Monopole D225 tombstone radio from 1934

[Radio Fixer]

Any Silicon Chip readers on here?

Mainly modern stuff but a good history of the transistor series.  At the end of the April edition is an article on restoring the above vintage radio.  Possibly meant to be an April Fools article ...  I certainly hope so as a nice job was done on the cabinet.

Gary

[ppppenguin]

For those of us unfamiliar with this make and model (which certainly includes me) here's a reference:
https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/monopole_d225.html

[Ed_Dinning]

Hi Folks, there is a very active vintage radio scene in Oz. The HRSA (Historical Radio Soc of Australia) holds approx monthly meetings.
The most recent one in Melbourne was a talk on restoration techniques by one of the members. They seem spoilt for choice here as there are a huge selection of materials and equipment available at Bunnings, Mitre 10 and other craft shops/ DIY outlets. Far better than anything B&Q have to offer.
The lecture is usually associated with a mini action of members surplus kit, some good bargins to be had !

The 2 main native electronics magazines often have vintage radio articles as well as a range of want ads

Ed

[peter scott]

https://www.siliconchip.com.au/Issue/202...D225+radio

It took a while to load for me but looks like a straight article if somewhat out of place.

Peter.

[Mike Watterson]

I don't get French Polishing. It was obsolete by the time of radio and certainly by the 1930s except for hand made one off furniture. Regular 1930s and later cabinets and furniture was sprayed in layers on a production line. Fast drying.

Real French polishing uses the expensive resin from the lac bug.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shellac

It's also hugely skilled and time consuming. My Grandfather (b late 1890s) demonstrated it to me in the 1960s.

I can only see the 1st page of the article as it's a preview of this April's issue. It seems a serious article. Many people mistakenly French Polish 20th C. mass produced items.

Cellulose replaced Shellac in the 1920s. Fast drying and cheap. The modern equivalent is car paint which is probably acrylic. The top clear coat for metallic finishes is closer match than polyurethane (yacht varnish etc) to the original cellulose. Polyurethane is unsuitable.

[Radio Fixer]

I wont post any clips as thats against some rules somewhere  

But he fixed a loose base on the AZ1 rectifier by pouring in thin super glue.  So much of it that it ran out the bottom of the valve and glued it into the socket as well.

Later he didnt have a good output valve and tried an unsuitable replacement and then found the AZ1 was too low emmision to supply enough current for it anyway.  Ended up patching in a transistor amp and psu from an old cassette player.

Yes! wouldnt have done French Polish either.

Not the standard I would expect to have featured in the particular Mag but as long as he enjoyed himself thats maybe all that matters  

Gary

[Mike Watterson]

Super glue is unsuitable for top caps and bases. Even epoxy is better.

It's not hard to find alternate valves for any 1930s sets, though sometimes not the same base.

[Radio Fixer]

A standard thicker type can be safely used sparingly on RF and IF types but not rectifiers and O/P types.

To me it was either an April fool story or the guy didnt have much know how.

Gary