[Hallicrafters] Restoration of Front Panels

[Paul Kraemer]

Greg
You have touched on a subject close to my heart.
I may as well "come out of the closet and go public" so to speak.
I imagine I'm not the only nearly retired old-radio enthusiast out there 
with the talent and treasure to undertake such a venture
This includes either in my shop or have access to, cad drafting, artist, 
full machine shop, wet and powder coat paint and familiarity with silk 
screen process (and other grapic techniques)
More than once I have extended an offer to duplicate some circuit board or 
other item one time for free or nearly so to obtain the "seed" for venture 
to do repeats of that item.
Something always seems to happen where the originator looses interest and 
the potential project dies.
Small flat panel items like vfo's are relatively simple and lend themselves 
to outright duplicate panels.
Larger items with full 19" wide panels---now you are getting some complexity 
in the process (that means expense)
Items of any size with contours, like an SX-71 or NC-183 for example where 
the panel is becoming part of the enclosure and it is difficult to say where 
do I stop is even more complex.
Obtaining professional repeatable results in panel duplication is not an 
"all you gotta do" process in spite of what many may actually believe. Even 
at the "labor of love rates" there is a considerable effort involved before 
it is all done. Selling 50 panels at $50 each won't even break even.
Several years ago I started buying up my own "seed" of radios I thought 
would become "seed worthy" in time. Other higher priority work from 
customers always seems to take a front seat.
All that being said I welcome comments from any and all who may want to 
explore restoration ventures. I really would like to explore it further, 
even if it barely makes sense. I'm just that kind of guy.
Thanks for the bandwidth.
Paul K0UYA

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Greg Mijal" <bluebirdtele at embarqmail.com>
To: "K8RS" <k8rs at arrl.net>; "Hallicrafters" <Hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 9:05 PM
Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters] Restoration of Front Panels


> Hi Roger:
>
>>From time to time folks will start up a silk screening rig for specific
> radios.  You send them your front panel and they strip it then re-paint 
> then
> silk screen on the letters, numbers and logos.  I don't have any contacts 
> to
> pass along to you but have been interested in seeing the finished panels.
> Johnson gear seems to be the most popular project with Hallicrafters 
> running
> second.  I havn't noticed any activity on the reflector for this lately 
> but
> your Email may get replys from people with the jigs ready to go.
> 73's
> Greg
> WA7LYO
> Kinston NC
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "K8RS" <k8rs at arrl.net>
> To: "Hallicrafters" <Hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 6:49 PM
> Subject: [Hallicrafters] Restoration of Front Panels
>
>
>> Group,
>>          When folks say they "...had the front panel redone....", what do
>> they mean?
>>          Who does this kind of work that often entails  company logos,
>> knob identifiers and number circles as well as paint matching?  It sounds
>> like they send it away somewhere, but nobody seems to identify where they
>> send it or the company that does this kind of work.  Sometimes I hear
>> about "silk screening", but what is that process?
>>          I am curious because I have a panel that I want to "redo" as 
>> part
>> of a restoration.
>>                             Thanks,
>>                                         Roger K8RS
>>
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