Wednesday, November 6, 2024         
Jim Hutton, Owen Sound, ON
Read My Abbreviated Biography
  

   

About My Website

This is not a "for-profit" business but rather a retirement hobby with the objective of preserving vintage radios and phonographs so they will continue to be used by future generations.  
I approach this objective from three directions:
    

1931 De Forest Crossley Clock Radio 1933 General Electric Model K-80

First:    I salvage radios that are about to become part of a landfill or left to rot in someone's backyard. To ensure that they function flawlessly for many years to come I do a complete and comprehensive restoration that involves replacing 90 to 100% of all internal components along with several tubes.  I then perform a complete alignment before restoring the cabinet. It many cases this requires striping and refinishing the cabinet however whenever possible I try to keep the original finish.  I then replace the decals, lens and dials where needed. Upon completion each radio is very much as it was when first offered for sale with the exception of the vacuum tubes which normally have several hours on them although still within original specifications.

Second:  I offer options to promote the use of the vintage radio by incorporating a module to play Bluetooth, FM and MP3.  This enables the owner to use the radio much as it was intended for daily entertainment.  This feature can be incorporated in two ways; as a stand-alone unit that transmits an AM signal to the radio or fully integrated in the radio activated by a remote control.

Third:   As mentioned this is a hobby with a purpose of promoting the use of old radios.  Therefore, my business objective is to break-even at best.  In most cases I spend $100 to $200 in the restoration process, mostly purchasing replacement parts. When added to the average cost of acquiring project radios of $50 to $100 it puts my break-even prices in the order of $200 to $300. This is a milestone that I rarely achieve in my thirst to make room in my shop for new projects.
 

Play music from your SmartPhone or listen to your favorite FM Station on your old AM radio   click here

About the Restorer

 
View My Entire Collection Purchase a Restored Radio Old Radio Programs
How we Align & Test How we Securely Pack How we Ship Radios
View a Few of my Colorized Schematics Download Bluetooth Module Instructions
 

View My Tube Database

 

Click Here to See the Bluetooth Module in Action

 

my Other Sites

 

          Antique Radio Restoration