As a sideline to my normal activities, I have a thing for old radios and TV sets.
I started by modifying this Silvertone portable radio to run Bluetooth and still run for some time off mains power. It works rather well to be honest and can also take a line in, the radio works, but is iffy at best.
Next up was another silvertone, but this one was corded and also setup to run a newer amplifier with a line in only. I had to refinish the case and new speaker cloth, it came out pretty well, but I've got my eye out for matching dials. The Volume and tone controls work too!
A friend of my sisters saw them and offered me money to do one of a particular style for his flat, a tombstone affair with just Bluetooth and line in. The unit we found was gutted, but the case was sound but scruffy. I managed to recover most of the finish and blend in where needed. lots of polyurethane to protect. Made a custom rear cover to give him stereo and power. I managed to reprint the dial graduations to replace the missing details and got it to light up when connected to a source.
Now I'm getting ambitious....
Repaired this console unit, it's nothing special but it was free like most old electronics.
Finally, I have scored this free philco TV, electronics were not working, and once repaired I realized that the tube was toast anyway. oops.
So a plan to casemod this with a PC to run a version of kodi XBMC and other media players was formed. I have a windows 7 PC running inside and the front has been modded to allow a 17" 4:3 computer LCD to be grafted in place. I need to get my hands on a tuner card to add to the abilities of this unit, but I like it. It's turned out well I think. The side has been cut to allow the CD drawer and some USB / Power buttons to be flush mounted.
what do you think?
My brother-in-law has given me this one to modify, but he's letting me decide what it should do.... I'll see what is what and go from there. I think the bakelite will come up pretty well.
I started by modifying this Silvertone portable radio to run Bluetooth and still run for some time off mains power. It works rather well to be honest and can also take a line in, the radio works, but is iffy at best.
Next up was another silvertone, but this one was corded and also setup to run a newer amplifier with a line in only. I had to refinish the case and new speaker cloth, it came out pretty well, but I've got my eye out for matching dials. The Volume and tone controls work too!
A friend of my sisters saw them and offered me money to do one of a particular style for his flat, a tombstone affair with just Bluetooth and line in. The unit we found was gutted, but the case was sound but scruffy. I managed to recover most of the finish and blend in where needed. lots of polyurethane to protect. Made a custom rear cover to give him stereo and power. I managed to reprint the dial graduations to replace the missing details and got it to light up when connected to a source.
Now I'm getting ambitious....
Repaired this console unit, it's nothing special but it was free like most old electronics.
Finally, I have scored this free philco TV, electronics were not working, and once repaired I realized that the tube was toast anyway. oops.
So a plan to casemod this with a PC to run a version of kodi XBMC and other media players was formed. I have a windows 7 PC running inside and the front has been modded to allow a 17" 4:3 computer LCD to be grafted in place. I need to get my hands on a tuner card to add to the abilities of this unit, but I like it. It's turned out well I think. The side has been cut to allow the CD drawer and some USB / Power buttons to be flush mounted.
what do you think?
My brother-in-law has given me this one to modify, but he's letting me decide what it should do.... I'll see what is what and go from there. I think the bakelite will come up pretty well.
