SERVICES
I have worked in the electronic industry since 1969 when I entered the Army as a radio repairman. I have an electronics degree and a BSCS. I have many years experience repairing and troubleshooting electronic equipment. My wife and I are meticulous at getting the details right for these period radios. She does the cabinets. I do the chassis. Our aim is to restore these radios to their former glory, and to assure that every customer is satisfied.
APPRAISAL
You can send me questions on our Contact page. Feel free to ask questions about your radios or radios we advertize. If you want we can arrange an estimate of what the repairs may cost for your radio. It's always difficult to appraise a radio unless I see it on my bench, but we can get an idea of what kinds of problems there may be and go from there.
ELECTRONICS RESTORATION
I restore each radio to make it as electronically sound and safe as possible. I start with a thorough cleaning and test all tubes and replace weak ones. Then I completely go over the electronics to see what needs my attention. I re-cap the radio, replacing all the wax and electrolytic capacitors, and any suspect wiring or defective parts. I strive to make the restorations true to the original functioning of the radio.
CABINET RESTORATION
My wife, Jan, works on the cabinets. She downloads the original pictures from the Radio Museum, and looks for as many restorations as possible on the Internet to get the look just right. Most radios are stripped and defects repaired, including new veneer as needed. Although many radios were colored with toners on the assembly line, we also use stains to allow the wood grain to show. Then many coats of spray lacquer are followed with wax to achieve that mellow finish.
REPAIR
We restore radios to a safe and reliable state. If you have a non-working radio, the problem is rarely as simple as needing a tube replaced. Radios are complex, so learning what is needed requires getting the radio on my work bench and running tests.
External Jacks
For some radios, we install an external audio jack. That way you can connect devices to play your favorite music or radio dramas. It can also be bluetooth compatiable.
MODIFICATIONS
We try to keep any changes to the radio, such as adding an auxilary input, as invisIble as possible. Our restorations aim to maintain the original stately beauty of the radio.