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Bakelite Radios - do’s and don'ts?

Started by FABphones, March 09, 2021, 04:47:00 AM

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FABphones

I have been thinking of finding a couple of nice condition Bakelite Radios for quite some time. Now I am actively searching. So many nice models out there, this could easily not stop at just two...

Due to current restrictions, and the fact that those I like best will undoubtedly be way too far away to collect, whatever I find will probably arrive in the post, so I am in need of a few tips.

I'll assume anything I get won't be working, so need a few pointers of what to look for, and what to avoid.

I'm only looking at those in good condition - no case damage, no missing knobs, back boards, mains cables etc.

I am going to have to learn to fix them up internally and get them functioning, so any and all advice you guys can help me with will be much appreciated.

Below an example, this one priced at approximately $70  (sellers photos):
A collector of  'Monochrome Phones with Sepia Tones'   ...and a Duck!
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Vintage Phones - 10% man made, 90% Tribble
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Jack Ryan

I like old radios but I am not a seasoned restorer. I just have a couple of comments on safety issues.

Be careful with old power cables. The insulation has probably dried out and crumbled. You will probably need to replace it - I think sympathetic replacement cable is available.

Some of the capacitors may have dried out and might go bang if you just plug in and switch on. Look carefully for any capacitors that look like they are putting on weight. Replace if needed - sometimes you might need to put a new cap in an old case to make it look reasonable. Some people replace all the caps but I'm not that cautious.

Try a soft start with a variac.

Watch out for live chassis.

Once you get the radio going, be careful of heavy rock.

Good luck.

Jack



RB

As Jack pointed out, the caps HAVE DRIED OUT.
No question, no extra thot needed.
They ARE bad.
Replace them, and then start power on checks.
Caps are cheap, mostly, and are the main cause of failure.
Find someone, or buy a tube checker. most will still work, but you may find some in poor condition.
The rest, you discover as you are restoring the chassis.
Oh yeah, if it has an old blade rectifier, replace that too.
A can of contact cleaner with lube, will come in handy for dirty pots.
Good luck, and enjoy!
Those old radios had really good sound for what they were.

TelePlay

This is a poor person's device to safely power up an old radio that may be shorted. A dim-bulb tester lets you try out a radio or TV under safe conditions and see whether it has problems in its power supply.

https://antiqueradio.org/dimbulb.htm

First discussed on the forum in 2012

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=7361.msg82316#msg82316

and the following reply in 2017

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=18032.msg186025#msg186025

which also included the link to the Antique Radio site's great description of, use for and "how to build" a dim bulb tester. The Antique Radio page is attached as a PDF for posterity.

Once checked for shorts, the rest of the restoration can proceed (cap and other questionable component replacement mentioned in prior replies).

soundsystems

Here are a couple of bakelite radios that I would be willing to sell. Message me if you are interested. Thanks!

FABphones

Quote from: soundsystems on March 09, 2021, 10:19:42 AM
Here are a couple of bakelite radios that I would be willing to sell....

Thanks for the offer. Very nice, but not possible unless these are EU based sets (240v).  :(
A collector of  'Monochrome Phones with Sepia Tones'   ...and a Duck!
***********
Vintage Phones - 10% man made, 90% Tribble
*************

rdelius

That radio looks French or Belgium with American type tubes. No voltage shown on the chassis. Also make sure that the power cord is in good condition and not a resistance one to drop the voltage

FABphones

Quote from: rdelius on March 09, 2021, 12:54:41 PM
That radio looks French or Belgium...

Spot on again Robbie  :)
French is my second language so I am mainly looking at French models at the moment due to shipping issues (Brexit).

Thanks everyone for the input. For sure I would have zapped something. A new area for me, much to learn.
A collector of  'Monochrome Phones with Sepia Tones'   ...and a Duck!
***********
Vintage Phones - 10% man made, 90% Tribble
*************

LarryInMichigan

One should never plug in a vintage radio straight from the wild.  Various interesting and often highly undesirable things could happen.  I bought a radio this week from a seller who said that it didn't work.  When I looked at it at home, I found that not only was the insulation on the power (mains) cord cracking, but inside the radio chassis, the cord was cut and left dangling with bare wires.  Plugging the radio into 120V would likely have resulted in fireworks (and all the more so at 240V).  The tubes were in the wrong sockets, one of the tubes was burned out, and there was a bundle of wire connected to the speaker on one end and a strange thing on the other end.  I replaced the power cord, the bad tubes, most of the capacitors, and did various other things, and now the radio works (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eABYum2v0F0).

It is usually necessary to replace the electrolytic capacitors because the old ones are dried out and the radio will hum.  The paper/wax capacitors generally need to be replaced, but I often leave the ones which look good, seem to work, and have only low voltages across them.

You should be able to play a North American 120V in Europe if you use a step-down transformer to bring the power voltage to 120V.  The power frequency will not make a difference. 

I don't know how European radio prices are, but here the values of radios depend not only on the condition, but heavily on the model.  The cuter and more stylish models (particularly the extreme MCM styles) tend to sell for high prices.

Larry

FABphones

Thanks for the info, I'll be sure to be extra thorough looking them over.

Quote from: LarryInMichigan on March 09, 2021, 01:58:55 PM
...The cuter and more stylish models (particularly the extreme MCM styles)...


Could you explain 'MCM' (maybe add a photo)?

Thanks again.
A collector of  'Monochrome Phones with Sepia Tones'   ...and a Duck!
***********
Vintage Phones - 10% man made, 90% Tribble
*************

HarrySmith

Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

LarryInMichigan

Quote from: FABphones on March 09, 2021, 05:15:53 PM
Thanks for the info, I'll be sure to be extra thorough looking them over.


Could you explain 'MCM' (maybe add a photo)?

Thanks again.

MCM (mid-century modern) things were made mostly during the 1950s and 60s.  I think that my TravLer T201 (forum link) is probably the most extreme example of an MCM radio in my collection. 

Another example of MCM design is illustrated by some chairs I have hidden in my basement as seen below.

Larry

countryman

Old radios are fascinating. Just be aware that most AM stations in Central Europe have disappeared meanwhile. UK, Spain and parts of Eastern Europe still operate a handful but they dwindle away.
Many European 1950ies an onward types provide FM (88.5....100 MHz) what will make them more useful. An option?
Many of the older ones do not have a mains transformer, but hang straight on the grid. That has to be kept in mind when handling them, and makes it next to impossible to play back audio from modern sources on them.
France, like entire continental Europe used to have 220V in the past. This was harmonized to 230V years ago. The tubes are voltage sensitive, it's worth checking if a voltage selector with a 240V setting is provided.
Checking capacitors and the rectifier is correct. Certain types of capacitors (e.g. ceramic and styroflex) do not usually fail with age. Luckily these often have been used inside FM tuners, which should be left to experts to deal with.

19and41

As you're looking at the available sets, be sure to check the feedbacks on the seller and make sure they have sent radios through the post and have had good luck with packaging the sets for their safe arrival.  I had, on a couple of occasions purchased sets from sellers that had no idea how to safely pack them.  It is sad to get a box of bakelite bric a brac and shattered tubes.
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

FABphones

Thanks to everyone for the replies. I'll take my time and learn a bit more. I'll also try to find something near enough to collect.

———-

This isn't one I'm interested in, but thought I'd share as it appears to have had an interior snowfall (seller says it is working, albeit a bit crackly on some stations).
A collector of  'Monochrome Phones with Sepia Tones'   ...and a Duck!
***********
Vintage Phones - 10% man made, 90% Tribble
*************