HI everyone.

I tend to have a fairly wide and varied interests.

My day job is as a Data Centre manager and I originally trained as a Telstra Telecommunications tech via an apprenticeship in the late 80s early 90s. I'm currently in my second year of night classes learning how to repair watches and clocks and also help manage a forum on toy and model steam engines.

I'm of the age that when I was a child I still remember having to wait for the valves to warm up on our B&W TV set to work, but not old enough to have ever worked on Vacuum tube equipment before.

I was recently basically give a PYE wooden mantle radio and a bench top radio / record player (That I haven't identified the brand of yet), both of which I think are from the 50s.

In the past I've restored prewar electric toy trains, rebuild a 1970s EM pinball machine and rewired a vintage motorcycle, but this will be my first time attempting to restore a valve radio.

The record player / radio is in pretty reasonably condition whilst the PYE mantle radio though working is cosmetically rough. Besides the woodwork needing refinishing on the PYE radio it will need to be rewired as most of the insulation on the wiring is shot. I'm not in a rush to start the restorations, so will probably spend some time browsing this forum before I start any work.

Tony

G'day Tony,

Welcome to our happy home. Valve radios have one similarity to pinball machines - high voltages inside. If that gets remembered then the rest will take care of itself as your experiences seem fairly wide ranging. I've always wanted a couple of pinball machines to have at home but have never had the cash set aside to make the purchases. In the past I've always spent spare money on radios. One reaps what they sow!

The radio/record player you speak of, these are known as tablegrams and a few of the mainstream manufacturers made them. These include AWA, Astor, STC, HMV and Kriesler. Astor and Kriesler made theirs from Bakelite but the others preferred timber models. Knowing this, you may be able to narrow things down a bit.

Or, if you e-mail me a photo of the unit, I can insert it into your post and this may help with an exact make and model.

Welcome to V-R

the PYE radio it will need to be rewired as most of the insulation on the wiring is shot.

Good to see that you have enough knowledge not to try to power up these old units before the necessary repairs are done on them.

If you let us know the valves that are in each of them, we may be able to identify the model numbers. Be careful when removing valves not to wipe off the markings -- which is easily done.


Photos can also help (see note 6 of the posting instructions for how to submit photos).

Welcome aboard. Google Kevin Chant , he is over your way and has heaps of components that you will need.

Enjoy.

Carl