OT: Update on console radio/record recorder (was: Re: OT: dumpster dive ...)

From: Tothwolf <tothwolf_at_concentric.net>
Date: Fri Sep 20 11:55:00 2002

On Fri, 20 Sep 2002, Chad Fernandez wrote:

> Wow, that's more than just a radio!! The front is beautiful, but it
> looks like the turntable needs a lot of work. How is the cabinet
> structuraly? Is it solid wood, or a veneer? I had an old console radio
> at one time, but it was too far gone, for me to be able to restore it.
> I didn't have the ambition to complete the job, so I didn't start it.
> I ended up selling it in a garage sale. The most use I got out of it
> was as a table for my cd player and reciever.

The cabinet is made up of two major parts. The front part that you can see
in those photos is solid, and I think it is oak. That part is about 5-6"
deep and sticks out from the wall. The other part of the cabinet sets into
the wall and is made of rough pine/fur/scrap wood. The rear part is in
poor shape too, since it stuck out about 10" beyond the wall into a
garage.

The radio itself is a Truetone, though the model number escapes me for the
moment. The record recorder is actually in fair shape, but is very, very
dusty. Much of that dust appears to have crept in from the garage. When I
started looking at removing the radio, I found that someone had removed
the back of the cabinet while attempting to figure out how it was put in,
and it was left off for awhile before I got to it.

I also found the thing was live electrically when I pulled it. Talk about
a fire hazard... The cord for the radio is brittle and bare in lots of
places. I had to cut power to that section of the house twice; once to
remove the radio and record recorder, and again when pulling the cabinet,
since it has a built-in outlet.

I'll eventually do a full restoration of the radio and record recorder,
both electronically and mechanically. Something is strange about the wood
front though, it has a waxy like feel to it right now, and it flakes off.
I'm thinking that may just be 20-30 year old furniture wax that is
deteriorating, but I don't know for sure yet.

If there is interest, I'll post when I get time to take some photos of the
radio chassis.

-Toth
Received on Fri Sep 20 2002 - 11:55:00 BST