In Part 3, I have the chassis back together but it doesn't work. I have to diagnose the problem but it won't be easy after such a major reconstruction.
Wow Dave, I thought I was the only one crazy enough to take old toggle switches apart, clean and lubricate, and reassemble them. Yes, I’ve dismantled, and reassembled those type of old toggle switches to maintain the authenticity of an old radio, or piece of bench test equipment LOL. Those laminated Paxolin switches are fairly straightforward: on depression of a spring, the roller bobbin is thrown over, and held onto the contacts. Apart from lacking lubrication, and the roller bobbin, and contacts becoming tarnished over time, there is little else to go wrong. Whenever I’ve took them appart - which is not too often, I’ve found them to be fiddly. I use copper panel pins to rivet them back together: on occasions l’ve ended up crushing one or two of the Paxolin laminations when trying to burr over steel panel pins - I find copper burrs over more easily. When I saw you realigning the dial, I thought to myself, “Doubtful both ends of the dial will read spot on frequency.” Very rare have I got anywhere close to to being spot on with those 1930s radios. I’m convinced dials on the old radios were not printed accurately. I usually settle for a ‘close’ compromise. That radio is sounding, and performing nicely ...very likely it is better than it has ever been. Cheers, Phil.
Hi SteelCity321PB, yes I need to keep the switches authentic so not much choice but to repair them. Softer rivets would have been easier but didn't have anything. The alignment came out spot on but it's not right, l think I covered a problem up but it's working alright so quit while I'm ahead 🙂
On a TRF set I think that the markings were basically a suggestion on where the station might be, even when new, some TRF sets just had markings from 0-100 since they knew it would never track all the way across the dial. I have had fewer problems aligning superhets though, if they are a little off I keep in mind that the components have had several decades to age and drift since they left the factory. Those laminated bad switches are quite common in North America as well, I'm not sure who the maker was but it may have been Cutler Hammer. Most of the time they were used as AC power switches so the contacts never had a chance to oxidize, the line voltage tends to burn it off with some exercise.
Excellent video. Watching you take the time and trouble to repair those switches was gold. I thought I was the only one who was prepared to do this kind of work. These little things are not seen but make a big difference to the experience of repairing and using these older sets. Setting the caps was interesting and reminds us just how basic the sets were. The cap which you spent the most time on may have an out of spec, coil. You found an ideal compromise.
Hi jonka1, I had to retain the old switches for authenticity, although I probably would have done it anyway. I agree with the cap being out of whack, I should have delved a little deeper. Someone suggested checking the rotor was centred 🤔
@@DavidTipton101 I don't think centring the rotor by adjusting the end play will affect the capacity as you move the vanes they move away from one side and towards the other side at exactly the same rate. That adjustment is I think only to set clearances.
Firstly, although I know nothing about valve radios (except perhaps what I've picked up from binge watching your videos), I find your workmanship outstanding and your presentation first rate. I have also gained a lot of transferable knowledge to my sphere of electronics (e.g the simulation of a log pot by using a resistor on a linear pot). Thanks for a very entertaining and illuminating series of videos...hope you keep them coming!
Your outdoing yourself with this one David! It almost was not worth repairing. Almost everything was defective. It must have had a rough life. Well done
What beautiful work and your calm voice describing your procedures is a plus. I had an old TRF radio when I was thirteen years of age and I did as you....taking switches apart etc because I didn't know where to buy parts back then (1940's). I will be looking forward to your next part. Walt in Miami
Hi Walt in Miami, thank you for your comment. I was the same at a young age, I would pull apart junked bits to see if I could 'fix' them. Not terribly successful but you learn a lot 🙂
Where in Oz are you located? West coast? Back in 2001 I lived in Wamberal Beach near Gosford, NSW for a year and worked at the Australian Reptile Park. I REALLY LOVED it over there! I got to travel while I was working......collecting venomous snakes to add to the parks venom extraction program. Y’all are an amazing people living in an amazing country. Just good folk all round! I miss it dearly.
Well, that tuning was a bit fiddly but patience payed off in the end. It is nice to see such a vintage design. The chassis looks excellent too. Looking forward to the big reveal. Cheers
Hi Pauline, yes I did manage to make a meal of it but got a fair enough outcome in the end. The next time will be easier I hope. The chassis was like a time capsule, the theory was there but manufacturing limitations made it so much different to what they could do even 5 years later. A very interesting project 🙂
Again, I'm surprised at these cheap almost home made switches the manufacturer used. Surprised that they ever worked. And amazing that you could get them working again.
Hi clasicradiolover. They are an unusual construction but I remember my Dad had a tin of old switches and this type was among them so there must have been a few around, I recognized them as soon as I saw them. I needed to get them working to keep the front of the set looking original, just as well they were able to be repaired 👍🙂
@@DavidTipton101 Fine job. I wish I could do it. Oh I was watching a guy make a an audio booster with wires and capacitors and transistors but no pc boards. It reminds me of the old radio construction
What a beautiful radio and a spectacular restore job! That chassis probably looks better than the day it was new. Thanks for letting us peak over your shoulder.
Excellent job David again and the radio looking real smart ,well done on the repair of the switch and here's me i usually bin the old ones if they don't work ,so i learnt something tonight ,Top marks and thanks again for sharing your wonderful work.
Turned out really nice!!! Good explanation on the operation and theory!!! The alignment went as well as can be expected, I have to keep reminding myself and putting myself back into the shoes of a 1930's repairman.....He didnt have much more than a meter and a good ear!!!! I tend to split hairs with readings, Im so spoiled with digital electronics!!!😉 Thanks for sharing this experience...Take Care--Larry
Looking great. Almost a shame to hide that chassis inside the radio enclosure with how good it looks now, but I guess we can't have it both ways and have to settle with knowing it looks as good on the inside as I'm sure it will on the outside.
Wow, I have never seen a TRF receiver up close, how elegant. I hope you are using a germanium diode (e.g. 1N34) , you should have a capacitor and resistor at the output to ground ( 5000pf and 220K-ish), and capacitor (.1 ufd) couple into the grid of the new "pre-amp". Beautiful restoration job!
Hi Fred, I don't recall the diode type but it was germanium. I can't remember but I think I ditched the whole idea afterward and used the original anode bend detector. You are correct, it needed some filtering added 🙂
In my experience, those old laminated construction switches never work. They are too open to the atmosphere I think. I'd spray some WD 40 in there to provide some protection. You've done a fine job, it looks superb.
Hi David, It's possible the alignment problems of your first tuning capacitor is caused by an oneven airgap between the stationary plates and the plates which are attached to the tuning knob. I've had this on several occasions. Most of the times this is ajustable at the bearring at the back. You can scew this bearing in and out, so you can vary the depth of the rotary part of the capacitor. In some cases the bearring is fixed, so you have to be creatieve. Just check the airgaps between the fixed and non fixed plates. Love your channel, greatings from the Netherlands. Best regards Nico den Haak.
That's a good thought Nico. In retrospect I should have investigated further but my mind was a blur at the time and I've regretted it since. I noticed the trimmer plate with the adjusting nut is screwed out further than the other two so something is amiss with that tuning condenser. If I can I will have a look at it again but I have run out of time at the moment. Thanks for the info 👍😃
@@DavidTipton101 Hi David, when doing such a big job, you can't know everything and every detail. I'm sure you get her sorted one time in the future. Love your channel, great stuff and i also learned a thing or two😎 Best regards, Nico den Haak.
Just subscribed to your channel Mr Tipton. A Gentleman after my own heart on restoration. I even put a small spot of dark red nail vanish onall the solder joints to simulate the anty tamper identification marks from the factory. Lol .
Great work David, such a great looking and functioning part of history. You have done an awesome job on this. The power switch on my 1929 Atwater Kent was the exact same switch and did not work either. I did not take mine apart as I was afraid I would destroy it. I used Deoxit on it and worked it about a hundred times and brought it back to life. After watching you take yours apart, I now have the confidence to tackle mine should it stop working in the future.Thank you for showing that repair.
Hi Greg, I didn't watch your videos until I got my set working. Your Atwater Kent is strikingly similar to this one with very similar problems. I tried deoxit on the switch but didn't operate it enough to get it clean evidently. That bobbin was pretty crusty though, I think I would still be there. Thanks for your comment 😀
Great work as usual. Love the carefully video'd and explained processes which for someone like me with limited knowledge helps. Nice to see an LCD watch still going strong 😆
Good work, it was very interesting to see those toggle switches being rebuilt. A lot of UK sets of this era use them as a mains switch, usually these come back to life after soaking in WD40, the arcing that occurs when switching cleans the crud off the contacts.
I have seen them used as power switches when I was young markpirateuk. If these give me any trouble in the future I should be able to restore them with some Deoxit 🙂
I can just imagine it now. "David, lunch is almost ready. And wash your hands." "Yes, dear." (A half an hour later, David in his slippers.) "Your soup is getting cold." (David just wants to change a few more caps.) "DAVID!" I'd be down in the basement, doing something, and Mom would yell the same thing to me.
Step aside Mr Carlson! Superb work, well explained and you get the cricket scores! Had to delay my breakfast to watch this video, but well worth it. I expect the cabinet is next, French Polish I hope 😆. BTW love your introduction sequence. Keep up the good work. Lynton
Not sure I'll be displacing Mr Carson Lynton 😄. Thanks for putting off breakfast for me 😀 I will refinish the cabinet in whatever it was in the originally which I think was lacquer judging by the cracking in the finish 👍🙂
Now you are finding out why the TRF circuit fell out of favor, you can get the alignment to track better, but never perfectly. A lot of TRF sets didn't even have frequency or meter markings on the dial, just numbers from 0 to 100, and people would write down the number of their favorite station in a log book to figure out where their station should be. It seems to be tracking quite well, all things considered, since it only has three TRF stages, many North American radios from then have four stages. With regard to the detector, I think that may be why many TRF sets where I am had push pull output stages, not only for audio power but to cut back on the distortion somewhat, using a solid state detector diode was a good fix for this set, and easily reversed.
I was pretty happy with the tracking and it came out better than I expected but you are right I just turn the knob and don't look at the dial, I know where the stations are. The US sets always had better specs than us due to the bigger market and competition 🙂
Well David this has been a really interesting project and here I was thinking this would be the final part! I would never have been able to do all the fiddly work you do (esp the toggle switches) - I just know that I would have lost all the parts when they were taken apart! My parents used to despair of me as I was always taking my toys apart to see how things worked but was not so good with putting them back together. So looking forward to seeing the final(?) part.
Hi Kenneth, I had a good laugh at your comment. Pulling something apart is one thing, getting it back together is another 😄 The next part will be the final when it is reunited with the cabinet 🙂
Beautiful and attentive work as always, thanks for sharing. Question... I understand originality, but are those ancient switches not... scrap? Is there another strong argument for not replacing them? Very nice job. Edit: One more question... have you tried swapping in a modern speaker to see what the improvement would be? Or is that heresy.
@MichaelKingsfordGray They may indeed... my question was not intended as criticism. That said... all replacement switches are *not* created equal, some are very good.
Hi Scofab, I had to repair the switches to retain originally. I managed to only have to change a few items that can only be seen under the chassis but they will add to the history of the radio. The original speaker is in amazing condition so it's not going anywhere. The aim is to restore it to original working condition so it looks and sounds like it did in 1931. I also understand rebuilding radios to use them with modern parts not unlike show cars but not for this one 😀
These wafers are exactly the sort of thing you find here in the ground. A b-17 bomber from America was shot down in 1943 here in the north fo the Netherlands... some of the internals must've had that in there, possibly the main dashboard, as some switches can be seen.
Wonderful series on this restoration! Just curious, I'm a huge believer in "never fall in love with old electrical" or in this case "electronics", why not replace the Phone & Antenna switches with new toggles? Same thing with the speaker? I'm sure there's a better speaker out there to be put on this unit to really help with the sound? Watching from Lincolnshire, Illinois USA.
Hi David, I wanted to keep it as original as possible and the vintage toggles are on the front panel so had to be saved. On lesser radios I will hot them up to some degree but this one is special to me 🙂
20:35 I don't think I've ever seen these adjusting plates before. Was it a solution that was only used in radios of that era? It ingenious in its simplicity - kinda makes me wish all radios had them! It would make life so much simpler! :)
Wouldnt the original photograph that they would have connected been a phono signal and not line level like your phone would have been? I cant imagine it would have had a separate volume control since the unit there is esentially acting as the pre amp and power amp for the record player. Oh by the way.... Love your work and the detail you go to. Just got yourself another subscriber
Hi 1974UTuber, thank you and thank you for the sub. The phono and the phone are both audio signals so not a lot of difference. The radio has no means of controlling the volume from the phono inputs, judging from other comments it appears the phono player had a seperate volume control and that was normal. I agree with you it seems unlikely but that is what was done apparently 🤷♂️🙂
I've never seen a TRF let alone aligned one. I have enough trouble making sense of a Superheterodyne receiver alignment using the sweep method. I get better results with the peak alignment technique. Of course I use only vintage test equipment, it's all black magic anyhow.
Hi Cosimo. This is my first experience with TRF too but I'm a little more comfortable now having done one. My small signal generator has a built in sweep mini oscilloscope feature, either it doesn't work or I'm too dumb to read it but I've never been able to use it 🤔😄
Mate, listening to that frequency whilst you were tuning was a bit hard. The neighbourhood dogs didn’t seem to complain though. Next time can you set the frequency north of 20K so the dogs go nuts but I don’t? Jokes aside, it’s coming together nicely. Well done.
Just had a Doerle Regen in for a repair estimate, 1970's build vintage; remembered this, but not as a TRF with no regenerative capacity... We're with you in spirit re: the fires; we are all living on the same rock; to not help each other is madness. From Thomas "Juan Browne, American Airlines 777 First Officer: ua-cam.com/video/zGhzpx5Zxw8/v-deo.html Cheers!
Hi AMStationEngineer, I hadn't heard of the Doerle Regen project, very interesting. Not much to go wrong there. The fires have been devastating, not the worst we've had but the most widespread over an extended period. We have been getting some good rainfall in areas that need it over the past weeks which has helped a lot. We are so grateful for the support that has come from other countries, there is still good in the world. Our hearts go out to the people who have lost their lives and property and to the three tanker pilots, hopefully the investigation will reveal the cause of the crash. Thanks AMStationEngineer, Cheers 🙂
Sorry, I do not understand why you would install a linear volume pot when you are so meticulous about the smallest of details. Serously, it can not be a problem to get hold of the right log pot, can it?
Hi 1959Berre. Unfortunately I could not get a log pot with the current carrying capacity needed for this set. This is a fairly early restoration of mine and I now have more resources available to track down a pot and I might able to get one if I were doing it now. Actually, now having more experience, I might have attempted to rewind the old pot. Surprisingly the pot works very well and you wouldn't pick it for being the wrong type maybe due to its position in the circuit 🙂
@@clasicradiolover The light is working, I don't remember if I had it on in the video or not. Sometimes I unscrew it because it affects the camera, it does work though.
Wow Dave, I thought I was the only one crazy enough to take old toggle switches apart, clean and lubricate, and reassemble them. Yes, I’ve dismantled, and reassembled those type of old toggle switches to maintain the authenticity of an old radio, or piece of bench test equipment LOL.
Those laminated Paxolin switches are fairly straightforward: on depression of a spring, the roller bobbin is thrown over, and held onto the contacts. Apart from lacking lubrication, and the roller bobbin, and contacts becoming tarnished over time, there is little else to go wrong. Whenever I’ve took them appart - which is not too often, I’ve found them to be fiddly. I use copper panel pins to rivet them back together: on occasions l’ve ended up crushing one or two of the Paxolin laminations when trying to burr over steel panel pins - I find copper burrs over more easily.
When I saw you realigning the dial, I thought to myself, “Doubtful both ends of the dial will read spot on frequency.” Very rare have I got anywhere close to to being spot on with those 1930s radios. I’m convinced dials on the old radios were not printed accurately. I usually settle for a ‘close’ compromise.
That radio is sounding, and performing nicely ...very likely it is better than it has ever been.
Cheers, Phil.
Hi SteelCity321PB, yes I need to keep the switches authentic so not much choice but to repair them. Softer rivets would have been easier but didn't have anything. The alignment came out spot on but it's not right, l think I covered a problem up but it's working alright so quit while I'm ahead 🙂
On a TRF set I think that the markings were basically a suggestion on where the station might be, even when new, some TRF sets just had markings from 0-100 since they knew it would never track all the way across the dial. I have had fewer problems aligning superhets though, if they are a little off I keep in mind that the components have had several decades to age and drift since they left the factory.
Those laminated bad switches are quite common in North America as well, I'm not sure who the maker was but it may have been Cutler Hammer. Most of the time they were used as AC power switches so the contacts never had a chance to oxidize, the line voltage tends to burn it off with some exercise.
Excellent video. Watching you take the time and trouble to repair those switches was gold. I thought I was the only one who was prepared to do this kind of work. These little things are not seen but make a big difference to the experience of repairing and using these older sets. Setting the caps was interesting and reminds us just how basic the sets were. The cap which you spent the most time on may have an out of spec, coil. You found an ideal compromise.
Hi jonka1, I had to retain the old switches for authenticity, although I probably would have done it anyway. I agree with the cap being out of whack, I should have delved a little deeper. Someone suggested checking the rotor was centred 🤔
@@DavidTipton101 I don't think centring the rotor by adjusting the end play will affect the capacity as you move the vanes they move away from one side and towards the other side at exactly the same rate. That adjustment is I think only to set clearances.
David ive been watching you getting involved with this radio all night. ive loved every moment. thank you
Thank you George, I'm glad you enjoyed it 👍😀
Firstly, although I know nothing about valve radios (except perhaps what I've picked up from binge watching your videos), I find your workmanship outstanding and your presentation first rate. I have also gained a lot of transferable knowledge to my sphere of electronics (e.g the simulation of a log pot by using a resistor on a linear pot). Thanks for a very entertaining and illuminating series of videos...hope you keep them coming!
Thank you standishgeezer, you are very kind. 👍😃
Your outdoing yourself with this one David! It almost was not worth repairing. Almost everything was defective. It must have had a rough life. Well done
Hi Andy, electronically it was worse than I hoped but otherwise it looks in good condition, it will look good when finished 👍😀
@@DavidTipton101 It sure does!
What beautiful work and your calm voice describing your procedures is a plus. I had an old TRF radio when I was thirteen years of age and I did as you....taking switches apart etc because I didn't know where to buy parts back then (1940's). I will be looking forward to your next part. Walt in Miami
Hi Walt in Miami, thank you for your comment. I was the same at a young age, I would pull apart junked bits to see if I could 'fix' them. Not terribly successful but you learn a lot 🙂
You are a patient man Mr. Tipton and you do superb work. Thank you for sharing it.
Hi Christopher, thank and my pleasure 🙂
Sir, you are right up there with Mr. Carlson’s Lab. What a Fine fine neat job you did. Just Spectacular restoration all around.
Thank you Jeffrey 👍🙂
Where in Oz are you located? West coast? Back in 2001 I lived in Wamberal Beach near Gosford, NSW for a year and worked at the Australian Reptile Park. I REALLY LOVED it over there! I got to travel while I was working......collecting venomous snakes to add to the parks venom extraction program. Y’all are an amazing people living in an amazing country. Just good folk all round! I miss it dearly.
Man O Man, I have fixed a lot of radios but you way more patience than I have. Great job!
Hi Charles, thanks 🙂
Well, that tuning was a bit fiddly but patience payed off in the end. It is nice to see such a vintage design. The chassis looks excellent too. Looking forward to the big reveal. Cheers
Hi Pauline, yes I did manage to make a meal of it but got a fair enough outcome in the end. The next time will be easier I hope. The chassis was like a time capsule, the theory was there but manufacturing limitations made it so much different to what they could do even 5 years later. A very interesting project 🙂
Yes, a real education. Fascinating to see the development of the technology along the way. Cheers.
Again, I'm surprised at these cheap almost home made switches the manufacturer used. Surprised that they ever worked. And amazing that you could get them working again.
Hi clasicradiolover. They are an unusual construction but I remember my Dad had a tin of old switches and this type was among them so there must have been a few around, I recognized them as soon as I saw them. I needed to get them working to keep the front of the set looking original, just as well they were able to be repaired 👍🙂
@@DavidTipton101 Fine job. I wish I could do it. Oh I was watching a guy make a an audio booster with wires and capacitors and transistors but no pc boards. It reminds me of the old radio construction
I really admire your patience David!
Thank you Clint 🙂
What a beautiful radio and a spectacular restore job! That chassis probably looks better than the day it was new. Thanks for letting us peak over your shoulder.
Thank you Yisrael, I don't mind you peeking 👍😀
Nice Job Dave!
Wow. Super good project. I really enjoyed this series of videos. Thank you so much for sharing them. Your attention to detail is exemplary.....
Hi George, thank you very much 🙂
Excellent job David again and the radio looking real smart ,well done on the repair of the switch and here's me i usually bin the old ones if they don't work ,so i learnt something tonight ,Top marks and thanks again for sharing your wonderful work.
Hi Doc, thank you as usual 😀
Turned out really nice!!! Good explanation on the operation and theory!!! The alignment went as well as can be expected, I have to keep reminding myself and putting myself back into the shoes of a 1930's repairman.....He didnt have much more than a meter and a good ear!!!! I tend to split hairs with readings, Im so spoiled with digital electronics!!!😉 Thanks for sharing this experience...Take Care--Larry
You are dead right Larry, we now worry over fractions of a volt. Thanks for your comment 😀
Have been following with interest another great restoration. Beats watching tv! Great channel David
Hi Parlour Tunes, thanks, anything beats watching the TV 😀
Beautiful job
Thank you Bruce 🙂
There is nothing more rewarding than the first sounds coming through the radio. Very impressive and enjoyable.
Thanks Phillip, this was more rewarding as I truly had no idea if it would work or not 🙂
David you really are a genius.
Hi Paul, not sure about that but thanks 😃
@@DavidTipton101 I'm a systems engineer by trade. More used to the insids of servers. It's amasing to see the innards of these valve radios.
Excellent Sir.Really very informative video.Great efforts by you.
Thank you Rakesh 👍🙂
Looking great. Almost a shame to hide that chassis inside the radio enclosure with how good it looks now, but I guess we can't have it both ways and have to settle with knowing it looks as good on the inside as I'm sure it will on the outside.
Hi The stuffMade, I look in the back of all my radios from time to time even if it hasn't been restored to admire their inner beauty 👍😀
Excellent job Dave, well done!
Thank you Alan 🙂
I was so eager to watch part 3. I like first and watched later
That's the spirit manoj 😀
Awesome job ! Also it never occurred to me that those switches could be repaired.
Hi Beaky, thanks. Yep, the switches were a bit of fun 😀
Wow, I have never seen a TRF receiver up close, how elegant. I hope you are using a germanium diode (e.g. 1N34) , you should have a capacitor and resistor at the output to ground ( 5000pf and 220K-ish), and capacitor (.1 ufd) couple into the grid of the new "pre-amp". Beautiful restoration job!
Hi Fred, I don't recall the diode type but it was germanium. I can't remember but I think I ditched the whole idea afterward and used the original anode bend detector. You are correct, it needed some filtering added 🙂
A very nice job David
Hi Fred, thank you 🙂
In my experience, those old laminated construction switches never work. They are too open to the atmosphere I think. I'd spray some WD 40 in there to provide some protection. You've done a fine job, it looks superb.
WD 40 adds a ‘coating’ which can harden and interfere with the contacts. DeOxit red or gold will lubricate and prevent future oxidation.
Hi David,
It's possible the alignment problems of your first tuning capacitor is caused by an oneven airgap between the stationary plates and the plates which are attached to the tuning knob. I've had this on several occasions. Most of the times this is ajustable at the bearring at the back. You can scew this bearing in and out, so you can vary the depth of the rotary part of the capacitor. In some cases the bearring is fixed, so you have to be creatieve. Just check the airgaps between the fixed and non fixed plates. Love your channel, greatings from the Netherlands. Best regards Nico den Haak.
That's a good thought Nico. In retrospect I should have investigated further but my mind was a blur at the time and I've regretted it since. I noticed the trimmer plate with the adjusting nut is screwed out further than the other two so something is amiss with that tuning condenser. If I can I will have a look at it again but I have run out of time at the moment. Thanks for the info 👍😃
@@DavidTipton101
Hi David, when doing such a big job, you can't know everything and every detail. I'm sure you get her sorted one time in the future. Love your channel, great stuff and i also learned a thing or two😎
Best regards, Nico den Haak.
What was that switch made of?
Just subscribed to your channel Mr Tipton. A Gentleman after my own heart on restoration. I even put a small spot of dark red nail vanish onall the solder joints to simulate the anty tamper identification marks from the factory. Lol .
Hi Shaun, thank you. Just between us, I have done that in the past also 😟
Dave, I can remember my grandparents having a plug in 78rpm turntable on their old radio and it did have a volume control fitted to it.
Ahhh... thanks Don. I can't remember if that had been confirmed or not. Cheers 👍🙂
Great work David, such a great looking and functioning part of history. You have done an awesome job on this. The power switch on my 1929 Atwater Kent was the exact same switch and did not work either. I did not take mine apart as I was afraid I would destroy it. I used Deoxit on it and worked it about a hundred times and brought it back to life. After watching you take yours apart, I now have the confidence to tackle mine should it stop working in the future.Thank you for showing that repair.
Hi Greg, I didn't watch your videos until I got my set working. Your Atwater Kent is strikingly similar to this one with very similar problems. I tried deoxit on the switch but didn't operate it enough to get it clean evidently. That bobbin was pretty crusty though, I think I would still be there. Thanks for your comment 😀
Thank you for taking the time to produce these great videos. Much appreciated, regards from the Wirral.
Hi Dave, my pleasure, thank you for watching 🙂
Hi David, you made a pretty wonderful restoration. I'm beeing impressed from your work what is really applaudably. Best greetings from germany. Werner
Hi Werner, thank you 🙂
Nice Dave.. doing a radio in parts is great! I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with the cabinet :)
Hi TUR, I still have the speaker to do as well as the cabinet 😥
oh David this is a triumph .. really a triumph!!!
Hi Chris, thanks mate 🙂
Just not what I'm looking for. It was good if you need to know what your looking for. I'm not into radios stuff. God bless all. Very informative.
Hi Travis, thanks for taking the time to comment even if you are not interested in radios, much appreciated 🙂
Great work as usual. Love the carefully video'd and explained processes which for someone like me with limited knowledge helps. Nice to see an LCD watch still going strong 😆
Hi Ken, good feedback, I have to remember not everyone knows what is going on, good point 🙂 Those Casio watches go forever 😀
Good work, it was very interesting to see those toggle switches being rebuilt. A lot of UK sets of this era use them as a mains switch, usually these come back to life after soaking in WD40, the arcing that occurs when switching cleans the crud off the contacts.
I have seen them used as power switches when I was young markpirateuk. If these give me any trouble in the future I should be able to restore them with some Deoxit 🙂
It's looking good sir.
Hi bob4jjjj, some nervous moments there but it's looking good 🙂
I can just imagine it now. "David, lunch is almost ready. And wash your hands." "Yes, dear." (A half an hour later, David in his slippers.) "Your soup is getting cold." (David just wants to change a few more caps.) "DAVID!" I'd be down in the basement, doing something, and Mom would yell the same thing to me.
Haha... yeah... that sounds about right CogitoErgoSum SC 😄
Will be looking out for part 4. 👍
At your command Steven: ua-cam.com/video/myFwWVNUy6A/v-deo.html
fantastic video been waiting for part 3
Thanks Ian 👍😀
Step aside Mr Carlson! Superb work, well explained and you get the cricket scores! Had to delay my breakfast to watch this video, but well worth it. I expect the cabinet is next, French Polish I hope 😆.
BTW love your introduction sequence.
Keep up the good work.
Lynton
Not sure I'll be displacing Mr Carson Lynton 😄. Thanks for putting off breakfast for me 😀 I will refinish the cabinet in whatever it was in the originally which I think was lacquer judging by the cracking in the finish 👍🙂
Now you are finding out why the TRF circuit fell out of favor, you can get the alignment to track better, but never perfectly. A lot of TRF sets didn't even have frequency or meter markings on the dial, just numbers from 0 to 100, and people would write down the number of their favorite station in a log book to figure out where their station should be. It seems to be tracking quite well, all things considered, since it only has three TRF stages, many North American radios from then have four stages. With regard to the detector, I think that may be why many TRF sets where I am had push pull output stages, not only for audio power but to cut back on the distortion somewhat, using a solid state detector diode was a good fix for this set, and easily reversed.
I was pretty happy with the tracking and it came out better than I expected but you are right I just turn the knob and don't look at the dial, I know where the stations are. The US sets always had better specs than us due to the bigger market and competition 🙂
00:40 here and up and watching again! Geoff in Vancouver
Hi Geoff in Vancouver, thank you 🙂
Well David this has been a really interesting project and here I was thinking this would be the final part! I would never have been able to do all the fiddly work you do (esp the toggle switches) - I just know that I would have lost all the parts when they were taken apart! My parents used to despair of me as I was always taking my toys apart to see how things worked but was not so good with putting them back together. So looking forward to seeing the final(?) part.
Hi Kenneth, I had a good laugh at your comment. Pulling something apart is one thing, getting it back together is another 😄 The next part will be the final when it is reunited with the cabinet 🙂
You have the patience of Job.
Haha... I've been told that, thanks Dean 👍🙂
Hello David
Great switch repair , good work .
greets
Uli
Hi Uli, thank you. I was lucky enough to get them both working 🙂
Great job on this one. On some radios you can wind up chasing your tail forever trying to get it perfect.
Exactly Jim 😖
Beautiful and attentive work as always, thanks for sharing.
Question... I understand originality, but are those ancient switches not... scrap? Is there another strong argument for not replacing them?
Very nice job.
Edit: One more question... have you tried swapping in a modern speaker to see what the improvement would be? Or is that heresy.
@MichaelKingsfordGray They may indeed... my question was not intended as criticism.
That said... all replacement switches are *not* created equal, some are very good.
Hi Scofab, I had to repair the switches to retain originally. I managed to only have to change a few items that can only be seen under the chassis but they will add to the history of the radio. The original speaker is in amazing condition so it's not going anywhere. The aim is to restore it to original working condition so it looks and sounds like it did in 1931. I also understand rebuilding radios to use them with modern parts not unlike show cars but not for this one 😀
@@DavidTipton101 Understood... thanks for your reply.
These wafers are exactly the sort of thing you find here in the ground. A b-17 bomber from America was shot down in 1943 here in the north fo the Netherlands... some of the internals must've had that in there, possibly the main dashboard, as some switches can be seen.
Yes I can imagine them in aircraft Manny 👍
Very good job your sir
Hi satish, thank you 🙂
Hi sir I love your video v.very much thanks, Singapore.
Hi Tony in Singapore , thank you 🙂
More very nice work. Yep, aligning TRF sets is definitely a case of chasing your tail.
Hi James, plenty of tail chasing going on here 😄
Very beautiful!
I like what you do.
Thank you oltean27 🙂
Wonderful series on this restoration! Just curious, I'm a huge believer in "never fall in love with old electrical" or in this case "electronics", why not replace the Phone & Antenna switches with new toggles? Same thing with the speaker? I'm sure there's a better speaker out there to be put on this unit to really help with the sound?
Watching from Lincolnshire, Illinois USA.
Hi David, I wanted to keep it as original as possible and the vintage toggles are on the front panel so had to be saved. On lesser radios I will hot them up to some degree but this one is special to me 🙂
*_Super, Bravo bravo prijatelju._*
Thanks D. Illic 😀
20:35 I don't think I've ever seen these adjusting plates before. Was it a solution that was only used in radios of that era? It ingenious in its simplicity - kinda makes me wish all radios had them! It would make life so much simpler! :)
Yeah, pretty simple but worked ok 👍🙂
Wouldnt the original photograph that they would have connected been a phono signal and not line level like your phone would have been?
I cant imagine it would have had a separate volume control since the unit there is esentially acting as the pre amp and power amp for the record player.
Oh by the way....
Love your work and the detail you go to.
Just got yourself another subscriber
Hi 1974UTuber, thank you and thank you for the sub. The phono and the phone are both audio signals so not a lot of difference. The radio has no means of controlling the volume from the phono inputs, judging from other comments it appears the phono player had a seperate volume control and that was normal. I agree with you it seems unlikely but that is what was done apparently 🤷♂️🙂
I've never seen a TRF let alone aligned one. I have enough trouble making sense of a Superheterodyne receiver alignment using the sweep method. I get better results with the peak alignment technique. Of course I use only vintage test equipment, it's all black magic anyhow.
Hi Cosimo. This is my first experience with TRF too but I'm a little more comfortable now having done one. My small signal generator has a built in sweep mini oscilloscope feature, either it doesn't work or I'm too dumb to read it but I've never been able to use it 🤔😄
Very well done job !!!!!
Is very goog see this radio working again.
Do you use external antenna ?
Congratulations - Sao Paulo _ Brazil
Hi Fernando in Sao Paulo, thank you. Yes I use an external antenna, I cannot get a signal inside the house 🙂
Clair nail polish on the outside of the switch should give some protection
Hi Knarf, good idea, thanks 👍🙂
Good job. Why dont you stock log pots. You mainly fix radios that use log pots.
Thanks Ibrahim. I do, but this pot carried a good deal of current so my choices were limited 🙂
Ohh that cliffhanger! garrr
Sorry Matthew 😈
Mate, listening to that frequency whilst you were tuning was a bit hard. The neighbourhood dogs didn’t seem to complain though. Next time can you set the frequency north of 20K so the dogs go nuts but I don’t? Jokes aside, it’s coming together nicely. Well done.
Ha-ha, sorry 'bout that Graham. I'm very happy with it so far 🙂
Great job! But what kinda capacitors the yellow cylinder ones? Cuz I always use small little gray brick caps.
Hi Vata’s lab, I quickly looked through the video but couldn't find any yellow caps, can you give me a time in the video and I will have a look 👍🙂
@@DavidTipton101 its at the part 2 but I dont know why I askd here. But in part 2 its at 26:25 the 0.25 cap.
@@vataslab9700 It's just a normal 650 Volt 0.022uF polly capacitor. I said 0.025uF in the video for some reason 🙄🙂
Just had a Doerle Regen in for a repair estimate, 1970's build vintage; remembered this, but not as a TRF with no regenerative capacity...
We're with you in spirit re: the fires; we are all living on the same rock; to not help each other is madness. From Thomas "Juan Browne, American Airlines 777 First Officer: ua-cam.com/video/zGhzpx5Zxw8/v-deo.html Cheers!
Hi AMStationEngineer, I hadn't heard of the Doerle Regen project, very interesting. Not much to go wrong there.
The fires have been devastating, not the worst we've had but the most widespread over an extended period. We have been getting some good rainfall in areas that need it over the past weeks which has helped a lot. We are so grateful for the support that has come from other countries, there is still good in the world. Our hearts go out to the people who have lost their lives and property and to the three tanker pilots, hopefully the investigation will reveal the cause of the crash. Thanks AMStationEngineer, Cheers 🙂
Sorry, I do not understand why you would install a linear volume pot when you are so meticulous about the smallest of details. Serously, it can not be a problem to get hold of the right log pot, can it?
Hi 1959Berre. Unfortunately I could not get a log pot with the current carrying capacity needed for this set. This is a fairly early restoration of mine and I now have more resources available to track down a pot and I might able to get one if I were doing it now. Actually, now having more experience, I might have attempted to rewind the old pot. Surprisingly the pot works very well and you wouldn't pick it for being the wrong type maybe due to its position in the circuit 🙂
Enjoyed your micro surgery on the switch, is your main job a heart surgeon?.... : ) Thank for your videos. Carl
H-ha... Hi Carl, no, far from a micro surgeon. Thanks for your comment 😃
Question:
David, like your “dim bulb control” control panel did you makes it?
Hi Mack, yes, it's home made 👍
@@DavidTipton101 Will you do a video on this ? It's very usefull !
I might do that, thanks Valentin 👍🙂
Somehow I never in this or the next see the light when its opened
To which light are you referring clasicradiolover 🤔
For the tuner screen
@@clasicradiolover The light is working, I don't remember if I had it on in the video or not. Sometimes I unscrew it because it affects the camera, it does work though.
Noticed it after everything was back together
Toggle Switch repair:
Excellent repair rather than replace, I guess you blokes from Australia aren’t upside down (a Yanks perspective).
Hi Mack, I'm hanging on for grim death here, I flip the video over so it looks normal in the northern hemisphere 🙂
b-o-o-o-o-ring (((((
Hi, that's OK, cheers 🙂
Parabéns pelo seu trabalho amigo manda esse esquema pra mim amigo
Jcveletroeletronica@hotmail.com.
Obrigado Que esquema você quer? 🤔