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#1
04-18-2009, 09:21 PM
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I picked up another basket case Silvertone tombstone
These basket case Silvertone tombstones seem to be finding me. This is the second one I've brought home in the past 2 or 3 months. This one appears to be one of the better battery operated models. As you can see, the cabinet is coming apart. The whole top needs to be replaced and the speaker grille is busted. I'm sure this was a pretty radio in it's day and I often wonder how someone can let something like this happen to such a nice radio. I'm trying to decide if I want to try and save this radio or use it for parts. Of course, some good motivation would be to see a restored model.
  
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#2
04-18-2009, 09:29 PM
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Looks like a nice one. Was anyway. I know of a guy who can restore those grilles, he does it by making laminations to replace the missing parts and gluing it all back together with a vacuum press. The result is impressive. I have a Wells Gardner console with that kind of grille, only much larger, with many missing bits. I'm not sure how to go about replacing it or whether I should just pull the chassis and kiss the cabinet goodbye.
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Summer's here and the time is right. 
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#3
04-19-2009, 08:57 PM
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All the critical stuff looks to be in place (minus the original speaker). All the knobs are there and the curved parts of the cabinet look to be salvagable from those photos. Doing a cabinet rebuild where only the flat surfaces are damaged might not be too bad.
Here's a decent looking Silvertone Model 1923 which was a farm radio from 1935. The grill is just slightly different from yours, but its got to be from the 1935 lineup as the set you have appears to be pretty close. The top on yours also looks a little different - like it's missing the uppermost layer. (Who knows, the one I attached may have a modified grill and top). Looks nice anyway. Great potential! Last edited by BostonDave; 04-19-2009 at 09:20 PM.
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#4
04-20-2009, 12:09 AM
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Well, seeing this radio does give me more motivation to try and save mine. I'm sure I'll end up getting someone else to do the cabinet. I don't have any woodworking tools and wouldn't know what to do with them if I did. I'm sure I can get the chassis going again. Fortunately, I've got a friend who is good with cabinets. We actually trade services. I get his radios going in exchange for him making my cabinets look good enough to put in the house.
I examined mine a little closer and discovered that it uses a dial light. I've seen very few battery radios with a dial light.
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#5
04-20-2009, 07:29 AM
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Glad to have helped. Be sure to post some pictures if you do go the restore route. You might get some pretty dramatic before and afters with this one.
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#6
04-20-2009, 08:06 AM
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The radio is definitely salvageable. Not sure about that lawn rake, though...
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I may be growing older, but I refuse to grow up. 
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#7
04-20-2009, 08:34 PM
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Quote:
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Linear Mode
