Here's an interesting radio I picked up.
It was sold in the US as a kit radio.
What do you think, interesting?

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Very interesting and congratulations on picking up such a old gem.

Think I have seen some reference to the Pilot Wasp in some old radio magazines somewhere.

I believe in its day the Wasp was reputed to be a hot performing short wave radio.

Would be very happy to have one like yours which is in good condition and with it coils set in original box all intact.

Good find and would be interested to hear how it performs on a decent aerial.

I found this on the web.
Popular Mechanics, Nov 1930
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Would have been a costly project in its day even as a kit being a mains five valve set.

Probably the reason why the one you managed to acquire survived, someone somewhere realised it was valued in its day.

I often wonder of the history of these sorts of things and who was the original builder.

Had a quick look through some old journals etc as know I have seen a reference to the Wasp but could not turn up anything as yet.

Afraid I'll be away for a few days so will renew my search when I return.

"Had a quick look through some old journals etc as know I have seen a reference to the Wasp but could not turn up anything as yet."

Were you thinking of the Pilot Super Wasp article in Peter Lankshear's "Discovering Vintage Radio"?

There was also some discussion here on the subject of Pilot radio over a year ago:
http://vintage-radio.com.au/default.asp?f=1&th=510#2760.

There is a similar set on the Radio Museum called a K-115 with a K-111 Power Supply.

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

I'll have a go at getting it working over the next few days.

Check Nostalgia Air : They are American & likely the circuit appears in "Rider".

Three years have passed and I have finally decided to restore my AC Pilot Wasp to its former glory.
Looks like mine was a K-110 set modified to an AC version of the K-115.
I have most of the major parts and will restore it so it will look like this K-115.

https://radioattic.com/item.htm?radio=1030015

To achieve this I will have to find 1920’s type resistors and capacitors as they have been changed out for modern types.

Does anyone have any Pilot parts?

Thanks,
Gary

Interesting project.

Suggest also posting on http://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/

I am on both this and the US forum, no replies................

Just be careful if you want it to work. From what I see on the American forum and servicing some of their creations there are issues.

Their Wax Paper caps are on par with ours and the only way to get an original looking working one, is to gut it & put a new one inside its jacket. Their mica caps seemed to get "Silver Mica Disease"; Probably due to construction as ours after a certain point in the 30's, even the open wafer types of Mica were fairly reliable & several sets with the AWA ones have gone back into service from here, with all of its original ones (tested) still in it.

USA came up with "Bumble Bees" & "Micamold brand" Those are top of the list as far as I am concerned (based on experience with them) for tossing out on sight many oil filled caps are no better.

My normal tactic with any Mica with an end out of circuit (or in toto) is to leakage test it with an insulation tester. There was an English company producing "Dog Bone" resistors a few years back. I rarely keep 1920's resistors as they are normally duds that have been removed.

Depending on what they used for a detector, many of the bullet type resistors on "Leaky Grid" detectors can be repaired. That possibly has a plate detector? (Have not looked at the circuit).

Interesting project.

I have a 1924 Gilfillan in the line waiting for the owner to fix the cabinet. It's amazing: It was missing its voltmeter (measures "A" & "B" batteries) I advertised on the American forum (Moderator) & a guy had three: End of that problem.

Thanks for comments Marcc.
I try to modify the body of these components and insert modern components inside so they look original and work.
So if you have any dead parts I will have them?
Here is the schematic and layouts.

Photos uploaded to Post 12.

What a surprise! One of the old blokes in the radio club in WA had a box full of Pilot parts which he gave to me so my restoration is well under way.

He even made his own replica Grid Leak resistors.

Do you have the knobs for that one Gary? They look very much like a set of spare knobs that I have.