Antique radio

Many years ago, tube radio, radiogram, TV can be found in almost every home, yard, in every family. But since then, much time has passed. Today no longer easy to find such things. They have not enjoyed in everyday life. Something interesting of junk still sought in basements, attics, garages and put up for sale - but many of the models used to mass everyday radio has now become rarities, turned into an exotic technical antiques. Because it is believed that the age of radios is very short, maybe 5-10 years. Used to make durable things, but they are outdated morally, to replace the old models and new opportunities come. Now a few instances of the many interesting tube radios survived only by collectors and connoisseurs. This is especially true pre-war Russian radio, most of which is under the instruction of the authorities had put the population at the beginning of the war and never returned later.

It's not a secret that the majority of old radio, located today in private hands, is in a deplorable state. It repaired at different times casually, long kept in poor conditions, treated as old and useless things, that it is a pity to throw away just because it is a pity. And the more time passes, it is harder to recover antique radio, to return the original quality, authentic look to it. Despite the technology improvements, the details of rare tube radios have not produced. Nothing them replace with. Moreover, a wide range of electrical and paint materials became out of use. Some of them now are a real exotic. It's impossible to find such parts in specialized stores. Even at flea markets they are becoming a rarity. Antique radio restoration - a lengthy process, primarily due to lack of parts. But fortunately, there are amateurs who still kept the old radio parts. Enthusiasts and restorers change parts with each other. Sometimes it's possibly to restore one radio from the several faulty are obtained. But the main thing - do not force the receiver to work propertly with serviceable items, but retrieve it in its original state.

Any homebrew "designer" cans make old-fashioned radio, decorated with "antique" object. But much more interesting is to repair the old radio back to its original appearance and full functionality. It's not easy. Many radios have wooden cabinets, finished with fine woods by all the rules making expensive furniture. In the past these enclosures were made on separate wood processing, or in specialized shops. Many of them are manufacturing complexity can be attributed to the antique furniture of the highest category. For their full recovery requires knowledge of technology, highly skilled craftsmen and a lot of manual work.
The old radio in modern apartments fashion becomes mass. And the price for the receiver in 2000€ does not seem too high. At the same time everyone wants perfectly preserved and perfectly working old radios. And here there is a contradiction: the originality of electrical components - it is certainly a huge plus, but we must understand that their reliability is low. This is especially true for paper in oil capacitors and electrolytic capacitors.
Maintain originality - it's expensive, and it is necessary to understand for anyone who wants to listen an old radio at home.

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Here you will find detailed descriptions and photographs of old radios, TV, etc.
There is a special section devoted to old tubes, which are installed in the first vacuum tube radio receivers.
Perhaps the most interesting articles describing the restoration and recovery efficiency of rare specimens of equipment from 1930s - 1950s. Those years equipment usually has a very poor condition when the collector gets to. So, the accurate reconstruction is required.