[Hallicrafters] WHO does panel work?

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

On 8/11/05, Craig Roberts <crgrbrts at verizon.net> wrote:

<snip>
> I guess what I need are NAMES!.  WHO does silk-screening for our types
> of projects?  Are there any folks who will do a complete
> repainting/silk-screening job; to whom I could send my old panel and
> have it redone to near perfection? I've put so much labor and so many
> new components into this particular receiver (for sloppily sentimental
> reasons) that I'm not terribly worried about cost. I would just like
> this radio to be as pretty and original looking as possible and be done
> with it -- and I don't trust my own refinishing skills to do the job as
> well as I'd like.  (Seeing Dee Almquist's Johnson refurbishing artistry
> in person convinced me of that).

Craig, Bill, et al:

There used to be a couple of guys out there doing panels, from
stripping to painting to re-screening. Someone took over one business
that did this along with selling the matching 'boatanchor' paints. I
don't know the full story, but heard that the new owner hadn't done
well at keeping up and getting things back to folks, and eventually
shut things down. Maybe someone else can add more.

So it would seem that somebody out there somewhere has the screens
already made, it's just a matter of finding out who and going from
there. It would be nice if someone could resurrect the business -
maybe Dee or Howard or someone already knowledgable. At least save the
screens, there was a pretty good list last I knew.

I agree 100% with Charlie: re-screening is the only way to go. Sure,
it's pricey, but so is any decent paint job. Decals might seem
tempting since you can do them at home, but what happens if you need
to clean the panel? How well will those decals stand up to it? Makes
me think of Earl Sheib. Even if you need to get a screen made up
(probably $200+), you can rent it out or do work for others to recover
the cost. Unless it's a very obscure rig, you should break even before
long. A good silk screen will look right, feel right, and be much more
durable over time.

BTW Craig, I did check the parts rig last weekend. The IF cans are
bolted on. Exchanged email with Bob, hoping to meet up with you all at
Gaithersburg.

73, Todd/'Boomer'  KA1KAQ