An ode to restoration
Back in high school, I remember reading books about kids that restored old cars. The hot rod type of car. It seemed like a really neat idea, except that I never came across a car that wanted my care and attention. Probably why I’ve never owned a car (although having a public transit system in the city also plays a part). I’m still impressed by those that can look at a rusting hulk and then bring things back to a state of roadworthiness.
Similarly, I’ve learned that people restore old radios. Really old radios. In a world where you can just drop a few dollars on the counter in the local Walmart and have something new, it’s hard to justify the time and effort. Here’s the thing: some of those old radios were works of art. Produced by a small team of inspired workers, the radio sets from before the war (WWII) were handsome. I’m not sure there’s even an AM station in this area, should one want to test the sound quality, but once upon a time…
I’ve found a couple of magazines that detail the efforts of others. Debugging taken to a a point far beyond what most of us accomplish. Finding sources for things like cloth-covered wire, and tubes, and transformers. Undoing the damage of years of storage. Renewing things that are usually housed in museums.
I’m not planning to get into the field, but my hat (virtual) gets tipped to those who hold the fire. The home radio was (once) the most important piece of furniture in your living room. Think TV, with imagination.
