Scotty at Hawkeye anounces retirement plans
 

Dear Customers, and Friends of Hawk-Eye Picture Tube Mfg.

As you all know, our industry has changed, and it is with great reluctance that I have decided to retire the business after 53 years. My father, Frank, started the business in 1958. He continued to own and operate Hawk-Eye until I took over in 1975. It has been a wonderful family business and career.

An actual date has not been set, however it will be by year's end. I am in the process of liquidating stock, and beginning to prepare for the storage of the equipment required to rebuild CRT tubes. My goal is to find someone who is willing to inherit the equipment, and continue the rebuild process. I can make myself available to set-up shop, teach the in/outs, and answer questions as they arise.

Since I really do not know how soon it will be before I have to shut down, I would ask that all collectors and anybody thinking about getting your old or antique tube rebuilt NOW is the time to send it in.

It has been a great 52 years of business. My family and I thank you all for your loyalty, and dedication you have shown to Hawk-Eye Picture Tube Mfg.

Sincerely
Scotty

I thought I felt a disturbance in the ether. :tears: The last of a breed... :sadwave:

I wonder how much room you'd need to do this...

See this:

http://www.earlytelevision.org/crt_project.html

What if someone in CA with no CRT rebuilding education, had a vacant 16,000 sq ft commercial building with 3-phase electric service, and with space to set all that up, but had no interest in running it as a business?

Charles

Seems like the most vital ingredient is the serious apprentice -- someone willing to spend the time to learn these black arts and then stick with it. From what I've heard, this is not something you can pick up over a weekend and then dabble in whenever the whim strikes you.

Just my $0.02.

Phil

Ahhhh Geeeze....(in my best Archie Bunker voice)
I better get a tube over there somehow.......

If I were closer to Hawkeye I'd jump at the chance; I would love to learn this.

I certainly hope that Scotty can find someone to take advantage of such an opportunity.

I agree that finding an apprentice (or apprentices) is the key to making this work. A couple of people have expressed an interest.

I have a feeling that this is somewhat akin to a Buggy-Whip manufacturer in 1910...

Someone NEEDS to ensure this stuff is saved for the future. In my lifetime, I will likely see a complete phase out of all CRT display equipment...and you can bet one day it will be very difficult to find a replacement.

I'd imagine that there are others like myself who are interested but could not spare the time away from job, family and obligations to adequately learn this craft. Distance is the enemy. In other words, life gets in the way of living. :)

I'm not sure it would be too hard to learn, as I remember how so many TV repair shops had a CRT oven in the back room. It's definitely an art, as well as a science, and probably not for everybody to be great at. However, most of us here have a leg-up, already being scientific-minded and interested in TV technology. If I'm wrong about that, I better check the rosters at all the local nursing homes, and see if I can find a 95-year-old "expert" CRT rebuilder; the youngest one likely to exist ... :sigh:


On a serious note, and adding to my original post, I hope nobody thinks they can go into this for profit. It needs to be either a hobby effort (and will cost some $$$), or it needs to be someone needing a tax loss. Although I would need to run this by my wife, I could be serious about having a location for it.
Charles

The hope is that it can be done at the museum as a non-profit venture. At first only the rarer tubes would be done (7DP4s, etc.). If the economics work, we may be able to do more common tubes.

Does anybody still make electron guns for re-builders?

jr