Disposing of vintage radios.

[Alan Douglas]

It's curious that females who build nests to attract a mate, having attracted one, can't seem to let go.

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks Colin; unfortunately I had come to regard the collection mostly as junk or perhaps a better description would be clutter. During my busy vintage radio restoration period spanning over ten years I fully restored many sets not only my own but lots for a good friend as well.

I started to realize that owning over 70 assorted vintage radios was becoming more of an hindrance than a pleasure because they started to take over and no way could I keep switching them all on; they also gathered dust at an alarming rate; the only time I showed real interest in them was when visitors wanted to see them? Lately I came to the conclusion most of these sets had become more of a liability; if anything untoward happened to me Bron wouldn't have a clue as to what to do with them and as they were not displayed at all well they looked downright untidy whilst being of no real use to me. My enjoyment has been in restoring and returning each set into decent working condition but once this was achieved each set was simply forgotten whilst I moved on to the next restoration. I don't feel any sense of loss having parted with my collection because I'm always busy with other projects as seen in my threads. Few of my sets were what I would deem worth much money and the price Paul paid me I consider fair to us both; the sets have gone to Paul who is going to play with some of them whilst others are going over to his chum in Ireland; much better this than having them cluttering up space?

I enjoyed my time restoring vintage radios and the single Ekco TV but after ten years I reached the point that I could restore any cabinet however bad it was to a good standard and I've posted many of my restorations on forums; I've learnt how to French polish and to veneer but the challenge is no longer there for me hence I needed something to stretch me again; I don't want to end up running a production line restoring hundreds of sets?

I've never been into the electronics side but the wooden cabinets appealed because few members actually attempt a basket case cabinet to restore preferring the chassis work so in this respect I've been able to share my learning curve because when I started restoring vintage radio I had never ever done any French polishing nor veneering. I'm still no expert in either process but with patience I can produce good results.

What I can now do though is bore you all with my workshop activities because I don't get my legs slapped or a ticking off by Mark and his deputies for posting non radio topics which to me makes this forum so enjoyable; there is something on this forum for us all to enjoy and join in with. It's possible I'm a square peg because most forum members appear to have some kind of electrical background; I don't I'm mechanical trained with no training in electrics so perhaps my threads are generally somewhat different?

No way ever has Bron ever criticized anything I do because my Bron is just brilliant and supports me in my endeavours; we share everything in our lives the way a good marriage should be? Shortly we will have two spare bedrooms; Bron could have one for her crafts but I'm trying not to go mad; anyway a big Colchester lathe wouldn't sit too well on a wooden bedroom floor; the Jubilee lathe I owned was about the limit?

Kind regards, Col.

[Radio Fixer]

Of course forums like this and articles / books by people have no doubt devalued decently restored radios.

Some mutt with no electronics or electrical experience finds a set in the loft and says "Hey! I'll 'restore' this, you only have to crop out 3 of those cap things and its done". And maybe it is or he comes on here and gets a bit more advice, say change such and such valve and it works. To him he's done his first 'restoration'. Then he gets a 'woodie' and that's a bit rough. A quick strip with some chems, and some of that lovely Danish or Tung oil and Wow! it looks like it came from the factory.

And then they find there way to Ebay!

Gary