My Second Radialva Groom Restore

[Geaney]

OK, this is likely to be a long time until it gets completed. This is the donor Groom I got to finish off the other set. I decided that, since this set is very badly bodged already, I would strip this one down to bare metal and completely rebuild it. Along the way I'll see about a replacement dial and any other items that will need replacing.

Since a previous 'repair' involved replacing the rectifier valve with a mains transformer and silicon rectifier, it also involved replacing the audio output valve (25Z6) with a 6V6G to get round the heater voltage problem.

I've managed to get the front panel off without causing the dial cord to come undone so that's a good start! I'll be removing it anyway but not before I figure out how it is supposed to be run - and document it, etc.

So, I'm going to use this project to learn as much as I can along the way and hopefully I'll get it all back together to its original spec at some point in the future.

Cheers, John

[Geaney]

The set is now fully disassembled and I've started cleaning the various bits before putting it all back together again. I've encountered a few showstoppers so the final outcome is far from guaranteed. There are some coils in the circuit diagram that are missing in the set so replacing those will be a challenge. I'm working on getting a replacement dial fabricated (thanks Maitiu). Other items like valve sockets, valves, etc. should be OK to find. I've ordered up a selection of grommets for mounting the tuning cap and the front panel.
Since the chassis metalwork was in a bad state I thought first to paint it but in the end went for polishing it instead.

At this stage I'm still optimistic I'll get it working

Cheers, John

[Tedzed1]

Well done so far John, wish I had the bottle to strip a set down this far.

[Yorkie]

Thanks for taking the trouble to post the pics John. Huh, you only wanted the 'doner set' to rob it of its dial - now look what you've got yourself into!

At least you have a working set to go on for comparison.

Something rather satisfying about a total stripdown. I know of only three such cases - Colin Wood stripped down a Little Maestro 'woodie' to the bare chassis and re-built it; Robert Darwent did likewise with an Ecko A22 (both featured in the BVWS Bulletin), and Nick is presently on with a DAC90A total stripdown and rebuild to a higher spec.

[Geaney]

Thanks for taking the trouble to post the pics John. Huh, you only wanted the 'doner set' to rob it of its dial - now look what you've got yourself into!

At least you have a working set to go on for comparison.

Hi David,
I decided in for a penny, in for a pound on this one. I've got Ben Dijkman in Holland re-doing the dial from scratch. Once has has the three different colour masks done he can print them off in any colour combination. I notice there are at least two different colour schemes for the dial. My major challenge will be the missing coils. The only diagram I have shows them but not their values. Since I'm more into the restoring than collecting, it doesn't matter if it takes a long time to get done - so long as I'm learning along the way and having more fun than frustration!

Cheers, John

[Yorkie]

A great guy Ben - very skilled. He'll make knobs for anything and has quite a range of dials and lots of other useful bits. I guess he'll add the Radialva to his list. He and Corrien Maas (bespoke speaker fabric hand loom weaver, also in Holland) are at the top of their game.

As to being a 'restorer' not a collector, same here!

Collecting becomes a bi-product which arises by default, because once I've restored a radio, I don't like to part with it! Quite apart from that, it makes little economic sense as the initial cost of the radio plus parts (especially output valves, magic eyes and caps) will often be greater than can be realised if the radio is sold. The trouble is that domestic space is finite and if every radio is retained, restoration activites come to a halt due to lack of space. Really, I need a Dr Who tardis - don't we all!

If anyone is in this game for money, and I'm not, the most logical thing to do isn't to restore radios but to strip them down and sell the bits. A DAC90A for example, is worth far more in bits than as a whole. Dial, knobs, back, speaker, OPT, wavechange switch, cabinet, frame aerial, the shoddy mains socket (the male plug is fixed on the rear apron of the chassis - the socket (female) often wrongly called the 'plug' is on the mains lead).

[Geaney]

it also involved replacing the audio output valve (25Z6) with a 6V6G to get round the heater voltage problem.

Just noticed, I got my valves confused - the audio output is of course 25L6 and the rectifier is the 25Z6. The 6V6G turned out to be duff anyway so it's in the bin.

Cheers, John

[Geaney]

Most of the chassis clean-up is done at this stage. I'm considering whether to do the same to the front panel assembly. I know I should since the paint is badly scratched and the metalwork is generally grubby. It means taking off the dial cord and it's working fine so I'm reluctant. I'm sure I'll grab it by the horns before the weekend is out.

I'm waiting for some octal valve sockets before I can start re-building.

Cheers, John

[Radio Fixer]

Hello John

Coming on well. I do wonder what will stop the chassis from rusting? It does look as if you have removed all of the thin cadmium plating?

In these situations I have either spray painted with silver Smoothrite or sprayed with Zinser Shellac. This leaves the bright metal gleaming through and to me is too shinny. I normally dull it down either with matt lacquer or satin.

Zinser, which alas does not spray too well and needs some experience, has fantastic adhesion in simple tests made by me.

cheers Gary

[Geaney]

Hello John

Coming on well. I do wonder what will stop the chassis from rusting? It does look as if you have removed all of the thin cadmium plating?

In these situations I have either spray painted with silver Smoothrite or sprayed with Zinser Shellac. This leaves the bright metal gleaming through and to me is too shinny. I normally dull it down either with matt lacquer or satin.

Zinser, which alas does not spray too well and needs some experience, has fantastic adhesion in simple tests made by me.

cheers Gary

Thanks Gary, I'll definitely finish it with some form of protective clear coat. For now it's just well soaked in WD40 and fortunately the air where I live is very dry - especially now as we head into Winter. Once I've got the missing octal valve socket fitted (still can't find the right type for it) then it will be clear coat time.

Cheers, John