Recent Projects at the SPARKBENCH

Vintage Radio restoration is a passion of mine. It always gives me a thrill to bring one of these relics back to like new condition. There's alot of sites dealing with real valuable old radios, but this is a site for the 'common tinkerer' with budgetary concerns who likes to have a good time refurbing and tinkering. Most of the sets on these pages cost me less than $100, many under $50.

There's before and after photos of many of the sets and case histories and descriptions of what it took to make 'em work again. I add 'finished' photos as they get done, but photography and webpage design are not my hobbies! This site started in 1997 and is constantly growing. .

Back to Basics - click to see my HOMEBREW sets !

(Click on picture for more info, if available)

Philco 38-62
(1938)
A real common, but nice radio. I've done two of them and find them to be nice little radios.

Paquette's Air King
(1946)
So who is Paquette? Give her a call and find out.

Coronado 740
(1937)
Another one of those big table models. A great radio!

Early Zenith AM/FMs
(1949-1951)
There's a story here. Has it been that long ago since one of these was on your granny's table?

Delco 1106
(1935)
Real wood on this puppy. One of my first restorations.

RCA Model 5T
(1935)
I'm a sucker for this era of RCAs. They're great radios.

Homebrew
3-dialler/6-tuber
(late 1920s)
It works! And receives surprisingly well.

Airline 62-135
(1934)
This one took alot of work but came out beautiful.
(Now it belongs to "Aero" Maierhoffer)

Skyrover 588
(1937)
Rare little 5-tuber. Mom's kitchen radio. Too cute!

GE M-50
(1937)
When this one arrived, the veneer didn't come out of the box at the same time as the radio.

PECO
(1942)
Whatzit? Its a little AM/SW table radio built by a big WWII military electronics supplier. I understand they were sold in PXs during WW2. Anybody remember it?

Philco 89
(1934)
This is a photo of how it arrived here at the Sparkbench, and yes, it was saved.

The Garod
(1947)
Solid old SW radio. Was in nice shape so I really didn't do much to it.
(Sold)

Silvertone 1581
(1940)
Fantastic hi-tech vintage radio.
A SWLers delight.

Philco 37-60
(1937)
This is my 'beehive' radio awaiting restoration. Plays well, but somebody put stick-on vinyl across the 'hive' as a repair and it needs to be re-veneered. Coming soon!

RCA Model 9K3
(1937)
My first SW radio at age 14 was one of these. I bought it from my shop teacher in 7th Grade for $5. Still a keeper and recently did a refurb on the chassis.

Fairbanks-Morse 5A (1935) Another one I bought from my shop teacher in 1967 - for $1.25! Recently gave it a refurb too. Click to see what it looked like before.	Philco 630 Chairside (1935) Massive refurb project and it turned out beautifully!	The SPARKBENCH Here's a little photo of the shack and antenna.	Italian Europhon (1960s?) A real 100% Italian radio. Rather unique if you ask me.
RCA 8T (1937) A new acquisition 8/99. A beautiful radio after it was redone.	Ambassador Viscount (UK - 1949) This has got to be the biggest table radio ever made. Quite a refurb project.	RCA T7-5 (1935) Another new one. RCA tombers can count on a warm welcome at the Sparkbench.	Your Sparkbench Host...

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click to see my HOMEBREW sets !

Hello Mr. Valve "Tubes To Go" - this link is for tube fanatics

Page updated 11 March 2008, 11 June 2022