Videokarma.org

Go Back   Videokarma.org TV - Video - Vintage Television & Radio Forums > Antique Radio

We appreciate your help

in keeping this site going.
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 06-26-2004, 06:17 PM
Paula's Avatar
Paula Paula is offline
AK Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 110
"A Streamlined Powerhouse" from Westinghouse

In 1946, Westinghouse dubbed their model H-126 radio, "The Little Jewel". It was a weird-looking affair -- a radical departure from the rank-and-file table radios of the day -- with its vertical form factor, and other nifty appointments. This, by the way, is the radio with the ameteurish re-cap job that was featured in the thread, "How NOT to Re-Cap a Radio", back in early May (something Sandy already knew ).

Despite its unusual shape, this radio produces a fairly robust sound, and has ample sensitivity and selectivity for an old AM tuber. I replaced the remaining wax/paper capacitors that the previous "restorer" had left intact, and the annoying 'pop' went away. It has now found a place on my kitchen counter, and with its ivory color scheme, blends in nicely with my almond-colored appliances.

There seems to be a fairly persistent bit of folklore about these radios, to the effect that Westinghouse dealers gave them away as premiums with the purchase of a Westinghouse refrigerator. While this is an interesting theory, and may have actually occurred, judging from the contemporary advertising materials that I've seen, I don't think it was anything that originated with the Westinghouse marketing department. Yes, the radio does somewhat suggest the appearance of a miniature refrigerator, but I think that people nowadays don't realize that radios were not the cheap giveaway items that they later became, and I dare say that giving one of these away with the purchase of a refrigerator would have quickly eroded a dealer's profit margin. Still, I'm only guessing, and I would love to hear from anyone who has more solid information on this.

[More pictures and text to follow.]



These pictures give you an idea of the interior configuration of the H-126. Note that the loop antenna is housed in the right-hand bakelite shell, while the left-hand shell covers the raw end of the chassis. Also, note the nifty little "W" logo that glows with the dial light.

One of the headaches with restoring this radio (at least, to the extent that I actually restored it), was getting the grille cloth right. This radio features the original grille cloth material: a very insubstantial weaving of kite string-like threads. Originally, the cloth was glued to a stamped cardboard "baffle" which was fixed to the inside of the vertical grille bars. The previous "restorer" chose to supplant this method with the time tested method of masking taping the cloth in place!

[For those of you that have not discovered it for yourself, masking tape is one of the most temporary fastening methods known to man. The adhesive is particularly unstable with time, and will eventually destroy most any surface to which it is unwisely left adhered to. It is designed for temporary use only!]

Anyway, using what remained of the original cardboard baffle, I was able to construct a new one out of a couple of pieces of ordinary cardboard laminated together. I carefully re-wove the unraveled ends of the original cloth and Elmer'sed it to the new baffle. As the last picture in this series shows, the new baffle assembly is held in place with eight dabs of adhesive.

An interesting little project, all-around, and an interesting little jewel of a radio!

Paula


Last edited by Paula; 05-11-2006 at 04:46 PM. Reason: Updated information
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 06-26-2004, 06:20 PM
Paula's Avatar
Paula Paula is offline
AK Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 110
One of the headaches with restoring this radio (at least, to the extent that I actually restored it), was getting the grille cloth right.

Last edited by Paula; 10-28-2004 at 10:25 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 06-26-2004, 10:19 PM
Sandy G's Avatar
Sandy G Sandy G is offline
Spiteful Old Cuss
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Rogersville, Tennessee
Posts: 9,571
Paula- As usual w/you, Good Show! Neat old set-I have one, too. Another malady of these little guys is that the handle assy is broken &it's almost impossible to fix. But you're right, they ARE good performers. Mine's one of my favorite postwar sets.! -Sandy G.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 06-28-2004, 11:36 PM
jt1stcav's Avatar
jt1stcav jt1stcav is offline
Up and Coming Bottlehead
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Lakeland, smack-dab in the middle between Tampa and Orlando, Florida!
Posts: 36
Sweet lil' radio. But I'm curious as to how hot this small portable radio actually gets, seeing how tight everything is inside. Was heat a problem with this sort of design?
__________________
~Jim Tidwell~

Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 06-29-2004, 09:18 AM
Paula's Avatar
Paula Paula is offline
AK Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 110
So far, it doesn't seem to get unusually hot while playing, but then I haven't left it running for any extended period. Yes, it is a rather condensed design, but it seems to have ample ventilation: louvers in the top and lower rear, and a generous set of holes in the bottom. It has an advantage in that the portion of the radio most directly subject to heat from the tubes is made of metal (as are most of the tubes!)

Paula

Last edited by Paula; 07-05-2004 at 01:00 AM.
Reply With Quote
Audiokarma
Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:29 AM.



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
©Copyright 2012 VideoKarma.org, All rights reserved.