Scratch Build – In Progress Valve Radio Conversion: Thermionic Logic - 26/01/14

Personally, I´d go for perforated pegboard panel, wooden that is. Like old radios & televisions have. But if that´s too heat isolating, I´d paint that steel mesh in darker brown or black. To have a big panel like that in brass mesh is too much IMO, a bit overkill

 

Have the original back panel somewhere, will hunt it out and see what you guys think.

 

Ok, this is the original back panel. My reason for not using it was that I didn't know how its rigidity would hold up after I cut the fan and PSU holes. Could make up an aluminium frame for it I suppose.

 

Ok, no pics this time but have a couple of quick updates for you.

1. Got everything connected up, including the valve heaters and everything seems to be working properly.

2. Nutman's constructive criticism has been niggling away at me so I have decided to try and remake the internal compartment out of hardwood.

 

I PLANT SEEDS! ......

I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT!



(bonus rep for the one guessing the TV show where that (rather inaccurate) quote came from)

 

Also subbed! Because you are also an old radio lover.

 

Should have some updates shortly. Just trying to build the hardwood internal compartment at the moment. HDD mounting system is still giving me a hard time though. Can't figure how best to make it so that I don't have to dismantle the whole interior any time I want to change a drive.

 

Ok, finally some progress. A combination of lack of motivation, good weather and other projects has made this update long overdue but here we go! As I mentioned before, I decided to scrap the MDF internal box in favour of a hardwood job so after a visit to the local window and door fabricator I brought home some nice sapele boards and set to work (somewhat tentatively!).

Still have to cut the cable management slots in the back but internal box is pretty much completed. Wood has only been oiled, no stain was applied.




Had to glue together narrower boards to make the back panel but turned out ok. Can see the glue on the back here but inside its pretty much invisible.




Drive bay looks much nicer in hardwood.




Sandwiched the mounting plate between two boards to hide the ugly bits but still think I'll need to add an edging piece to this to make it look decent.



Will get the cable management holes cut next week then start mounting everything inside.

 

That looks miles better! I love the drive bay!

 

Yeah definitely looks better, it makes a huge difference

 

Hardwood Cheesecake. Nice progress.

 

Good matching hardwood & nicely done.

 

Looking absolutely great

 

Thanks for the positive comments. Haven't had a chance to get out to the shed this week but will get those holes cut over the next few days.

 

I too have to say that the remade interior looks much better. There's nothing like hardwood.

 

Right, time to stop being lazy and get back on with the project. Summer combined with a little disillusionment has sidelined my build for too long but I need to reclaim my shed so better get moving and finish this thing up!!

Got some brass screw in fixings to allow me to mount the internal compartment into the radio exterior. Added some green felt to prevent scratching as the pieces slide against one another and to reduce noise once the thing is up and running.




One of the things I have been unsure about is the base section. Needs to give enough clearance to allow for all the necessary connectors without looking too conspicuous. Have made a hardwood base section to which I am hoping to attach black acrylic. Base section sits in recesses in the bottom of the inner compartment.






I think the base looks too high but will need to install motherboard and graphics card to check clearances before I modify it.






Also plan to add an I/O panel to one of the sides of the base for ease of use when connecting external USB devices.

Hopefully the next updates won't take so long!

 

That last shot looks good. Everything seems so well-integrated.
Remind me again: what is that we see in the top of the case?

 

Thanks Nutman. That's the original tuning dial that you can see at the top of the case. If funds weren't an issue it would have been fun to convert it into a res for a WC setup. Will add that to the 10 year plan!!

 

Looking good Boorach.

 

Yup agree, Good to see this project up and running again