Show us your radios!

Miss Moonlight · May 4, 2011

It does help, thanks! It belongs to my sister so I will make the suggestion. It needs something, the wood is very dry and brittle looking and it could use a decent waxing anyway. Getting any crayon residue off is a plus.

kpreed · May 4, 2011

Your welcome. Good Luck! Also on wood that is real, real dry ( it happens a bunch up here at 9200 ft.) I have used Lemon oil to the wood to add some luster to wood, I never tried it yet, but I hear "Murphy's Wood Soap" is a good cleaner on vintage wood too.

BinkieBaumont · May 5, 2011

Another lovely mirror radio

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/VINTAGE-WALT...87677%2B220770287677&po=&ps=63#ht_1097wt_1141

dhermann1 · May 6, 2011

I have the Spartan that's the same as one of those two cobalt blue ones (don't recall which one at the moment) but with a wood case. It cost something like 1/12th of what the blue one cost. Good little radio.
But here's my latest treasure. It's a 1948 GLF AM FM radio. Yes, the same GLF that became Agway. In 1947 they decided to set up a farmers' radio network in Upstate New York, to try to hook all the dairy farmers together. They had Philips make this superb radio, and set up a half dozen stations across the central part of the state. Didn't fly. Here's the Wikipedia article with all the details:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rural_Radio_Network

And here's the radio:

I believe it has 8 tubes. It sold for about $87, which in those days was a LOT of money. I've looked at some of the antique radio bulletin boards, and they say it's not the easiest thing to restore. But I expect the guys down at Waves LLC in Manhattan will know what to do with it. I'm really looking forward to hearing some excellent antique vacuum tube radio FM on this baby.

FStephenMasek · May 27, 2011

Big Man said:
Here's the oldest radio we have in the house. My Dad and Mom bought this in 1952 (I still have the sales receipt and the instruction booklet that came with it). It doesn't work now. The last time I turned it on (about 10 years ago) it had a short and gave me quite a shock. I'd like to get it repaired one day.

That is a very good sounding AM & FM radio. I have one. The seller had it playing, so I listened to it for an hour or so before taking it apart to begin the restoration. I normally cut the cord off as soon as I get one, as expensive damage can result if an old radio is powered-up prior to proper servicing. I collect and restore old radios for fun. I have over a dozen in my work in progress area in the garage, and over 100 radios. I'm often on http://www.Antiqueradios.com and many of my radios on on my Photobucket account (see my signature).

I'm on the board of directors of the Southern California Antique Radio Society. Any interest in some sort of joint event between members of this forum and SCARS (unfortunate acronym)?

tonyb · May 30, 2011

I can only wish my Sparton was as valuable (and stylish) as those two you posted, Binkie. But for 25 bucks (I got it for half off the already reduced price), I ain't complaining. It works pretty well, except that the volume control is a bit glitchy. And the dial doesn't light up, but I'm thinking a couple of new bulbs would fix that. Any of you folks got a recommendation as to where I might buy those bulbs?

W4ASZ · May 30, 2011

Nice catch !

Interestingly, I have the same model Sparton awaiting a dial cord replacement. I paid $75.00 for mine as I recall.

Dial lamps ? Howze'bout these guys :

http://www.tubesandmore.com/

I don't know if Radio Shack can sell you a #47 bulb anymore or not. Your volume control noise can likely be cured with a squirt of contact cleaner spray.

This seems to be a nice radio. Enjoy ! :eusa_clap

tonyb · May 30, 2011

Thanks for that, W4ASZ. But now I'm slapping myself in the forehead. There's a Radio Shack about half a mile from here. And, according to their website, they likely have these guys in stock, a two-pack for $2.19.

Any idea why mine tunes backwards? You know, you turn the tuning knob to the right and the tuner thingy goes to the left. It's just fine the way it is, and kind of novel, but I'm thinking something got installed backwards.

As to that volume control thing ... Would WD40 do the trick? Or should I find something else? I assume I should unplug the radio before spraying anything flammable and/or explosive in there. And just where do I apply whatever I end up using? Does anything have to come apart?

Oh, and by the way ... happen to know when these things were made?

FStephenMasek · Jun 1, 2011

tonyb said:
As to that volume control thing ... Would WD40 do the trick? Or should I find something else?

Specialty cleaner / lubricant is needed. Contact cleaner or other chemical products may destroy the control - I've done it. I've had good luck cleaning potentiometers with Deoxit D100.

To help determine the age of your Sparton, look it up on NostalgiaAir http://www.nostalgiaair.org/ or Radiomuseum http://www.radiomuseum.org/

FStephenMasek · Jun 7, 2011

Finally! The house painting and re-carpeting are complete after more than a month of a mess with many things in the garage and the cars left outside.

I need to think about some shelves for table radios, as I don't like stacking them on consoles, and am about to have several more of them finished. We've also got many books and I'd like to keep some of them there. What do you think about a continuous shelf all around the room 5' above the floor?

I collect and restore them, but will eventually sell all but the ones I like the most after restoring them. Here is the radio room (I've got four more in the house, many in the garage workshop area, with about 100 total):

walking in the door, and one of our new scandanavian recliners

the right side

the left side

the closet

AtomicEraTom · Jun 7, 2011

Fantastic collection! You've done a wonderful job with it!

BinkieBaumont · Jun 19, 2011

Not sure if this link will work for folk outside of Australia

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/collectors/segments/s3246744.htm

FStephenMasek · Jun 21, 2011

BinkieBaumont said:
Not sure if this link will work for folk outside of Australia

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/collectors/segments/s3246744.htm

Very nice, and thanks for posting the link! I wonder if the video was made before the current economic mess, as radio prices have dropped.

I definitely want one of those consoles with the wolf brass hounds in the dial escutcheon. Does anyone know the make and model?

W4ASZ · Jun 21, 2011

tonyb said:
Thanks for that, W4ASZ. But now I'm slapping myself in the forehead. There's a Radio Shack about half a mile from here. And, according to their website, they likely have these guys in stock, a two-pack for $2.19.

Any idea why mine tunes backwards? You know, you turn the tuning knob to the right and the tuner thingy goes to the left. It's just fine the way it is, and kind of novel, but I'm thinking something got installed backwards.

As to that volume control thing ... Would WD40 do the trick? Or should I find something else? I assume I should unplug the radio before spraying anything flammable and/or explosive in there. And just where do I apply whatever I end up using? Does anything have to come apart?

Oh, and by the way ... happen to know when these things were made?

I believe what you have is a Sparton Model 6521, as have I.
I seem to remember pre early 1942. (The War, you know ...)

Sorry for the delay. I tend to wander off. Yes, Nostalgia Air is a terrific resource. You should find proper contact/control cleaner/lube at the Shack. It will be overpriced, but your time is worth something. They count on that.

The "backwards" tuning may be correct, and it may explain why I have had a difficult time restringing the dial cord. (LizzieMaine is laughing at this.) Turning the dial clockwise does not always increase the frequency on these old sets. Don't mess with it, I suggest.

I have an original operating instruction brochure. Send me a PM with your mailing address and I'll send you a photocopy.

lolly_loisides · Jun 29, 2011

Here is my latest purchase, a 1936 Airzone (Airzone was an Australian company that produced radios from 1925 to 1946).

Chas · Jun 29, 2011

Nice, Lis. I guess I may have to find something similar when (if) I get to set up house down undah.

BinkieBaumont · Jul 2, 2011

lolly_loisides said:
Here is my latest purchase, a 1936 Airzone (Airzone was an Australian company that produced radios from 1925 to 1946).

Very Smart, I'm assuming its a local purchase, will you set it up so as to be able to transmit Nostalgia via your ipod?

lolly_loisides · Jul 2, 2011

BinkieBaumont said:
Very Smart, I'm assuming its a local purchase, will you set it up so as to be able to transmit Nostalgia via your ipod?

If you are referring to your radio programme on Sundays, you are shameless Binkie.

I'll have to track down an AM transmitter.

BinkieBaumont · Jul 2, 2011

http://www.rtrfm.com.au/shows/nostalgia

Shameless? Moi? , Did I mention the fact I met Jill Perryman, at the Chita Rivera show last week, oh thats right I mentioned it on my Radio programme last Sunday, actually I meant Nostalgia, in general

Sharpsburg · Jul 3, 2011

Everyday radio of the war years?

I am putting together a wartime homefront display and want to feature the "everyday" or typical radio of the war years. What tabletop radio would be most appropriate - a cathedral style or something like a plilco transitone? Not too expensive, if you please.

Thanks! Mary

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