Dan's page of tubes and classic electronics

Among my old cases I have a hand full that I bought because they were nice wood cases that would make a nice radio with just the chassis from a parts set, a few bakelite cases that looked like they'd clean up okay, and some that look like they'd be neat or good choices for other projects.

Another interesting find are some cases that look to be generic replacements, NOS, or maybe something intended for non-radio use (intercom or UHF concerter)? I don't know. I also am unsure if they're really the '40s vintage that they are styled after, or newer. I took a couple pics, but unfortunatly they didn't turn out as nice as I would have liked.

first new case
I got 6 or 8 of these as they definetly looked the most useful. It's hard to see from my pictures, but these cases have a very nice shine with just soap and water clean up. I have a Packard Bell 5D chassis that would be perfect in one of these. Note there are no knob holes. I've been tempted to use one of these to make a knob-less remote control vintage radio :)
second new case
This one is a little more interesting, and honestly, not too useful, the knobs and dial are at the top of the set. While this is definetly neat, I suspect that the chassis would have to mount with the tubes on the bottom in order for it to fit...or it could be solid state I suppose. I guess the other option is to have the chassis with the controls somehow extended above it. I've seen portables with the "upside down chassis" but never a table top model.

If anyone knows of radios that use identical cases, I'd love to hear about them. I'd also love to know of any table radios that would use a chassis similar to style to the second case, one that might fit without modification. Any tips on the origional purpose of these cases and their vintage would be very interesting too!

first old bakelite case
Here's another bakelite case, well coated with paint, but it looks like it'd clean up okay. Don't mind the other junk in the picture :) That's an old RCA lunchbox portable next to it (not a toaster) btw. I have no idea what kind of radio was in it, I figured this style of case was pretty common, and I might find a chassis that'd fit it, but no such luck. I think the third knob was part of the problem, a lot of these old sets only had two (this probably had short wave, hard to say though). If anyone has any tips on what brand of radio this is from, or if anyone is interesting in taking it off my hands, let me know.

first old wood case
This is a neat wooden case, it has what looks like a fake section of grain along the bottom, but everything else it true wood. Unfortunatly the handle isn't the best, but I guess that's okay as the chassis is gone anyway :) Again I was thinking that the style was fairly generic and I'd probably find a similar chassis to fit inside, but the knobs are spaced farily far apart, especially concidering how small the dial opening is, so I never turned anything up. I also have no idea who made it or what model it is, if anyone has ever seen one, please let me know.

back