HI ! I am Jim Duell of Perry, NY. I have been into collecting radios since 1990. I now have 5 different makes and models to start my collection. The GE on the right of this page was my first one that my brother Don, got at an auction back in 1990. We brought it home and pluged it in and what a wonderful sound it put out. I just got a Emerson AE-165 wood case radio that only gets the local station 10 miles away. It needs a complete restoration done which I may do during the winter months. I have bad allergies with the sawdust so, I do a little bit at a time.

I have been doing woodworking for quite sometime now so, refinishing the cabinets of these radios will be a breeze. For finishes I will be using Deft Lacquer in spray cans. This works as easy as brushing on coat after coat. If it is put on right you will get no runs! Before this is done the cabinet has to be washed and then light sanded so the veneer if still in good shape will now peel off when sanded. I do it all by hand. No power tools used. Some depending on the amount of finish on the surface I used Stryptees to remove everything then completly sand everything with 100 grit down to 320 grit before applying the finish.

This is my radio that I have had since 1990. It needs a new power cord before I do anything else. I have got a set of schemetics and I found out what tubes I will need to have. There is a total of 10 tubes that makes this system work. I just purchased a Superior TW-11 Tube Tester to go through each tube and check them out. I probably will put all new ones in it if I can locate each tube. So far I have located 7 of the ten. The top of the cabinet has a large watermark on it and a seam in the middle where the veneer has lifted. I am hoping that I can heat this veneer enough to make it soft and plyable to glue down from both edges.

LOOKING FOR VACUUM TUBES

My GE Console Radio uses a total of 10 vacuum tubes. They are as follows;  6A8 , 6F5 , 6J7 , 6C5 , 6L6 , 6H6 , 5Z4 , and 6K7 which there are 3 of this 6K7. I have been checking around and using Ebay to locate these tubes. I haven't found the 6K7 tubes yet which are the three that I need to complete all ten. I have not yet bought any yet until I find a complete set of 10. So far Ebay has had everything that is available. I want to be able to purchase them all the same time. One Price For All !!

This tester was just recieved a couple of weeks ago. I competely refinished the oak case that it is in. I completely sanded down so all of the finish is all off then put Deft Satin Finish on it with about 4 coats. I allowed better than 2 hours in between coats and each time used some 0000 steel wool and wiped it down for a super satin finish. I took all of the hardware off before it was done and reinstalled it after the final coat had completely dried overnight. My next project is the old school desk that this is setting on. Can't wait !!