About the service
After more than a decade at the workbench with antique valve receivers, I offer a complete, careful restoration service for tube-era radios of every shape and vintage. Each set arrives to a full triage: chassis inspection, continuity checks on transformers and coils, and individual tube testing on a calibrated tester so weak or microphonic tubes are flagged before a single watt reaches them. Hard-to-find valves are sourced from a curated stock of tested pulls rather than gambled on unverified stock — no set leaves the bench on a tube that has not been proven under load.
Electrically, every unit gets a full re-cap: paper and wax capacitors are the leading cause of hum, drift and — worst of all — silent damage to output transformers, so they are replaced with modern film and electrolytic equivalents matched to original values and voltage ratings. Selenium rectifiers are evaluated and swapped for safe solid-state equivalents where the original part is a fire risk. Resistors are checked against tolerance and replaced if they have drifted with age. A slow variac power-up sequence reforms electrolytics gradually and protects the chassis from inrush damage on sets that have sat silent for decades.
Mechanically, dial cords are restrung to the correct routing with the proper cord type so the pointer tracks true across the whole band, drive drums and idler wheels are cleaned or re-covered, and tuning capacitors are cleaned and lubricated for a smooth sweep. Cabinets receive hand-finished refinishing — veneer repair, French polish or lacquer as the piece calls for, grille cloth replacement, and knob and escutcheon restoration — so the exterior matches the care put into the chassis.
Typical turnaround runs one to two weeks depending on parts sourcing, with photos sent at teardown, mid-repair and completion, and every replaced part documented so the set's history stays traceable. Alignment is performed last with a signal generator to bring sensitivity and selectivity back to factory spec. Local pickup and insured shipping both available — send the model details and a few photos of the chassis to get a firm quote.
Electrically, every unit gets a full re-cap: paper and wax capacitors are the leading cause of hum, drift and — worst of all — silent damage to output transformers, so they are replaced with modern film and electrolytic equivalents matched to original values and voltage ratings. Selenium rectifiers are evaluated and swapped for safe solid-state equivalents where the original part is a fire risk. Resistors are checked against tolerance and replaced if they have drifted with age. A slow variac power-up sequence reforms electrolytics gradually and protects the chassis from inrush damage on sets that have sat silent for decades.
Mechanically, dial cords are restrung to the correct routing with the proper cord type so the pointer tracks true across the whole band, drive drums and idler wheels are cleaned or re-covered, and tuning capacitors are cleaned and lubricated for a smooth sweep. Cabinets receive hand-finished refinishing — veneer repair, French polish or lacquer as the piece calls for, grille cloth replacement, and knob and escutcheon restoration — so the exterior matches the care put into the chassis.
Typical turnaround runs one to two weeks depending on parts sourcing, with photos sent at teardown, mid-repair and completion, and every replaced part documented so the set's history stays traceable. Alignment is performed last with a signal generator to bring sensitivity and selectivity back to factory spec. Local pickup and insured shipping both available — send the model details and a few photos of the chassis to get a firm quote.
