AC Civilian Receiver

[Joe]

Well, it's here and I'm very pleased with it as it's much smaller than I was expecting. The rectifier and output valves had fallen out in transit but are still in one piece.

       

As for the tuning, the variable condenser (may as well call it that) is the original and it had had a pot shaft extension put on it. Replacing the drive cord will be simple and making a new moving indicator part shouldn't be too hard.

I'm not worried about one of the red valves having lost a lot of its paint. Should I be?

The cabinet is pretty good and just wants a bit of re-gluing. All I intend doing with that is giving it a good polish - one man's dirt and damage is another man's patina and period charm. The label on the top is illegible and I'm sure I've seen a scan of it somewhere. If anybody knows can they please PM me. To put my Moderator Hat on: Please don't post links to the VRF within this thread, though I don't think it was there.

I see what David meant about the size of the transformer. Goodness knows how many forcing bands the copper within it could have made.

- Joe

[Tedzed1]

Hello Joe, do you know what company made yours, can you still see the makers code,
might help in tracing the top label, good luck with the resto.

[Yorkie]

Hello David, what a wonderful restoration, I'm envious

How did you refurbish the tuning scale to such a high standard?

Thanks for your kind comments, but I'm not worthy of them!

It wasn't difficult - it's a very basic dial. It was beyond redemption, so I just noted the dial markings on a drawing, (no digital camera or PC back then!), stripped the dial back to bare metal, primed it and sprayed it in a similar colour aerosol to the original. Then as I said in my earlier post, I used Letraset rub down lettering, which fortunately was in an almost identical plain font, then oversprayed it with several light coats of clear lacquer. Luckily, there were few station names to apply - just 'Home' and 'Forces'. Prior to the war there were several 'regional' stations such as Northern, Western, Midlands etc, all transmitting on different frequencies from different locations. Had that continued during the war, it would have greatly aided enemy aircraft in direction finding. Want to bomb Manchester? Tune into the northern region and follow the signal. So by transmitting the same programmes, Home and Forces, from different locations, thoug enemy aircraft could still follow a radio signal, they didn't know the actual location - it could have lead them to Birmingham, Manchester, London or wherever - not to a specific target location.

As to the speaker, it's 6" with the OPT mounted on the speaker, and there are four c/s machine screws through the baffle board holding the speaker on the board with nuts on the back. The baffle board is covered with fabric, so any sized speaker with any type of fixing would be fine, but the nearer to the original the better. The one that Chris illustrates would be ideal.

As to the cabinet, as I recal, I just sanded it down, gave it a coat of sanding sealer, cut it back with 0000 steelwool, then applied paste wax. I managed to leave the transfer on the top of the cabinet in position.

As Tony rightly says, the design of this set was more about the government of the day sending a subliminal message to the public, that 'belt-tightening' was the order of the day, and anything that smacked of ostentatiousness was frowned upon.

David

[OldTickTock]

The red coating is a screening and if missing sometimes can cause instability. I had exactly this scenario on a Philips 206A that had it's coating missing from an EF39, when replaced all was well.

An easy fix is PVA & tin foil ensuring the wire that is wrapped around the base, is in contact with the foil and is grounded to the pin then paint it. The more expensive route is to use conductive paint. It may not be an issue you will just have to see,.

[Joe]

I don't know who made it as the back is missing. I haven't really looked at it yet so there may be information inside.

As for speaker cloth, should I?

   

It is sort of appropriate and goes with the design idea of using what's available.

I'd already realised that the OPT would need re-homing.

Thanks for the info on the Valve, Chris. I knew that silver and gold coatings were for screening but wasn't sure about the red ones. Luckily there's one in my Fergy so that can be used for test purposes if needs be.

Thanks for the help and info everybody.

- Joe

[OldTickTock]

Personally no with regards to the choice of cloth, an old sack cut up and stretched taught would look better and fit in with the utility concept.

Chris

[Joe]

That's what I was thinking, Chris. I fully intend having a good look at Sainsbury's jute bags but have probably got something lurking in the house. That's the last job though as getting it going is the main thing.

I've found the labels by the way.

- Joe

[OldTickTock]

Exactly Jute here you go http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200255580057#ht_811wt_875

[Tedzed1]

Hi Joe this link might be helpful in identifying your radio, and shows what the back cover looks like.

http://www.thevalvepage.com/radios/warti...nufact.htm

[Joe]

Great minds think alike, Paul; I'd just been looking at that site.

Those sacks look darned good, Chris, and not just for speaker cloth.