Ferguson 104A

[Joe]

Thanks, Rob.

I finished the re-cap last night. The greedy thing took ten of my eleven 0.1μF ones so I've just ordered another hundred of those.

Apart from that I made new retaining springs for the two original knobs as both of those were missing - they appeared to have been secured latterly with an arrangement of match-sticks and glue.

The final thing I did was to glue the speaker and a quick test this morning has confirmed that all is now well with that.

Today is another Doggy Day so I'll get on with the cabinet and leave the chassis 'til they've gone home. As usual it seems a shame to hide the valves away as the output one looks very nice when lit up.

- Joe

[Joe]

The cabinet is polishing up very nicely.

As my furry pals are laid in a way such that I can't get on the bed and are obviously content I got on with the volume pot. When I got that off I found that it's a 1 meg one not a two as it should be. This may explain why when I was testing it this morning it didn't seem to make much difference until the half way point. At least I can get one of the correct size at a sensible price.

Most of the other resistors are OK being no more out than the nearest modern value would be.

I'll have to grit my teeth and tackle the drive cord next.

- Joe

[Joe]

I didn't do as much to this last night as I'd planned to because I was enjoying listening to it too much. It performs much better on straight mains but I'll still change the volume pot as it was meant to have a 2 meg one and the 1 meg one thus liberated will no doubt be useful for something else.

I didn't make the same mistake tonight and put the proper mains lead on and fitted the fuse. It's now playing nicely and is back in its case but isn't completely finished as it's still got some temporary capacitors in. I forgot to take a final photo of the wiring but will post one when I do fully finish it.

   

Joe

[Mark R]

Well done Joe!
better order some more proper solder!

cheers Mark

[ucl82]

That really does look very nice

[tiv48]

a loverly looking set and i hope its helped stop your aversion to ac only sets
rob t

[Joe]

Thanks all.

I've got it on now. It's playing Radio Two as I've plugged my 'phone into the Gram socket. There's a bit of a hum which I hadn't noticed on MW but a 'clean' signal brings it out. I'll buy and try different smoothers when I get the other bits it needs to complete it. It's certainly good enough as it is.

As for my aversion to AC only sets, this has got four windings on the mains transformer, two on the output and three on the speaker - I think that was kill or cure! Part of it is down to my having several modern things with quite loud hums that come from the transformer laminations so is there even when switched 'Off.'

As for its looks it's very nice indeed and I was pleased that the orginal finish remained in good enough condition to only need a good polish.

- Joe

[Joe]

This wireless was in regular use until a few months ago when it suddenly went off.  The internal fuse had blown and after changing that it worked but seemed quieter, including on the Gram input than it usually was.  I've been busy with other things since so have only just got around to investigating.

I connected it up via my lamp-limiter and that glowed much brighter than it should.  I then tried it with the rectifier pulled and it didn't glow at all.

I had a look around and couldn't see anything that looked distressed, loose or that was touching what it shouldn't.  I put the rectifier back in and switched it on to do some voltage checks.  As soon as the switch was closed the rectifier did this

   

so it looks like that's the cause of the bother.  Time to get the 1N4007s out.

— Joe

[AlanBeckett]

Very preety, if somewhat undesirable

Alan

[Refugee]

I have seen a rectifier do that. I think it was going to air.