BBC TV: The Repair Shop

[Dave Moll]

Originally Posted by PaulR

If they replaced the radio and turntable what was actually left of the old radiogram... ?

Just the cabinet as far as I could see. One of the worst electrical "repairs" so far - and these have generally been much less satisfactory than the other restorations anyway.

[PaulR]

Generally they try to retain as much originality as possible so it is odd that they whipped out the radio. I suppose that someone soldering new components or testing voltages is not as televisual as someone carving a new section of a piece of furniture or restoring a painting so maybe it wasn't considered appropriate to repair the radio.

[Beobloke]

Originally Posted by Phil G4SPZ

Yes, Mark Stuckey has gone down somewhat in my estimation after that one.

I watched the episode on line and it included the muffled demo. Perhaps that got edited out of shorter airings.

Hang on, have there been two radiogram repairs? The one I'm thinking of, along with the barber pole turntable motor, was done by Tim Weeks. Certainly he is the chap I was referring to when I said he should be kept away from electricity.

Mark Stuckey always seems to do an excellent job.

[David Simpson]

Trouble is - TV watching "Jo Public" ( or to keep things pc - Joanna Public) sees these mammery appendages fannying about with old radios - and gets stuck with the impression that all the vintage radio fraternity behaves the same. I.e. we get tarred with the same brush !
The whole "Repair Shop" set-up is as truely factual as "Gold Divers". I spent a number of years as a commercial diver, and reckon both "Shows" are a load of twonk, reality-wise.

Regards, David

[G6Tanuki]

In these things, I always tend to think "what did the thing's owner say he/she wanted it to do after the repair?" - in which case 'taking the guts out and replacing them with something more modern' could be a totally-rational path to follow if the requirement was to reliably play music streamed from something-21st-century while not risking burning the house down if you forget to switch it off when you go out for the day.

[Davewantsone]

Originally Posted by Dave Moll

Just the cabinet as far as I could see. One of the worst electrical "repairs" so far - and these have generally been much less satisfactory than the other restorations anyway.

They also used the loudspeakers. The donor radiogram looked in very good condition before stripping down. I disagree with you saying this was a worst electrial repair. It was not a repair at all just a replacement exercise! I do not think the guy who mends the clocks would ever do anything like swapping the innards!

[Dave Moll]

Originally Posted by Davewantsone

They also used the loudspeakers.

These were from the donor. The original had one missing and one damaged.

Originally Posted by Davewantsone

I disagree with you saying this was a worst electrial repair. It was not a repair at all just a replacement exercise!

That is precisely why I put "repair" in inverted commas - because it was merely claimed as a repair.

[slidertogrid]

What an awful thing to do! They just scrapped a (presumably) working radiogram and built the parts into the owners case! Why not repair the original chassis ? As others have said I can understand why the deck needed to be changed and the damaged speaker if it was unrepairable but to change the radio chassis for one that wasn't even the same model...
What they have ended up with is a complete bodge and have destroyed the original "donor" in the progress... At least they used the same make to use for parts so maybe the speakers and deck are possibly the correct type..

I once went a long way to buy a vintage TV set which had been restored by its owner, when I got there I found the "restoration" consisted of a different chassis from another set had been fitted,different make, wrong tube.
I asked if the chap had the original parts as I would have put it back to original but he told me that he had "chucked them" as they were no good...
He still had the cabinet from the donor set though! Which had been a nice vintage set in it's own right!

I wonder what the repair shop did with the original chassis ? Did the owner notice the refurbishment now meant that the set had slider controls?
Oh and sounded dreadful..?
They may as well have just ripped the guts out and made it into a box to house a Crossley crap-o-gram.
I do doubt how expert some of these people are the restored cylinder player sounded terrible, they couldn't fix that jukebox, The GEC radiogram was a bit of a shambles.. I do like the "bear ladies" though.

[David Simpson]

At one end of the professional spectrum they choose highly experienced folk like tho horologist & his sister. Also the art restorer & the two fabric wifies. At the other end is the presenter who ponces about in his pristine leather apron, then the "radio mannies". Why oh why didn't the producers approach the BVWS commitee & ask them to recommend someone ?

Regards, David

[Radio Wrangler]

They might have been picked for presentational reasons, or maybe a friend of the producer's second cousin.

Imagine if they's had Gerry Wells.

David

[60 oldjohn]

Did I imagine this? To remove the deck he appeared to screw the deck transit screws out, until the end clips broke. There was someone admitting to doing this a month or two ago on this forum. Also was "new" deck held in with a Pozidrive screw through deck?, I could not be sure on this one. I generally enjoy the program but was cringing with this item.

John.

[CambridgeWorks]

I gave up part way through. It was seeing the Grundig on screen made me start watching as I can't stand this put on show normally. Some people seem to be craftsmen though, some outright bodgers. Just have to remember it is for entertaining the masses and not really for knowledgeable enthusiasts. Accuracy and true craftsmanship is in the minority. It is not restoration like a lot of forum members on here would recognise.
Typical BBC entertainment output these days at minimal cost.
Rob

[PaulR]

Originally Posted by Davewantsone

I do not think the guy who mends the clocks would ever do anything like swapping the innards!

Well, actually he did. At the owner's request he replaced a Smith's mains electric movement with a battery quartz one. He didn't seem too happy about it though. Arguably not as bad as replacing a fully mechanical movement I suppose.

[Superscope]

The Repair shop is one of my favorite programs on TV.
Probably my Favorite, full stop.
At least at the moment.

The skills of Steve and Suzie Fletcher, Brenton West
and William Kirk especially, are a Joy to behold as they say.
These are really very talented people.

I can't help but notice though, on the latest series, they
seem to spend less time on the actual craftmanship.
Almost rushing through the restorations, which I'm sure
didn't happen in the previous series!


I have had the pleasure, to actually meet Amanda Middleditch
and Julie Tatchell personally.
These are two fantastic Ladies.
Very down to Earth, very friendly and very happy to talk about
the subject.


Ian

[stevehertz]

Originally Posted by Radio Wrangler

They might have been picked for presentational reasons, or maybe a friend of the producer's second cousin.

Imagine if they's had Gerry Wells.

David

Gerry was a one off, an enigma. He was capable of the most serious of restorations but was not above 'fixing' a set by correcting an incorrect voltage on a valve by hooking it up to HT via a suitable resistor. I've seen him do it. But yes, he would have been the ideal Repair Shop man to fix radios and the like; affable, knowledgeable, talkative, photogenic, sense of humour..

[Superscope]

I forgot to say, that the Radiogram was not their finest moment!

Lets get another Radiogram in fairly good shape, and rip everything
out to repair another.

Very disapointing, but at least the owner was happy, which I guess
has to be remembered.

Ian

[stevehertz]

Originally Posted by robinshack

I gave up part way through. It was seeing the Grundig on screen made me start watching as I can't stand this put on show normally. Some people seem to be craftsmen though, some outright bodgers. Just have to remember it is for entertaining the masses and not really for knowledgeable enthusiasts. Accuracy and true craftsmanship is in the minority. It is not restoration like a lot of forum members on here would recognise.
Typical BBC entertainment output these days at minimal cost.
Rob

Oh I don't know, from what I can see most of the restorations are done to a very high, professional standard that any keen hobbyist would be proud of or even incapable of. Sadly, it's only the radio restorations that are bodged, plus some other odd electro mechanical ones.

It's entertainment, not educational as such. I love it, much better than the usual reality drivel that we're force fed.

[Electronpusher0]

Originally Posted by Superscope

I forgot to say, that the Radiogram was not their finest moment!

Lets get another Radiogram in fairly good shape, and rip everything
out to repair another.

Very disapointing, but at least the owner was happy, which I guess
has to be remembered.

Ian

But was she? she looked rather underwhelmed to me, probably with the awful sound it made.

Peter

[PaulR]

I have to agree with Steve. The standard of craftsmanship is usually very high with a lot of work done behind the scenes. I enjoy the programme to see professional restorers doing a very good job. It would be very nice just to send something off to be soda blasted, re-chromed or a bespoke piece of glass cut without thinking about the cost though.

[Michael.N.]

I haven't seen many episodes, just a few. I hardly watch TV but I like seeing the restorations. It is TV land though. Most of those restorations would cost a small fortune in the real world. They emphasis is on the history and the story behind the object. Quite right too. Nice to see the skills that the restorers have.