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Success Stories If you have successfully repaired or restored a piece of equipment, why not write up what you did and post details here. Particularly if it was interesting, unusual or challenging. PLEASE DO NOT POST REQUESTS FOR HELP HERE!

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Old 1st Jan 2021, 12:47 pm   #1
vinrads
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Default Halson radio rebuild.

I felt sorry for this wreck of a radio, on Ebay , but when it arrived I noticed it looked to be a later rebuilt chassis ,it still looked like a project for me though , I set about making a new chassis ,the old one was made of brass there were holes where they weren't needed a bit of a bodge job , I was thinking of making it 240 volt I needed 69 volt for the series heaters and 120 HT , I remembered I had some toroidal transformers , just the job having wound a few more turns to get the 120 volt ,there were several taps where 70 volts was obtained connected it to my newly built chassis , worked ok .A new cabinet was made from American walnut ply , which I had , luckily the ribbed front and top came away from the original case ok, two plastic windows were made to fit over the original dials which had shrunk and were a bit distorted, not sure about the knobs these were the only pointy ones I had and are a bit cheap and nasty ,now looking for some brown ones, Mick.
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Last edited by vinrads; 1st Jan 2021 at 12:56 pm.
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Old 5th Feb 2021, 10:49 am   #2
vinrads
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Default Re: Halson radio rebuild.

Hmmm 164 views but not one comment , is it something I said Mick.
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Old 5th Feb 2021, 11:06 am   #3
Cobaltblue
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Default Re: Halson radio rebuild.

Well I think you have done a fantastic job.

I think sometimes when a job is this well done there is little to say

Cheers

Mike T
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Old 5th Feb 2021, 11:16 am   #4
vinrads
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Default Re: Halson radio rebuild.

Thanks Mike, little is better than nothing , much appreciated ,I think Success stories tend to get overlooked , Mick.
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Old 5th Feb 2021, 11:23 am   #5
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Default Re: Halson radio rebuild.

From picture 1 to picture 4 I can only imagine at the time & effort put into that radio. I'm quite envious!
A smashing looking set, gets a thumbs up from me
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Old 5th Feb 2021, 11:39 am   #6
Norman Raeburn
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Default Re: Halson radio rebuild.

Wow, that certainly was a rescue mission. I wish i had your skills, if that were in my hands it would have scrapped. All the best, Norman
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Old 5th Feb 2021, 1:49 pm   #7
Lloyd 1985
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Default Re: Halson radio rebuild.

Nice work! It is an attractive radio, I can see why you rescued it!

Regards
Lloyd
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Old 5th Feb 2021, 3:09 pm   #8
newlite4
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Default Re: Halson radio rebuild.

Just seen this post Mick, it must have got buried under subsequent threads and I missed it. This takes me back to 2006 when I bought just the case from one of these at the car boot. The case was covered in pastel green paint and had modern knobs stuck to the front, it was being used as an extension speaker with a more modern unit fitted inside. Like you I saw the potential in this design and set about a cabinet restoration. I deduced that this was a Halson N.S.40 from 1933, a very rare set, detailed info from Nostalgia Air. Not having the parts to rebuild the original circuit, I built one of Neil Purling's TRF designs using octal valves (close enough, just a bit more modern than the original UX based line up) and fitted it into the restored cabinet complete with new brass dial panels (still not got around to etching these). Good that your set is complete, very nice job.
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Old 5th Feb 2021, 7:18 pm   #9
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Default Re: Halson radio rebuild.

Very nice and an excellent job.
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Old 6th Feb 2021, 5:04 pm   #10
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Default Re: Halson radio rebuild.

Well done Mick, an excellent job that must have taken many weeks of hard work. Glad you were able to rescue that lovely cabinet. The shape of those knobs looks fine, if the colour bothers you give them a quick spray of brown paint.

Probably the reason it wasn’t noticed at the time was because you posted it on the morning of New Year’s Day when most people were recovering from the night before. Best wishes.

Len
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Old 7th Feb 2021, 1:41 pm   #11
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Default Re: Halson radio rebuild.

that's impressive Mick! You are right, we don't give enough attention to Success Stories - must do better! I'm sure somewhere there are some brown pointer knobs - but not in my spare knobs box..
Keep up the godd work!
Cheers
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