNut]

Retaining the original transfer has turned out very successful and I'm very pleased with the restoration of the cabinet.
The top was a bit of a challenge as the varnish was very scratched and in places gone showing the much lighter bare veneer.
I first cleaned the top with white spirit and then using 00 grade wire wool keyed the top making sure not to go over the transfer. Then I wood stained the badly scratched marks so they matched the same darkness of the good parts.
Then it was a matter of adding new coats of clear varnish over the top, wet and drying in between coats, this filled the scratches and even revitalized the colours of transfer quite a bit.
The sides and front required a complete stripping of the old varnish as new bits of veneer needed to be added. Once this was done I stained these sides to match the top and then clear vanished as I did with the top.
As seen in the before and after pictures the radio looks much better, the old varnish had been hiding some very nice looking figured wood.

[Boater Sam]

Nice job Clive, doesn't look tarted up, just original. Lovely veneer matching.
Why do folk drag old radios around on concrete floors by the mains lead? It does the lacquer no good at all.

[McMurdo]

Well done. The transfer gives it an air of quiet opulence, no doubt when it was new, you wanted people to know it was an HMV and not some run of the mill bush (all respect due).

My 1121 was a bit of a write-off and came without knobs or back. I handed it to my late uncle who was a french polisher by trade and he did it for me, sadly losing the transfer. I bought a set of bakelite knobs from RS (can't easily do that now!). I think mine just needed a few capacitors and away it went; its a sensitive set and just has a jammed tuning slug in one of the bands which I was loathe to drill out for fear of more damage. A back was made from the base of an old Alba music centre.

At night they look superb don't they!

PS you have a nicer walnut figuring than mine!!

[Nickthedentist]

Top job, Clive! That looks a million times better, and so much more beautiful than you could ever have achieved if you'd stripped the lot back to bare wood.

I'm genuinely impressed and inspired.

Nick