Member of the Michigan Antique Radio Club.

I start by cleaning the radio. The radio is disassembled and the case is cleaned inside and out and then several hours are spent polishing it. Bakelite sometimes fades to the point where one cannot restore it by polishing but there are still some things that can be done to make it look better.

The paint on painted radios is polished to a shine if they are not too chipped and scratched. I try to leave the original paint if possible. If it's too far gone, then the case gets repainted and buffed to a new car type shine.

The knobs are cleaned (even the grooves) and polished to the same shine as the radio.

Once the case is all shiny and new looking, the chassis is cleaned using Windex, ammonia, elbow grease, soapy water, elbow grease, and more elbow grease. I clean the whole chassis, even the parts that don't show.

Next, the electrolytic capacitors are replaced with modern caps that will last for ages and not dry out like the originals. The circuitry stays the same; just the parts that failed or are bound to fail are replaced. Resistors are checked and replaced if necessary. Tubes are tested and replaced if dead or weak. Then the radio is aligned to factory specifications.

Usually, at this point, the radio plays. If not, then whatever needs attention is repaired or replaced.

The dial string is replaced if broken or shows signs of weakness. A non-slip additive is applied to the string and the tension is adjusted.

Usually, the power cord is falling apart or stiff. I usually replace it with new cord and plug.

All moving parts are lubricated. If necessary, the noisy volume control is cleaned and lubricated.

The radio is then reassembled and put on my kitchen counter and played for a few days to make sure it's OK.

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