Photo-Genic

Radio-Shack Tandy Realistic AM Radio.

This little radio was donated to the shop, about a year ago, and I just found it when I was tidying up. I decided that would be a good idea to have a quick look to see if it was anything simple.

After replacing a few capacitors that had very much leaked, it still didn’t have any sound. Can you possibly see why-

Yes, that’s right the speaker wire had corroded and broken off. Looking at the other side it didn’t look too bad, so I thought I would attempt a very basic repair, that of soldering a wire to the working side of the speaker, poke it through and solder the flexible wire on the other side.

Not perfect, but pretty good, it’s structurally sound and also it works. Another little radio saved from doom.

This video is about upgrading the power supplies to a more reliable switch mode 5 V regulator, and buffering the video output, through the existing socket on the back, with a transistor for a brighter picture.

Enjoy. 🙂

Today, i’ll be showing a re-skimming of the commutator of a Tamiya technigold motor and a quick demo of a spring tensionometer on an LRP motor as well.

Enjoy.

Just a quick video showing how to erase tapes properly.

In a funny sort of way I still like cassettes. When I started out recording stuff, I guess we all bought the cheapest nastiest cassettes we could find (usually from Smiths or the local CO-OP), and then were surprised that they didn’t work very well and chewed up, plus they sounded terrible. Now, I’m able to record on chrome tapes and metal tapes that sound better than CD. Still, I’d napalm those crappy cassette’s, If it wasn’t for the fact that they’re so valuable now. 😀

Just a bit of fun to keep me going, whilst I save up for a new camera.

Listening to Tom Brown do the 1977 top 20, and reading Vintage magazines I found in a folder, marked “to be read at some point” including ‘Electronic’s Servicing’, ‘Television’, ‘Practical Wireless’ and ‘Practical Electronics’ also feeling a bit nostalgic and melancholy about yesteryear, (when I used to be overwhelmingly optimistic for electronic servicing’s future). So I thought you might like to see a few vintage adverts. 🙂

Back before the Internet was even a thought, and worries of the average engineer mostly involved trying to find spares, from somewhere mail-order, and getting the set back in reasonable time. Nowadays, you just throw whatever piece of equipment away, after a year, and buy new one. The dying art of the service engineer will soon be a faded memory.

Yay, I finally got a little green pocket radio.

Naturally, it was as dead as a doornail when I first got it, there was no voltage going to the local oscillator, this was caused by an open circuit IF coil that was not allowing the voltage to get through.

It was probably like this from new, as when I unsoldered and opened up the coil, a wire wasn’t soldered to anything, and was just floating about inside making an intermittent connection.

Once the wire was repaired, the little radio sprang to life. 🙂

It only took 44 years to finally find one in the colour that I fancied when I was 7 😀

Now if only I can find a Sony WM-DD9 in mint condition for a few quid… 😛

I wish you all a Happy Christmas and a great 2021.

I had to say a sad farewell to my Sharp 9292 boombox the other day, things being what they are and money being tight, he had to go.

A few years ago, I had fully stripped and cleaned it, replaced the motor, replaced the belts, made new idlers and various other bits and pieces on the lathe and even managed to source a new record play head. Everything was perfect. Still, it went to a person who really does appreciate it so I’m not so sad about that. Farewell my outrageous friend.

This poor little radio has been lurking about for years and years at the back of the bench waiting for me to do something about it.

All stripped down and amp board recapped.

Top plate all polished up and shiny again.

Some protective strips to help stop the top display from being damaged.

And for now, that will have to be it, as sadly the country has gone back into lockdown for another month. I’ll have to see how things go, but hopefully the restrictions will be lifted enough for me to visit the workshop a few more times and finish this off before Christmas.