I have an Admiral 5R11 from the early 50s that came in both UL and non-UL approved versions. Mine is the non UL version with a hot chassis :yikes:

Thanks. The Firestone originally had a back per the screw holes but it was missing. The chassis isn't connected directly to line but through a cap and high value resistor. It wouldn't kill you (unless the cap shorted) but you might get a tingle if you were grounded. The way it is now it's as safe as anything. This radio was built before lawyers were invented. :yes: Besides, anybody who really wants to see fireworks can go stick a fork in a toaster!

Congratulations on a job very well done. :thmbsp: The radio now looks like it just came off the assembly line. However, I am wondering where you found an AM music station in your area. I just looked at the AM radio listings for the Harrisburg-Carlisle area on RadioLocator.com, and found one--exactly one--AM music station in the area, WHYL-960 in Carlisle. The other AMs in the area are sports, talk, or religion, just like everywhere else in the United States today. I wish one of the AMs in Cleveland was still playing music (all of the AMs in this area are talk or a variation thereof). The only music station left in the Cleveland area is WWMK-1260, Radio Disney. There is, however, one good standards station on 1590 from a city about 60 miles southwest of me, which I can hear quite well on my Zenith C845. Another station you may be able to hear in your area, CFZM 740 in Toronto, plays the type of music you mentioned as well. It has a 50kW signal and is heard quite well throughout the northeastern United States; unless there is a strong station on or near 740 in your area, you should hear this one without too much trouble. I live within a mile of the south shore of Lake Erie and can hear it practically 24/7.

WOW Reece! It looks incredible. I've enjoyed following your thorough restoration process.

After reading through the whole process, there is a lot to appreciate in the final result! This is a great example of how even a truly rough-looking radio can be fully recovered by going the extra mile. Particularly crafty is the way you made that dial face decal! I've worked a bit with graphics design programs, but I would feel really intimidated by such a task. I guess it's all in the attention to details, even though I'm sure tiny liberties can be taken that would likely never be noticed.

In any case, I'll have to refer back to this thread for reference in the future. It's restorations like this one, and the end results thereof, that keep me wanting to learn more about the hobby.

Thanks, guys. I guess it's all in what you want to do. I enjoy the challenge of working on them, so the worse shape they're in, the more fun for me.

As to music stations Jeff, yeah, 960 Kc. from Carlisle is what I picked up. However there are a couple or three locals that play music, two country and one light mainstream. I can get 740 out of Mapleleafland at night.

Super job!!!

Bill H.

Wow! It's looking incredibly sharp. Such a handsome design. I hope it gives you many years of faithful service.

What brand of glue did you use ? I have some Titebond II on hand that I could experiment with :scratch2:

That should be fine. I used Elmer's wood glue but any wood glue would work. The woodworker's wish: "I would that my wood glue would work." The brown paper insulator between the iron and the veneer can be just a piece of a paper grocery bag, etc. Press hard with the iron all around and keep it moving. If it's a large piece, work so that any ripples in the veneer can be worked towards an edge and out. If, after you're done and before the piece has any finish on it, if you see a place that didn't bond, you can iron it again.

BTW, Mrs. likes the Firestone and thinks it's pretty! :thmbsp:

You'd be crazy not to like it ;)

I did a little experiment over the weekend following your directions. It worked quite well - the glue is really holding tight. Yay, no more clamping for hours :D

This is a great and hugely valuable thread I must say for all vintage radio enthusiasts. A superb job on a great old AA5. I hope that I am out of place by throwing in here that I recently purchased one of these and all I really need is a dial glass that isn't flaking. The idea used in this thread was superbly engineered, but nothing I am prepared to do.

So Reece if you have thought of doing others and/or are already offering these; I would be interested. Or if anyone here just has a good original I would also be interested. Just wanted to throw this out there. Thanks all!

TubeJunkie, I only just saw your post. I will send you a PM.

Reece

Firestone had Stewart Warner build a lot of their radios. They also contracted with Wells Gardner, Belmont, Sonora, even GE and several others, that I can't think of at the moment. :scratch2: