[R-390] Restoring my '390

[Gene Beckwith]

Gents, 

Panel restoration has been treated extensively in days past...including 
primers, baking, enamel vs krylon, silk screened vs engraved...it is not 
too difficult to produce results indistinguishable from original...esp 
with respect to engraved panels...have done several and so they are as 
good or better in cosmetics than oe . .

Btw, do some shopping around...engraved panels are out there...not worth 
the effort to do engraving; unless that's your game...

If one is serious about doing a restoration, and getting under the hood, 
panel restoration is just part of the game...don't be intimidated...and 
actually, if u don't like ur first attempts, do it over...until ur happy...

Re burn in...of course suggesting the extremes of any technique make 
good chat topics...but, in the real world...five year burn in is a bit 
odd...since all of the rigs have a high probability of not only five 
years..but many times that in the process of aging and 'settling 
in'....again..real world says unless you have unusually sophisticated 
lab equipment available...odds are few of the faithful could detect an 
performance difference...hard data for such comparisons would be 
interesting for the group to study...

Get started on the restoration...don't get caught up in the paranoia of 
the ultra/extreme, avoiding jumping in with fresh parts and soldering 
tools smoking.
u'll miss all the fun if u delay...

73
Gene
W8KXR







ka9egw at britewerkz.com wrote:
> Well, the meters are on their way and this winter will be my year to restore
> my "used checked" [read: "working"] Fair Radio 390A.  I had first considered
> just having Rick Mish do it, for no other reason than that job and family
> commitments leave me about 5 hours a week for everything else...but I have
> decided to either have Chuck Rippel do it [if he's still doing resto's] or
> just roll up my sleeves, buy Rippel's video, and do it myself.
>
> Rick Mish says an R390 must be burned in 24/7/365 for FIVE YEARS before
> commencing restoration efforts, else no alignment will hold more than a
> month and I would like to hear listmember's observations/experience on that.
> I've never heard 5 years' burn-in being part of depot overhaul spec, for
> example.
>
> Either way I think I'll be doing my own restoration.  I wantg this radio
> restored to listen to myself for years to come, not to put in a museum.  I
> am grateful to all members on this list for the help you have provided with
> my restoration, whether I am [yet] aware of that particular info or not.
>
> One of my efforts will be to compile a g-code CNC file for engraving
> front-panel lettering on previously silkscreened radios; or is there anyone
> besides Rick Mish who restores front panels?  ["Darn it Jim, I'm a
> technician/machinist, not a body-and-fender man..."].  Or has that file
> already been created?
>
> 73 es TNX,
> Brian KA9EGW
>
>
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