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Restoration falls into two main categories: cabinet restoration and chassis restoration. After this rough division comes the 'fine tuning' of any restoration project: from minor work, more a service than a restoration in truth, where the cabinet and chassis are surface cleaned and only the faulty components replaced; to a complete cabinet and chassis rebuild - cabinet stripped and major panels replaced or reveneered, new knobs cast, scale plate remade, loudspeaker repaired or rebuilt. Chassis stripped back to bare metal with all components removed, followed by a painstaking repaint and rebuild, hiding new capacitors within the shells of the old and ending with full tuned circuit alignment using a signal generator and possibly an oscilloscope or meter as an output measuring device.

These two extremes are relatively rare - though the minor  work is perhaps the rarest. Most projects fit somewhere between, with full chassis stripdowns being reserved for the most elderly of receivers such as early 1930s TRFs.

Annobium Punctatum

The common furniture beetle, the larvae of which are the cause of the holes we know as woodworm. These little varmints will attack perfectly sound wood and are extremely common in all temperate climes. Wooden cased radios are a prime target for them, so I use the following procedure in defence:

With wooden cabinets, before any inspection, an external wash with five-star wood protection and woodworm killer is given, then the set is covered securely by placing into a sealed bin liner bag. This is to prevent any escape of the flying insect that causes the damage. I have no wish to infect or re-infect any of my sets or the timbers of my workshop. Note too that even Bakelite sets may have a ply baffle board which often seems to attract the woodworm.

When first placed upon the bench, a careful general inspection of the set is carried out to decide whether the set is worth restoring and if so, just how deep such a restoration should be. During this examination, digital photos are taken and a record is made of any missing knobs, back covers, damage to loudspeaker escutcheon, fabric, woodworm past or present, damaged or missing emblems, scale glass problems, feet, chassis holding screws.

Questions to answer:

Has the set been 'got at' by someone in the past?

Are the valves present and if so, are they the correct ones?

What is the state - if any - of the mains lead?

Does the rotary mains switch (often part of the volume or tone control) 'feel' as though it is clicking over properly?

If all knobs are present, are they the correct ones for the model, and is their attachment method (grub screw, 'D' clip) functioning on them all?

What condition is any of the visible internal wiring, for example the loudspeaker connection leads? Usually, with elderly sets, the rubber insulation will have crumbled or hardened (self-vulcanisation)

Note that so far, no power has been applied to the set. Decision time!

Take a look at the pages listed on the left. All pages describe restorations but in particular, the EKCO and BUSH pages have detailed descriptions of restorative work.

CAVEAT