Hobson's Choice.

[Heatercathodeshort]

I have a dilemma.
I have two projects that you may or may not find interesting. The first is a detailed procedure for polishing the knobs on the Bush TV20/30 range of television receivers. [It's surprising how you can make a 3 hour video interesting]

The second is the repair and restoration of a 1949 9" McMichael console model T909 of unusual construction and some odd circuitry. It is a Sutton Coldfield [Channel 4] model of which I am still fanning from the workshop, the the putrid smoke and scraping the exploded innards from the walls and ceiling of the main electrolytic. Great fun and it certainly woke the birdies up in this now completely silent part of the UK.

I know I am on a looser here as you will choose the knob polishing informative but I'll leave it to you.

Please note, No DAC90 or TV22 receivers were sacrificed or tortured for this educational video.

I'll give it a few days as the decision is a difficult one to decide upon but I'm sure you will make the right decision...Byeeee. John.

[Davewantsone]

Did you video the big bang?
You could make the polishing of the TV22, DAC90 knobs into a Interval film like the BBC had in the 1950s It would be like "The Potters Wheel".

[Heatercathodeshort]

I would be taken away by the men in white coats within an hour of the release...J.

[peter_scott]

My vote is with McMichael rather than some unmentionable procedure on a Bush.

Peter

[Duke_Nukem]

Well, I vote TV22 control knob polishing, after all there's an overall average of two TV12/12AM/22's per collector (with one of our more northern members secretly hoarding an entire biffa bin full of 'em) so it will be far more relevant and, lets face it, way more interesting, educational and practical than most of what is currently on Freeview.

I mean, McMichael 909, who has ever seen one of those ? I sure haven't. Why would anyone have purchased one in the first place, I mean they buy a console and go for a weenie 9" screen, why didn't they just get a TV12 and save a few bob? No, put the 909 to the only use it is good for - storing your pile of Molloy and Hawkers - and break out the T-cut and the polishing paste number 5 and start getting some exercise.

TTFN,
Jon

[Radio Wrangler]

Originally Posted by Duke_Nukem

and break out the T-cut and the polishing paste number 5 and start getting some exercise.

I've just watched a couple of videos by an aussie drain-unblocking operative. Must be getting desperately bored. Watching TV knobs being polished may be nicer.

David

[Heatercathodeshort]

Now you of all people Jon!
Knob polishing is the sort of task you are given when your time comes to enter 'The Victorian Home for Faded Television Engineers'.
They give you a massive box of mouldy knobs. You have to sort and clean them then finally polish them with a toothbrush and 'T' cut.
When the box is empty, they bring you another, and so it goes on. John.
PS Don't forget that north of Watford, television repair guys were scared of big tubes. 9" was all they dare handle so that might explain the tiny screen. Just a thought.

[chriswood1900]

Perhaps you could expand it into how to automate and speed up the task of cleaning and polishing knobs so it could be a new industry as we come out of recession.

[simpsons]

This is a no brainer for me. It must be the T909. Why

Simple, it has 4 knobs which will require cleaning whilst the Bush has only 2.

This means that you will need to take twice as long in explaining in detail how the knobs were removed, what lettering is engraved to identify its function, how you picked out the lettering and so on and so on.

This will allow you to write at least a two part article for the Bulletin. Starting with the knobs and as a cliff hanger, stopping there and in the next saying how you managed to get the set up and running again, maybe spreading the detail to even more articles complete, of course, with plenty of pictures.

For me, this would be very rewarding as my skills for double superhet sound receivers and voltage doubler EHT with or without regulation is limited to.....nothing.

As for polishing knobs, I'll leave the school boy jokes to someone else.

Chris

[Heatercathodeshort]

Lovely Chris! We are all schoolboys on this Forum!

[Radio Wrangler]

I'm just thinking of the mischief the polishing would cause with various search engines.

Mental age six-and-two-thirds!

David

[Lloyd 1985]

Definitely vote for the knob polishing! You could make it really interesting by trying different power tools, such as an angle grinder, the title could be something like ‘how to polish your dirty (TV) knob in under 30 seconds’!

And who said there are only 2 knobs on the TV22?! Don’t forget all those little ones round the back!

Regards
Lloyd

[McMurdo]

I've just watched a couple of videos by an aussie drain-unblocking operative

Crickey, I watch him as well, the guy with the petrol compressor in the back of his Ute!?

HKS can rest assured that any addition to his youtube resumé would be eagerly awaited no matter how banal.

[Tazman1966]

Hello John. Whatever you choose to video, it will be interesting to watch, I'm sure.

[matspar]

Have to say, the prospect of watching a 1949 McMichael T909 being awoken is an exciting one. Perhaps a knob polishing interlude could feature at some point in the proceedings, just in the interest of variety.
A schoolboy exploding electrolytic video compilation would also get my vote. In best Whack-O style of course!

[Heatercathodeshort]

Neither will be a video! I think it may be the restoration write up of the amazing McMichael T909. It's a quirky receiver with odd valves and massive construction.
The TV22 Bakelite controls may appear as a slide show sometime in the future if I continue to have time on my hands that is. I must think up a story line to go with it. John.

[FERNSEH]

Quote HKS: "The second is the repair and restoration of a 1949 9" McMichael console model T909 of unusual construction and some odd circuitry. It is a Sutton Coldfield [Channel 4] model of which I am still fanning from the workshop, the putrid smoke and scraping the exploded innards from the walls and ceiling of the main electrolytic. Great fun and it certainly woke the birdies up in this now completely silent part of the UK.:"

Hi John.
It's got to be the McMichael T909. I've never seen one but I believe this is the receiver that employs a double-superhet sound receiver. There was also a version which has broadcast radio facilities. These receivers were a magnificent piece of over-engineered excellence.

DFWB.

[mark pirate]

Another vote for the McMichael 909, Having had an electrolitic blowing up spectacularly (the contents narrowly missed my face) I am keen to hear the tale.....

Mark

[McMurdo]

Neither will be a video

boo! I suppose getting tapes for the old betamovie must be difficult these days

[Heatercathodeshort]

It's even harder to get super 8mm sound film.