[R-390] Julien Creek receivers

[Todd Bigelow - PS]

rbethman wrote:

>I can only tell you from MY first hand experience.
>
>I have one of these "Blue Stripers".
>
>It sure ISN'T corroded.  It is pretty darn clean.
>
>The Restoration, as it is, is pretty painless!  I'm going through and 
>recapping it, found only one bad tube, and have had to replace one 
>"can" due to careless handling by someone over the years.  The 455Kc 
>oscillator can had the slug broken, and the threaded portion was 
>sheared off level on the top.
>
>The PTO is great, all modules are clean.
>
>If this is extra work, expense, and labor, I'd like to know WHAT kind 
>of cake walk some folks are getting!
>
>Bob - N0DGN
>

Sounds like you got one of the better ones, Bob. As was mentioned, the 
placing in the pile (along with the amount of time exposed, I don't 
think they all just appeared one day) has a lot to do with it. I've seen 
a few of them at hamfests over the last 2-3 years. Some looked like they 
were 500 years old. Chassis were corroded and pitted, crud in every 
corner and crevice, broken tubes, crappy looking sockets that had been 
left empty and exposed, stiff/frozen controls....

Like anything else, having one in front of you before deciding is the 
best approach. My response was one of attempting to clarify where the 
original 'not worth the effort'/'impossible to restore' view may have 
come from. As long as the person is aware up front of what they are 
getting into, there's really no harm in trying. Worst you can do is 
fail, best you can do is succeed. Being able to evaluate the radio and 
your chances up front always helps. Besides, nothing is impossible if 
you have enough time and money. The P-38 'Glacier Girl' proved that. (-:

It's good that at least some of them escaped Cap'n Crunch the shredder. 
It's too bad they weren't taken better care of in the process, though. 
Gems to us, so much scrap to someone else.