Down the Rabbit Hole
Restoring the Freshman Masterpiece AM radio was a lot of fun, but using batteries wasn’t. They’re convenient for testing, but expensive for regular use. The “B” battery alone uses ten 9-volt batteries, and that’s over $20 per set. There are battery simulators available for old tube radios, but they’re not cheap either, and where’s the fun in just buying a plug-in power supply? Wouldn’t it be cooler to use solar power and a 12-volt rechargeable battery?
After learning the basics of welding from my friend Bob, I needed to decide how to restore a Craftsman Welder. I needed practice.
I mentioned finding two old 20’s-era broadcast receivers in an earlier post. Some months had passed, and restoring the Freshman Masterpiece “5F5” seemed like a fun project and a quick win. The radio was designed to run on two batteries: an “A” or 6-volt battery for the tube filaments and a “B” or 90-volt battery for the plate voltage.
Ikea makes a wonderful work light (JANSJÖ) that sells for about $13. I have several of them, and love the warm pool of light they…
I’ve wanted to to weld for some time now. My best friend from High School went through the pipe fitter apprenticeship program when we were just out of High School. He was such a good welder by the time he completed the program, that he won a gold watch with his final test.
It’s been nearly two years since a pair of classic old shortwave receivers followed me home from California, and they have been staring at me each time I enter the shop ever since. Neither are functional, and both are daunting restoration projects. I wanted to revive some of my old vacuum tube chops and collect some vintage test equipment before diving into these beauties.
A few months ago, I refurbished a Dynaco Stereo 120 audio amplifier for my studio, replacing a Stereo 80 amp that had been in service for years. There wasn’t anything wrong with the 80, but I wanted the increased power and the sound improvements that the 120 upgrades had provided in the studio.
Funny how things come full circle. When I was a young electronics experimenter, tube equipment was cheap and solid state devices were expensive and exotic. I could work with low-power diodes and transistors, but to accomplish anything with some power, tube circuits were king.
The annual San Antonio Radio Fiesta was a few weeks ago, and I inadvertently purchased a few radios. That wasn’t my intention, but circumstances got the better of me. — I should explain.
Christmas gifts for my two great-nephews are always a challenge, and with one entering the first grade, I wanted to up my game a little. The standard Lego-based gifts are always popular, but I sensed that something more involved might be a real hit. By the time I was in Grade School, I was fascinated by all things electrical and radio, so why not give them a crystal radio?