[Hallicrafters] Just a thought

[Glen Zook]

Since I have been repairing, aliging, etc., equipment
for others on a "regular" basis for several months
now, and on a "part time" basis for friends for about
30 years (see my ad in Electric Radio), I thought I'd
put in my "two cents".

First of all, unless you just enjoy working on
equipment "for the fun of it", you will have to charge
a "fair" price.  Take a look at what Howard Mills, and
some of the others, charge (myself included).  You
will see that good service does not come cheap.

Secondly, shipping is relatively expensive and the
items must be properly packed.  Frankly, UPS has
gotten so bad lately that I avoid them like the plague
even though I have shipped things by them since 1970. 
FedEx ground is a bit cheaper, and, so far, they have
been doing an excellent job of getting things through
without damage.  UPS has been damaging even items
shipped in wooden crates!  Unfortunately, FedEx ground
is normally only available at the actual FedEx run
offices.  Virtually all of the "contract" stations
only have FedEx air.  I am fortunate in that there is
a FedEx office less than 2 miles from my house
(actually less than 2 blocks from the UPS office).

Anything over about 15 to 20 pounds should be
double-boxed.  Use solid-styrofoam for the primary
support (i.e. on the corners, etc., as a minimum - all
the way around is better).  Pellspan (styrofoam
"peanuts") are good only as filler material, not as
the primary source of protection.  The same thing goes
for crushed paper, use it for "filler" only.  Make
sure that the people shipping the item to you know how
to properly pack the item.  If it comes in not
properly packed, you have to charge extra for
re-boxing, etc.

So far, the largest items that have come into me for
service are a pair of Globe Champion 350 transmitters
(actually one was a 350 the other a 350A).  One of
these was in a wooden crate and UPS did a "good" job
of damaging it!  The other was in a cardboard box and
it got about the same treatment as the other. 
However, the physical damage was less even though the
box was completely destroyed!

There are "tricks" that you learn with experience. 
That is, things that cause problems that you would not
expect.  You need a good supplier of quality parts.

Are you going to actually restore the equipment (that
means using ORIGINAL type parts, taking the unit back
to what it was when it shipped from the factory) or
are you going to repair / update the unit with modern,
more reliable, parts?  Many amateurs think that
repairing the unit with modern parts is restoring,
but, that is definitely not the case!  A restored set
often does not perform as well as one that has been
modified/repaired with modern components.  But, a
restored set is worth more money to a collector.

Are you going to do any physical repairs like
replacing dials, or repainting?  Can you silk-screen
panels?  I don't have the facilities to silk-screen,
but I do repaint cabinets, etc., that don't require
"re-lettering".  Do you have the computer facilities
to make new dials (I do make some dials, overlays,
etc., but definitely not all).  You have to take all
of this into consideration.

The "general" populace wants, and needs, all sorts of
varying services from a simple repair to a complete
restoration.  You have to decide just wherein this
"chain" that you will fit.

Glen, K9STH


--- ATanner283 at aol.com wrote:

> Just a two cent worth, but I would also say that
> shipping is going to become 
> a very LARGE problem for you.

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