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 AWA Wooden Mantle Radiola
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 Return to top of page · Post #: 1 · Written at 3:38:07 AM on 4 July 2017.
Tallar Carl's avatar
 Location: Latham, ACT
 Member since 21 February 2015
 Member #: 1705
 Postcount: 2149

I picked this one up at the same auction as the Chieftan and it only cost me 20 bucks. It's complete and looks to be a fairly straight forward resto. It has a curved top with the escutcheon mounted on the curve and has the tuning knob on the right hand side of the cabinet much like the 607T.
It's valve lineup is as such 6J8G, 6U7G, 6B6G, 6V6GT and 5Y3GT. I have sent pictures and would like to know the model number and year. Please.

AWA Mantel Radio
AWA Mantel Radio
AWA Mantel Radio
AWA Mantel Radio


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 2 · Written at 12:08:17 AM on 5 July 2017.
Tallar Carl's avatar
 Location: Latham, ACT
 Member since 21 February 2015
 Member #: 1705
 Postcount: 2149

Photos are up.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 3 · Written at 12:56:25 AM on 5 July 2017.
GTC's avatar
 GTC
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 28 January 2011
 Member #: 823
 Postcount: 6678

Unfortunately, that line-up was a common one, for AWA and others.

Going by the styling of some other AWA timber mantels, I'd place it around 1939-1940, in which case these may be candidates:

1939, model 85
1939, model 91

I would have hoped there'd be a clue or two about model on the card inside the cabinet. A close up of that might be useful, once you get the chassis out.

Meanwhile, with some work, here's what it could look like: https://www.flickr.com/photos/55435026@N02/5852308909/in/dateposted/


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 4 · Written at 10:00:30 AM on 5 July 2017.
Vintage Pete's avatar
 Location: Albury, NSW
 Member since 1 May 2016
 Member #: 1919
 Postcount: 2048

That Timber would come up ok. yes the grain has opened up and its very dried out , but it would come up ok .This is how you want them .
Pete


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 5 · Written at 10:07:48 PM on 5 July 2017.
Tallar Carl's avatar
 Location: Latham, ACT
 Member since 21 February 2015
 Member #: 1705
 Postcount: 2149

Yes Pete I am going to French polish it. I know it wasn't originally French polished but I have had some success in the past and love doing it.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 6 · Written at 10:14:23 PM on 5 July 2017.
Vintage Pete's avatar
 Location: Albury, NSW
 Member since 1 May 2016
 Member #: 1919
 Postcount: 2048

In the photos it appears to be shellac? Either way for that radio in that condition Shellac is the way to go !. It will come up good that one, its Origanal and you can see whats there,
Nice find! I would of jump at that !
Pete


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 7 · Written at 11:37:41 PM on 5 July 2017.
Tallar Carl's avatar
 Location: Latham, ACT
 Member since 21 February 2015
 Member #: 1705
 Postcount: 2149

Well if that is shellac then all I need to do is rub it down with metho or thinners to get it off ? Or stripper.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 8 · Written at 11:47:05 PM on 5 July 2017.
Vintage Pete's avatar
 Location: Albury, NSW
 Member since 1 May 2016
 Member #: 1919
 Postcount: 2048

Metho! Will take it off.
Carl , get your self some KGB stripper if you ever use stripper!
If you cant get it in the ACT , let me know ill send it too you, its very safe on timbers
In the photos it looks like shellac because the top is gone ,,worn off ,there is no crazing? There is scratching and its worn off.
Do you ever use super blond shellac ? Clear


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 9 · Written at 11:49:44 PM on 5 July 2017.
Vintage Pete's avatar
 Location: Albury, NSW
 Member since 1 May 2016
 Member #: 1919
 Postcount: 2048

If it was nitro or varnish you would have crazing its 70 years old,i dont see any crazing in the photo?


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 10 · Written at 10:03:30 AM on 6 July 2017.
Tallar Carl's avatar
 Location: Latham, ACT
 Member since 21 February 2015
 Member #: 1705
 Postcount: 2149

I haven't used super blond shellac . Is it hard to get?


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 11 · Written at 11:14:01 AM on 6 July 2017.
Vintage Pete's avatar
 Location: Albury, NSW
 Member since 1 May 2016
 Member #: 1919
 Postcount: 2048

Shellac comes in many colours and years ago you could buy them all at the Harware.
Now Hardwares only carry Amber or Orange which is very limiting.
So the best place now is to buy off the net.
I buy my shellac in Fake form.
Shellac will keep in flake form for a long long time, once it is mixed with Metho though in begins to loose its hardness, so just keep it in flake form until you are ready to use it.
Its good to keep some stock of the other colours in the shed if you like restoring.
Super blond is clear, blond has a blond tint.
Its also a lot cheaper to buy it on line .

Pete


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 12 · Written at 2:30:55 PM on 12 August 2017.
Sirwin's avatar
 Location: Beechmont, QLD
 Member since 10 April 2009
 Member #: 465
 Postcount: 109

R91 Written on the chassis.

Cheers.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 13 · Written at 2:45:19 PM on 12 August 2017.
GTC's avatar
 GTC
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 28 January 2011
 Member #: 823
 Postcount: 6678

You have eagle eyes, Stuart!


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 14 · Written at 4:39:44 PM on 12 August 2017.
JFB's Gravatar
 JFB
 Location: Milton, NSW
 Member since 27 June 2016
 Member #: 1945
 Postcount: 55

The ARTS&P sticker prefix looks like the letter G, which says 1941, the valve line up for that year suggests it's a model 95. The radio museum photo for this model http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/amalgamate_fisk_radiola_95r9.html shows a different cabinet shape but notes that the cabinet styling varies during the 1941 - 1946 period that this model was manufactured. I could easily assume that your model is an earlier one and that the cabinet style was simplified during the war years - but it's just a guess on my part.

The HSRA site http://www.hrsa.asn.au/ has a PDF list of Australian radio models that is reasonably comprehensive and that I find quite useful in identifying radios - but do note that it is not complete.

Joe


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 15 · Written at 6:25:24 PM on 12 August 2017.
GTC's avatar
 GTC
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 28 January 2011
 Member #: 823
 Postcount: 6678

I'm going with a 91, which has the stated line-up.

ARTS&P stickers are only rough guides to year of manufacture. Pale blue with G prefix covers 1940-1941 so that's within the ballpark of the Model 91.

http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/amalgamate_radiola_91.html


 
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