'39 Motorola "Picnic" portable

[decojoe67]

Originally Posted by jr_tech

Very nice... thanks for posting! Still scratching my head trying to figure out where the other plate goes.

jr

You're welcome. It's actually a bit complicated. The plate is on a center geared shaft with a zig-zagged tension wire attached to a notch on it's right side. On the on/off control shaft is bent metal wire that tugs a tab at the bottom of the plate when you turn the shaft, the plate pulls it away to the left. When you turn the set off that bent wire frees the plate to spring back.

The springing action isn't abrupt. I happens swiftly, but rather softy. I'm glad it's a tension wire rather than springs because I doubt it would be still working!

[decojoe67]

I saved this one from a likely bad end. It actually cleaned up nicely. The flash of the pic does not do it justice. The interior is very clean and no doubt I'll have this one working soon. It's a 1939 Trutone "Tiny Four". No model number which is common on these smaller brand sets. It's a darker tweed then typical. It also went under the Admiral name and likely a few others. It's slightly larger than it looks in the pics and needed a strong replacement handle.

[decojoe67]

Here's a '39 Stewart Warner "Companion Radio" model 02-41. I got the set with the original Burgess batteries in it dated 1942. I replaced them with modern batteries and cleaned all the sockets and controls and it came on playing well as-is! 75+ years dormant and it plays. If that's not a testament to the quality of products back then, nothing is!

[jr_tech]

This ad, perhaps:



jr

[decojoe67]

Originally Posted by jr_tech

This ad, perhaps:jr

Thanks. It looks like the couple is just taking a leisurely walk. Even a small battery set like that would not be good to run with. In the early days of portable tube electronics, they often tried to make them seem even lighter than they were.

[Electronic M]

Originally Posted by jr_tech

This ad, perhaps:



jr

That may have been it.

[Electronic M]

I like that moto too. I briefly had one just like that and still have the older version with the knobs stacked (first 3-way that I adapted to modern batteries)...The older on came from a yard sale in Lombard Il. When I was around 10-12 years old I bought it from the kids of the original owner...Apparently, it was bought by a paperboy as his bicycle radio. Also got a Grunding so-205U console from that sale...It had a sad fate.

[decojoe67]

Originally Posted by Electronic M

I like that moto too. I briefly had one just like that and still have the older version with the knobs stacked (first 3-way that I adapted to modern batteries)...The older on came from a yard sale in Lombard Il. When I was around 10-12 years old I bought it from the kids of the original owner...Apparently, it was bought by a paperboy as his bicycle radio. Also got a Grunding so-205U console from that sale...It had a sad fate.

Good stories Tom. I too started collecting at about 12-13, and I too basically trashed those early sets. The were very inexpensive back then and when they stopped playing my father would say "you can't get the parts for those old sets anymore". One nice '48 GE was ruined when I sprayed Windex on the dial - need say more!

PS - I recently grabbed one more of these airplane-luggage battery-only portables - a 1939 RCA-Victor 94BP-1. When I saw how nice this original set was and how reasonably priced it was (working w/battery pack), it was a no-brainer to get it. That great little dial with the blue-background, small "little nipper" knobs, and nice brass plaque is just enough to make it attractive.

[jr_tech]

Originally Posted by decojoe67

I recently grabbed one more of these airplane-luggage battery-only portables - a 1939 RCA-Victor 94BP-1. When I saw how nice this original set was and how reasonably priced it was (working w/battery pack), it was a no-brainer to get it. That great little dial with the blue-background, small "little nipper" knobs, and nice brass plaque is just enough to make it attractive.

Thanks for the reminder... I just hauled one of these down from a top shelf where it has been sitting as a static display for at least 20 years. It has a slightly different color scheme than yours, with a light olive green front and back, green dial background and cream colored “little nipper” knobs. I just replaced one tube and connected it to power supplies and it appears to work, but is fairly weak. Pix will follow after clean-up and re-cap.

IMHO, these battery only sets are usually quite inexpensive compared to AC radios from the 30s.

jr

[decojoe67]

Originally Posted by jr_tech

Thanks for the reminder... I just hauled one of these down from a top shelf where it has been sitting as a static display for at least 20 years. It has a slightly different color scheme than yours, with a light olive green front and back, green dial background and cream colored “little nipper” knobs. I just replaced one tube and connected it to power supplies and it appears to work, but is fairly weak. Pix will follow after clean-up and re-cap.

IMHO, these battery only sets are usually quite inexpensive compared to AC radios from the 30s.

jr

Cool! It's a nice robust set and a great performer once restored. My research on it has shown that it was available in a few different types of Tolex finishes, dial and knob colors.

[jr_tech]

Originally Posted by decojoe67

Cool! It's a nice robust set and a great performer once restored. My research on it has shown that it was available in a few different types of Tolex finishes, dial and knob colors.

Here is a quick shot of the color scheme on mine... I just ploped it down on an end table that is being prepaired for our tree. The Matchless “wonder stars” also date back to the 30s.



jr

[Electronic M]

Thanks.

I actually was a very responsible kid when it came to tube radios (Newer SS gear though I often bought just for the fun of dismantling)... I was probably around 4-6 when I got my first tube radio and most were kept well.

That Grundig was pristine except for the dial strings being off (I just set FM tuning cap to my favorite station and used the record changer)...When I was 12 years old and my family getting ready to move I brought it to a certain S&S Grundig shop in Chicago the changer on the unit was not secured and on the ride there it fell out and the pickup arm broke...The mean Germans that ran the place had the gall to blame ME for breaking the arm. A bit of a scene and argument broke out. After that, we took it to the shop of the fellow that got me started in radio repair. He discovered there was a damaged friction clutch mech on the tuning knob that the band switch actuated to operate the FM cap independent of the AM/SW cap. He was unsure if he could get the parts he needed, and while he was looking into it the console fell off a cart in his shop and the cabinet got ruined...After that, it got sold for parts. I really liked that console and was not happy at what became of it.

[decojoe67]

Originally Posted by Electronic M

Thanks.

I actually was a very responsible kid when it came to tube radios (Newer SS gear though I often bought just for the fun of dismantling)... I was probably around 4-6 when I got my first tube radio and most were kept well.

That Grundig was pristine except for the dial strings being off (I just set FM tuning cap to my favorite station and used the record changer)...When I was 12 years old and my family getting ready to move I brought it to a certain S&S Grundig shop in Chicago the changer on the unit was not secured and on the ride there it fell out and the pickup arm broke...The mean Germans that ran the place had the gall to blame ME for breaking the arm. A bit of a scene and argument broke out. After that, we took it to the shop of the fellow that got me started in radio repair. He discovered there was a damaged friction clutch mech on the tuning knob that the band switch actuated to operate the FM cap independent of the AM/SW cap. He was unsure if he could get the parts he needed, and while he was looking into it the console fell off a cart in his shop and the cabinet got ruined...After that, it got sold for parts. I really liked that console and was not happy at what became of it.

Sad about the Grundig. Even in my case, sets got ruined not from misuse, but mishaps. I learned as I got older how to leave well enough alone with these old sets in both tinkering and cleaning. Also, as I got better sets and spent more money on them, it gave me incentive to be extra delicate with them!

[vortalexfan]

In my experience those battery only radios or 3-way power radios like what is being discussed in this thread are NOT inexpensive the "cheapest" one I've seen so far was over $100 which isn't inexpensive, for me if its $50 or less that's what I consider inexpensive. So unfortunately I'm probably never going to own a battery only set, seeing as I don't ever spend more than $50 for anything like a vintage radio or stereo equipment.

[decojoe67]

Originally Posted by vortalexfan

In my experience those battery only radios or 3-way power radios like what is being discussed in this thread are NOT inexpensive the "cheapest" one I've seen so far was over $100 which isn't inexpensive, for me if its $50 or less that's what I consider inexpensive. So unfortunately I'm probably never going to own a battery only set, seeing as I don't ever spend more than $50 for anything like a vintage radio or stereo equipment.

I'm saying these are inexpensive in relation to the average price mid-level antique radios go for these days. In that light I feel I'm fair in what I said. I got my first example this year, the '40 Firestone, for $55, and it's in exceptional condition. If you keep an eye open for them, I'm sure you can find one within your range. To call these anything near expensive radios would be incorrect.