My dad was born in 42. I have watched your restorations from the start, but I don"t usually comment until the final video. What a beautiful job you have done! Getting the transformer rewound, figuring out all the problems and values of all the parts for maximum performance including the shortwave. It's exciting to watch you work. I love your choice of textile and even the vertical postioning of it. You don't over do it either. There is still a sense of the original there. I wish I could do what you do, and I would love to own something like that. Bravo Don!
Thanks Tyrone. I get a great deal of pleasure from restoring something as unique as this. Even if it was frustrating at times it certainly feels worthwhile.
What a gorgeous set! Really wished I this one in my collection - could sit in a darkened room through the night and just cruise and listen to those stations far beyond 😀 jolly well done 👍 and thank you so very much for sharing this
Awesome work Don, well done! I think we'll make you an honorary Kiwi for that one! 😂 Interestingly, those IF cans are stamped with the Inductance Specialists logo ('Q') - so they're not original. The factory ones are visually almost identical... I wonder why they were replaced? It's interesting to see one was arcing out - Q gear is normally pretty high quality. And you figured out the AC Jensen cabinetmakers part, which is good - I was going to reply about that, but luckily watched to the end first. To echo the thoughts of several other commenters - you should be proud of this one. It fought you a bit, but you dragged it, kicking and screaming, back to life 🙂
Cheers Steve. While I'm fairly happy with the way it turned out, I still have an issue with the tone. The bass is nice but the treble has a sharp metallic edge to it that I really don't like. It sounds like harmonic distortion on one of the higher harmonics. On investigation the wiring on this radio differs significantly from the schematic, particularly around the biasing of the 6K7 preamp and the connections to the tone control switch. It's doing my head in. I might email you about it if that's ok
@@Donno308 Hi Don, absolutely fine. You hit the nail on the head when you said it was probably wartime shortages. Manufacturers here were struggling to get the parts they needed, and as the war went on it only got worse. By 1945, although the war had ended, parts were very difficult to come by - many of them, which had been taken from companies and individuals by governments for military use during the war, would not be released back for civilian use for some time yet... and it would be years before it all got resolved. So production changes were commonplace. Those changes were normally documented as a suffix to the model code (the 90 was also released as the 90X, for example) although often a new schematic was not released externally (and internal documentation has basically all been lost, likely when Pye took over in 1959 and had a big clean out of the offices). I think I have some more information on the tone control component values somewhere in my files - I'll try to dig that out for you. I don't recall hearing the distortion you're describing in any 90 I've worked on, so I expect it's a solvable issue... Cheers, Steve
Holy crap, what a result! I have to admit, initially I wasn't convinced by the looks of this radio, but now you have restored it, it really looks amazing. Congratulations! I really like that dial glass with the white dots as indicators. And then having bandspread plus a 10 inch speaker... must have been a high end model indeed. Again: amazing job and great video series on this radio.
Hey Kristof. Yes I didn't have high hopes for the cabinet at first either. In fact I thought it was pretty ugly. It's also very big & heavy. I guess I'll have to sell it as I haven't got anywhere to put it. It is exceptional on short wave though. Amazingly it doesn't drift or fade at all. Once you've tuned a station it stays there rock solid. Apparently Columbus made some very expensive radios and were the quality end of the market in NZ. And a 10 inch speaker in a table top radio really is excessive. I always thought 8 inches was enough for anyone, but I might be prejudiced 😂
Great job Don, it looks a treat. I laughed when you said the dial string broke, I know I shouldn't but it's the radio restorers curse 😉 You fixed it quickly. Those Rigol generators are very good, I looked at buying one years ago but they were too expensive. Enjoy your in the near future holiday 🙂
Hi David. I bet you did! I thought I was going to get away with leaving the dial string alone. In the end it wasn't too bad though. That sparking IF can scared the shit out of me though. I still don't know what happened there. I got my Rigol cheap off Ebay - it's a "refurbished" one. I also recently scored a nice power supply for $100 too. Looking forward to the holiday. We're heading inland in the bus again to check out the wildflowers. Cheers
Beautiful restoration Don, well done indeed. The grill cloth is perfect, couldn't match the radio's style any better. I'll admit i was on the edge of my seat when you were deciding on the grill cloth's orientation, hoping you wouldn't go horizontal, you made the right decision in my opinion. Thank's for sharing, have a great day mate.
Cheers, Yes I was happy with the way it turned out. The video doesn't do it justice - I think the led lights in the shed alter the colour on the video.
56:43 - Congratulations, Don. That was precisely the same ARRL handbook that my dad gave to me when I was 11 years old. It is probably the best of that era. No electronics library is complete without it. Your friend has good taste in tech literature. And, yes, there is a copy in my book case to this day. Lastly, my dad's was also named Don. You rock!
This is one radio 📻 that I REALLY like 👍 in particular. I like how the dial light glows (unless it's your house lighting shining on the case). It's so sad 😞 that they don't build these kinds of radios anymore. You're doing such a GREAT job 👏 with sanding and refinishing this radio 📻. Your friend, Jeff.
@@jeffreyhickman3871 Cheers Jeff. I’m very happy with the way the cabinet turned out. The chassis has been an uphill battle and I’m still not 100% happy with the way the tone control works. On investigation it doesn’t follow the schematic and I’m not sure if it has was a production update or if it’s been modified. So I’m still fiddling with it lol
Very nice job Don! I don't work on vintage radios much - but the care, attention to detail and authentic effort you bring to these videos is inspirational and informative for my own projects. I'm sure that's true for many others as well. Thank you! -JRH
Hi Chris. Yes I expect it will be similar and a very nice radio. I hope my video is of use. Please let me know if I can be of any help. I suggest you also contact (Steve Dunford). His website is "The NZ Vintage Radio Project" - www.vintageradio.co.nz or "Vintage Radio Steve" on RU-vid. he is an expert on these radios
Excellent job and a great series! That sparking can and dial string snapping were both rather unwelcome surprises to get right at the end of the project! But, very nice end result!!!
Thanks! Yes both the dial string and that IF can were things I didn't need when I was trying to get the radio finished and the video out. The IF can was especially a time waster. I'm still not sure what caused it. I cut a lot out of the video but I actually spent hours on it. Glad you enjoyed the video anyway. Cheers
I really enjoyed the whole series on this Columbus radio, Paul and what you did with the cabinet is magnificent! 🤩 All the best from Gene in Tennessee.
Hi Don, that is a really nice looking set now. I am also a retired telecom engineer here in the UK and we also used to lace the rack loom wiring back in the day. We block stitched the cables beween the racks. Cable ties saw the end of that practice. Quicker but not as neat. I think i would need a refresher course now as well. They are not simple loops but each is a retaining knot, if the twine gets cut. Dave
What a top series Don, thoroughly enjoyed every episode. I laughed out loud when the dial string broke . . . isn't it always the way ! Full marks for the cabinet, looks superb. I'm not too good with woodwork but will give it a crack soon. Cheers
Hey Baz, Bloody dial string! I got a cheap set of dental tools off ebay and they're great for fiddly stuff like that. I've gotta say that IF can sparking gave me a bad scare though. It's a pity I didn't have the camera running. I'm still not sure what happened but I think the plates must have moved and shorted against the screw. I had to go and have a cup of tea and a good lie down! Give the woodwork a go. You seem to be able to do everything else!
Cracking job and very interesting description of you work. Corrosion, this may be something you may like to look at as a solution. [ Electroplating - Easy DIY Nickel, Copper, Zinc Plating ] if you past this into YT you will find some useful information. You can localise plating using a solution of Nickel electrolyte and a conductive brush, this is the same process they use to plate mobile phones with gold and charge ridiculous prices. Nickel electrolyte is so easy to make up from a strip Nickel and should blend in with the plating on the chassis. Best from UK
Hi Dom. Yes this one went on and on, mainly due to having a vacant rental property in Northam that needed lot of work and took up most of my weekends. I was glad to get it finished but I'm happy with the result. I'm looking forward to a short break!
Hi Don, you just mentioned lacing, Xbar exchanges and Telecom. I was in exchange instal Between 1967 ans 72 and TID till 1987. If I remember rightly Scarborough was the first Xbar exchange and Niel Penfold was STO. Ring any bells LOL. I've worked in Maylands, Midland & Cannington. Great job on the radio, especially the lacing😀
Phill, I was independent of BT but appreciated their kit. As Davidk6271 says " the cable tieing was a thing of beauty" Years ago I was installing some cabling in the Collingdale exchange in London, an old technician took offence at me using tie wraps and to be honest with good reason, he said follow me I will show you how it is done. We went through the new electronic exchange into an old part of the building. It was like going back in time and this was his baby, the 1930's Strowger gear in mahogany cabinets with bow fronted glass a hundred bundles of beautifully tied off cotton covered 60 pr cable dressed into the MDF every wrap was precision. The old exchange would come onto the trunk switch at lunchtime if traffic was heavy and it sang a lovely song. I recently used some of the lacing he gave me some thirty years ago and found it very therapeutic. Best from the UK.
You made the right choice with the dial cloth. It looks great! Lacing is an almost lost art. I was taught it my former work by a crusty old Navy electronics tech about 35 years ago. Ten inches is indeed a huge speaker for a tabletop radio. I wonder if the Kiwis were compensating for something?
Hi. Yes I don't think much lacing goes on these days, even in New Zealand. As for the 10 inch speaker, I have to wonder if it sounds any better than an 8 inch. I always thought that 8 inches is enough for anyone. But then I may be biased.
Lovely job Don. My wife Donna was impressed by the look of the grill cloth. Still the unsolved mystery of the fireworks show from your IF transformer? Thanks for your video.
She's a beaut, mate. Seeing that page on lacing and tying reminds me of my USAF days, and the same page in T.O. 1-1A-14. That's where I learned how to do it. It seems kind of odd that a NZ radio would be called a Columbus and not a Cook. Ha Ha Cheers, Don.
Cheers Chuck. I was wondering about that too. Perhaps they were hoping to export it to the US. Nobody there knows who Cook was 😂. In fact I don't think Columbus went anywhere near New Zealand. At least the cabinet is called the "Endeavour".
Supersonic Radio in Bulawayo Rhodesia 1955. Mum at evening classes (shorthand and typing). Day-job was at this radio factory. Assembly-line work tuning cans. What? Yup, she frequency-tuned capacitors at final inspection. On return to London she worked at Cossor Radios but, in the office. Our table-top one in Durban (S.A.) was the Philips BD273U "Philetta" Bakelite Radio (1958). BBC World Service and Springbok Radio with commercial jingles (what's that?) were our delights. Pirate radio from L.M.
Wow, sounds fascinating. What an interesting life you've had! I looked up the Philips BD273U. Quite a nice little radio and somewhat similar to the Philips 161B that is my kitchen bench radio (except the 161B doesn't have the piano keys). Cheers
Hi Chris. In a word, no. It worked ok at first but now I can't get a sensible or steady reading from it. If you can find something better at a reasonable price I would suggest you go for it. Cheers
Very fine restoration, Don! Looks and sounds brand new, and the choice of grille cloth looks great as well. It's interesting that this radio was made in New Zealand and is named "Columbus" I assume after Christopher Columbus, and even has sailing ship motifs on the knobs, and yet Columbus himself never sailed in the Pacific. Was it an American radio originally, perhaps?
Thank you. I was wondering about the "Columbus" name myself. I guess Columbus was well known worldwide. Cook or Tasman would probably not have been so well known. I note that the cabinet is called the "Endeavour", the name of Captain James Cook's ship and many of the Radio Corporation of New Zealand's model names have a nautical theme. I don't believe it was ever an American radio. Some of the circuitry reminds me of European radio design, for example the tone control circuit which feeds filtered positive feedback to the cathode of the preamp triode. The way the bandspread bands are designed is also very European. Cheers
Don, nice job - again! This one is really nice. How many coats of lacquer did you apply, and did you sand between any coats? I recently restored an old electric guitar, and the final clear coat was a nightmare to get right.
Hi Jim I have only put 3 coats on it so far, with a minimal de nib before the last one. I wanted to put it back in the cabinet for the video but I will let it harden off for a couple of weeks then put on another 2 or 3, let them harden off for a while longer then block them down with 1200 grit (wet) and polish it up. That gives a nice "piano finish" shine and is quite durable.
Hi! Glad your like my channel. I sell most of the radios I restore, mostly to local collectors. I keep a few favorites and they are scattered around the house. I don't know how many so far - I was working on radios for a few years before I started the youtube channel. Probably close to 100 so far.
Hi Don, good video, your radio looks very nice! did you try placing the lamps in series instead of using the resistor like the print shows? Rich from across the pond 😁
Hi Rich. No I didn't try that - it would have been difficult to arrange as the lamp holders attach to the chassis so would have to be isolated. I checked with Vintage Radio Steve as he's restored several similar radios and he said the lights were never wired in series so I stuck with the parallel arrangement. This radio didn't follow the schematic very closely at all. Apart from different component values, the biasing of the preamp / detector is completely different. Production changes and post-war component shortages I suppose. Cheers
