Reddit reviews Antique Radio Repair and Restoration, 4th Edition
We found 2 Reddit comments about Antique Radio Repair and Restoration, 4th Edition. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
That's a neat looking radio. I like it. What does the tag on the chassis look like?
It looks like someone replaced the grill cloth but aside from that it seems pretty original. I wouldn't plug it in again. There are capacitors used to filter out the 60Hz hum from the AC that dry out (electrolytic) and leak (wax) which can cause them to blow open or start on fire. Until those are replaced, applying power to it is a risky proposition. If you ever feel like taking on a project, Antique Radio Repair and Restoration is a good book if you can find it. I can't really tell from the pictures whether it still has the original shellac finish, but if it does the refinish job can be fairly easy. You can find out if it's shellac by applying a small amount of alcohol - preferably denatured alcohol from the hardware store - to an inconspicuous spot. It will dissolve the shellac and get sticky. Polyurethane won't and is also a pain to get off.
Nice radio! I like that it has a power transformer.
You should pick up a book on radio restoration. You will need to replace all of the old capacitors and resistors. Then you'll need a signal generator to align it. All that will be covered in the book.
Once you restore it, give some thought to putting up an external antenna on your roof. External antennas really help a lot - you will be surprised by how good an old AM radio can sound.