Weather

[Sean Regan]

Hi,

Definitely cold here with frost Logan hovering around 0C.

I've just come out of the workshop feeling too cold to do anything; yesterday I removed the chassis from our Barker radio and this morning reinstalled it; just standing around playing with this vintage radio was proving more punishment than pleasure and when things are like this nothing goes to plan. I re-veneered this radio years ago using Burr Walnut with hot hide glue; I think the shock of summer arriving last year and remaining with us longer than the usual two days has caused the veneer to develop lots of small splits which I find annoying because it looked beautiful when first done. My chum David generously gave me the radio knowing I was capable of restoring its cabinet whilst David ensured the chassis was in working condition. I knew it had a pair of diodes to replace the rectifier valve but the Trader 747 service sheets I have show a totally different valve layout and this has a number of different valves; it's too cold to be playing around like this so now the radio is back up in the bungalow. I'd enjoy a session woodturning but everything I touch is cold in the workshop so I'll take a short retirement until middle of next week when the thermometer decides to raise above freezing. I'm not complaining because we did enjoy a summer last year and now in winter it's expected to be cold.

Kind regards, Colin.

View attachment 49289

The Barker 88 vintage valve radio in all its glory; when I did the veneering I replaced the boring plain veneer with this Burr Walnut Veneer improving its appearance considerably.

View attachment 49290

The Barker 88 chassis showing the valve layout and the empty rectifier valve socket.


View attachment 49291

The Barker cabinet as I was kindly given it; not difficult to improve on this?

View attachment 49292


The rear view after the full restoration; French polish is the finish. I'm just passing a bit of time away on the keyboard rather than moaning about the weather. Not exactly on topic but it is weather related; had it been warm and sunny I wouldn't be sitting here.

A really super job well done!

I love vintage audio stuff.


It brings back memories. In the early sixties when we were living in Shepherd's Bush I managed a TV, radio and electrical appliance store, I acquired a second-hand Bush VHF 64. Those were the days when Bush had a good reputation. Now as a company all that's left is the name that they put on any bit of far-East made crap.

A fantastic radio, you could even get the sound of BBC1 TV on the VHF.

Sadly I sold it to buy something more modern in 1972. A Philips 790.

it had one of the first "touch" controls for changing channels, on the left on the top, but it made a noise as you touched the controls, later radios with this feature changed chanels silently. It cost £90 new from Comet. That's £1215 in today's money. Seems a lot!

It lasted me over thirty years, before it gave up the ghost, then I bought my Leak on EBay second hand for about £30 when such tuner amps were "cheap as chips" before the vinyl revival. As "insurance" I bought a second one a few weeks later for not much more.

One sold a month ago on e-Bay for £112.

 

[Gail_68]

no damage at all so my mistake

Colin my hubby parks in two spaces

 

[Logan]

Good morning all sunny and light breeze temp. -3c up to 4c
Sunrise 7.46
Sunset 16.58
Very sharp frost and cloudy later.

 

[Gail_68]

Good morning all sunny and light breeze temp. -3c up to 4c

Good morning Logan, our weather is the same as yours

 

[Sean Regan]

Clear blue skies but still freezing. Little snow has melted except where the lawn is close to our York stone path which will absorb a bit of heat from the sun. Likely to be no golf tomorrow, as snow clears more slowly on wide expanses than in does in suburban gardens.
It'll solve the annual problem for me, as I always stay up to watch the Superbowl which doesn't finish until between three and four a.m. But I'd still get up around 7.30 a.m. to go and play golf.

 

[Gail_68]

Well today started off frosty..it's very cold now but at least the sun as blessed we

 

[Logan]

Good morning all light cloud and gentle breeze temp 6 to 10c
Sunrise 7.45
Sunset 17.00
Rained this morning, rather have the frost.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

6C whilst out shopping first thing this morning; I thought summer had arrived but its still very dark.

Yesterday I popped into Bron's crafting studio with the intention of at last signing a few of the woodturned items using the pyrography pen; it was too cold for comfort and I should have waited six months until summer arrives because I could have done better; anyway I had a go and the pictures are below.

Whoopee workshop here I come.

Kind regards, Colin.

Doing anything is better than just sitting around moaning about how cold it is.

I hope to do more woodturning this year; these are just a few examples; we give them away to friends then I've an excuse to turn more.

 

[Logan]

They look very good Colin well done.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Thanks Logan. I've just chucked a blank in the lathe and roughed it round but it's still too cold to play. The only problem when it does get warmer is that all the outside jobs need doing and given our short summer then I'm back into the workshop when its cold again. I'd rather be here in the UK with cold weather than abroad mixing it with the likes of snakes and alligators etc.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Sean Regan]

Quite warm and sunny, all trace of snow gone.

Could have gone to golf this morning, but stayed up 'til near 4.00 am, watching the Superbowl, which didn't really get going until the third quarter.
Immediately after the game finished, the Patriot's team and backroom staff were all seen wearing T-shirts and hats with their team logo and the word "Champions" on them.

I wonder what the Rams will do with the ones they likely had made. Save them and hope they can use them next year?

 

[Logan]

Good morning all light cloud and light wind temp 2 to 7c
Sunrise 7.43
Sunset 17.02
A bit of a frost but cloudy now with rain later.

Yesterday afternoon was lovely, almost like spring.

 

[Logan]

Good morning all sunny intervals and light wind temp 5 to 9c
Sunrise 7.41
Sunset 17.04
Have a good day all

 

[Logan]

Good morning all light rain showers and moderate breeze temp 5 to 8c
Sunrise 7.39
Sunset 17.05

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Good morning to you too Logan; I hope you have a nice day.

Miserable wet morning here again and quite dark meaning I'm sitting here with the light on in order to see the keyboard; I can't complain though I get the odd day of warm sunshine to torment me.

Kind regards, Colin.