[AMRadio] Huge Radio and Tube Collection up for Grabs

[Donald Chester]

I just received a message explaining why the QRZ.com search is not finding
the seller of this estate:
http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp?licKey=816578

Apparently W7FMJ became a SK more than 18 months ago, and the message was
posted by someone else left to clean up the shack and dispose of the
collection.

All the more reason to make sure that the persons attempting to dispose of
the estate are given good advice. And the problem remains, how to contact
those persons.

Here is a sample of the "advice" being given on the Hammy Hambone forums:
"...to do this for the most money I would clean every piece of equipment and
test working condition and then take excellent pics with a detailed honest
description, then you have to package and ship...and then I would want half
the money for my trouble.. Big job to do properly."

I would NOT recommend doing much cleaning on the antique pieces. Most
serious collectors prefer to receive the item as is, and then do their own
cleaning and polishing to whatever degree they wish to see done. An improper
cleaning job can do permanent damage, and sometimes removing the natural
patina that has developed over the decades will cause a piece to drop in
value.

Many years ago I acquired a 1935 National HRO receiver via the old Ham
Trader Yellow Sheets. The package arrived in good working condition along
with a note from the seller that he had "cleaned up" the German silver main
tuning dial and metal skirts on the knobs for me before shipping it. He used
some kind of abrasive like emery cloth or fine grit sandpaper and not only
removed the tarnish, but managed to erode away much of the etched
calibration markings and  leave what was  left of the German silver plating
with a sandy texture, damaging the dial and all the knobs beyond repair.

It would probably be OK to wipe away any dust, loose dirt and spider webs
with a soft damp cloth and brush out any mouse droppings, but I wouldn't
recommend going very far beyond that. Above all, don't ever use a solvent
type cleaner like Fantastik or 409. I learnt that the hard way the time I
used the stuff to clean some rare old National bakelite dials. It took off
the dirt and grime all right, along with the glossy sheen, as it dissolved
the outer skin of the bakelite, leaving a dull flat finish that was
impossible to ever polish back to its original shine.