FIXING & RESTORING a Stunning ROBERTS RFM3 Radio
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
- Here we have a truly stunning radio made by Roberts here in the UK. This one was purchased faulty on eBay. Can it be fixed and restored to it's former beauty.
If you have already seen the first episode of 'The TH-cam Fixers' then you will have already seen a edited down version of this, hence the reason I have not pushed this video to my subscribers.
Roberts is a UK company founded in the 1930s, and still going strong today. If you want to check out some of their recent products then here is an Amazon Affiliate link for the UK:
amzn.to/2SsOQZV
If you would like to support these videos, please click here / mymatevince
Remember that this is just for entertainment and I am not an expert in these repairs. The processes in the video may not be the best way, the correct way or the safest way to fix these things. I do love fault finding and trying to fix broken things, so I hope that comes across in this 'Trying to FIX' series. Many thanks, Vince.
Spoiler Saver & Riddle
Divide 110 into 2 parts so that 1 number is 150% of the other number. What are the 2 numbers?
For example 40 and 70 make 110... BUT it is incorrect because 70 is 175% of 40.
44 and 66?
66 & 44: 44 x 1.5 = 66+44=110
LOVE THIS - My Grandad would only buy Roberts Radios. He had one that looked very similar to this - I spent many hours playing with it. I loved the click on the buttons, I'm surprised I didn't break them with the amount of clicking I did! He died about 30 years ago so this has made me very, very happy.
As someone who has a bit of a thing for Roberts Radios, this makes me very happy. Thank you. 😁😍
Lovely radio. Deja vu. It took me a while to realise this was excerpted in TH-cam Fixer s1 e1.
Aah that's why I thought I had see this before😂 Thank you!
That was freaking me right out…. 🙈 😂 Just woke up from a nap and saw this. Thought I was loosing my marbles 🤦🏼♂️🤪😁
Ahhh i thought so
@@paulscarth me too
There's just something wonderful about a well assembled radio. I know it's esoteric technology, but how lovely the finished product. Even with all the B&O products you've restored, this is wonderful.
I do a lot of cleaning and repairing old tech like this, and here's a good tip. What would help you a lot on the cleaning side is to put some IPA in a small spray bottle. Just mist the parts you need cleaned and then wipe them with cleaning wipes. The spray bottles I've found to be perfect are 3.O FL OZ/89 ml GARNIER Fructis hair care products. The atomizers spray the perfect amount of IPA. I'm sure many other bottles would work though. 🙂
Oh I meant to put this as well. When it comes to repairing think chrome stripes, the Molotow Liquid Chrome markers and FLOWMASTER Mirror finish markers are amazing!
Thank you for the tip Micah, just Googled the Liquid Chrome markers and they look very nice 👍👍👍
@@Mymatevince no problem at all. The markers work great if you put it on with smooth clean strokes. It really turns out looking like chrome.
I had a big deja vu I thought I saw this before and Samuel Fielder's comment reminded me it was features at the first youtube fixer's video. What a nice fix and clean.
I love restoration projects you take on. Not only the repairs.
In case you didn't know, the antenna can be stored inside the case. Turn it straight up, then push it all the way down inside itself so it's of the way of the carry handle.
Bloody splendid! When I compare this (even in its dirty form) to the Chinese cheap junk we get these days, I smile at the time when people really built quality products with pride! The materials and construction is truly first rate. Great job and video!
Hi Vince. Loved the video. I went to a carboot yesterday and found a Roberts R606-MB which seems to be the bigger brother to yours. I did buy it as the seller only wanted £5 for it. My one has treble and bass controls on it and seems to be a little bigger than the one in your video. All it needed was a good clean and the volume control cleaning. I am listening to it as I write this comment. Roberts certainly do make good quality radios.
Lovely to see these sets getting restored. I’ve been watching a load of Robert’s restoration videos on Radiocrunchers channel.
Vince the aerial on the Roberts radio pushes right down into the radio only the round top showing give it a good push
Oh yes it does!!!! I missed that. Thank you Michael 👍👍👍
Try Servisol Switch cleaner (Super 10) instead of deoxit. It's been my switch cleaner of choice for 30 years. A quick spray and your switch is not only clean but it is lubricated as well. I also use a foam cleaner with a toothbrush for hard (non porous) surfaces. Especially good at moving nicotine staining. Love your enthusiasm throughout your videos.
Thank you Gordon, just bought 200ml of the Super 10 from Amazon for £6.49. I do love DeoxIT but this really needed an aerosol to get right into the switch, and the DeoxIT aerosol is very expensive. Cheers 👍👍👍👍
@@Mymatevince be very careful with 'super 10' i've had it destroy several potentiometers, it can cause some plastics to 'crack up' , these pots had soft black plastic rotors, and they broke their wiper fixings a short while after treatment,, older type pots with grey or white nylon rotors seem ok, try electrolube EML , its 'supposedly' more 'plastic compatible' , but rather pricey, the EML is also leaves a lubricating residue behind, which is useful in some cases,
Great video Vince. I love restoring vintage radios and cassette recorders. Well done. Kind regards. Paul.
This was more like a trying to restore video, but I didn't mind at all. It was just as relaxing as usual. Much thumbs up.
The build quality on both this and the previous Roberts radio is something to be admired.
Loving these radio videos, even though i don't own a single radio lol.
I have the same model and after watching this I gave the lovely thing a good cleaning too. They are very fine pieces with lovely sound.
CONGRATULATIONS on the restoration. Very good video! I lived in the UK for five years. I bought a Roberts radio model R 24 for restoration from London U.K. I'm looking forward to starting the restoration and I also saved other models from the outdoor market Thanks for this video
That cleaned up real nice. I'm not convinced on the aesthetic, but you really brought said aesthetic out.
It's a miracle that the antenna isn't broken. Beautiful unit, I bet that cost a pretty penny sitting on the store shelf in its heyday. Refinish the wood, a good cleaning and it will be brilliant.
Fantastic job! Loved the restoration!
Amazing, brilliant, what a fix Vince...superb..!!
Great fix and clean up vince , looks like really good quality,built to last , not like alot of today's throw away electronics
Mineral oil would be a good option for restoring the wood side. Very nice radio, well worth the time and effort to save it. Thumbs up.
Also, one more thing. Our mate Vince seems to have exceptional taste in music. Ever thinking of producing some music track videos for us? "The best of our (my) mate Vince!"
Another really nice vintage radio Vince.
Wow! A great eye for the aesthetic.
Genuine authentic Old English Vinyl - from the days when our vinyl was THE deluxe vinyl
The case comes up beautiful. Rare to get one with a good aerial (although you had to straighten it a little). The main I.C. TDA1220B doesn't seem to be available in small quantities from reputable suppliers anymore but they seem to be available on the bidding sites etc. Although these could be fake. Great job.
Fantastic! These have always been great radios (The Queen agreed!) and even with its wood and vinyl/leather they don't look dated but have a retro appeal regardless. I think they do have the kite mark so rightly have earned a place in the Design Museum along with the Mini and much more!
Stunning , pure class mate 🍷
Midsommarhälsningar till Stockholm från Stig Österberg i Dalsbruk, Finland.
Great little video. A very satisfying watch. Great job.
Excellent job, looks great!
If it develops issues pulling in stations, it would be worth replacing the electrolytic caps. I've just brought an RFM3 back to life, all the electrolytics were way off value, and one was even completely open.
A RPi would fit in the space in it (it needs a little clever work, but it should be doable). I am now thinking about looking up online small radios like this one so I can put a RPi in it 😁 I have plenty of small RPi like SBCs that could benefit from a DIY project like this.
Next on Trying to Fix, the sugar soap dispenser!
Really nice.You realise that the antenna should be able to disappear completely into its holder leaving just the top exposed? So much neater than having half of it lying out like that.Lovely jubbly.
Nice work.
Nice trick you can use vince I have seen matchbox model restorers dab some of that pen onto a lid say and then apply it with a thin craft brush
Good tip, thanks Tim 👍
It’s been a kitchen radio for a long time somewhere with no cooker hood. Grease, steam, dirty hands etc.
Try your hand at a garrard sp25 record player. Love to see that
9v mains adaptor with centre negative is standard for guitar pedals... I guessed that the break springs on the 9v socket would be the culprit...
not a lot to fix but nice refurb job looks great
I love your video keep it up
10:45 Ant walking on top.
For the hot glue, maybe you just had a defective hot glue gun? I have a very cheap one that cost around $10 and it comes up to temperature in around a minute, about as long as for my hot air station to heat up, and our mains voltage is only half of yours. It allows you to be much more precise and the the flow is much more consistent than just rubbing a melted stick on things. Maybe you could buy a new but defective high quality one and make a video about repairing it!
Very handsome design! turned out very nice. One bit of pick though, couldn't you mask off the letters in the logo and use that pen to fill in the missing silver on the "R" and under the ROBERTS on that raised line? Also looks like it could use just the tiniest bit of black there on the left and right. Otherwise "simply brilliant"! although I was cringing as you took it apart. It seemed like you were going to break something at every step!
Makes for a very entertaining video for sure!!!
Thanks Nicholas, it is hard to see in the video but the Roberts logo is under approx. 1mm of clear plastic. If I painted it on top of this clear plastic, it might look strange when viewing from an angle 👍
LOVE IT
Wonder where they make the new Roberts radios today? such great designs
China!
The company itself is still in the UK but like Paul C said, I'm sure China will be where they are made 👍
Hi Vince. Do you have an ultra-sonic cleaning bath for circuit boards".
"Top Shelf" !
Do you still have radio stations broadcasting on AM/MW in the UK, I understand AM radio no longer exists in Europe. We still do use AM radio in Australia.
Radio 5 and Virgin 1215 are still broadcasting on AM in the UK.
Vince if you push
the antenna it'll disappear into the radio body
Had an older model that took 2 6v lantern batteries.
Nice
Wow.
Perhaps get yourself a Hacker portable record player something like a 'Cavalier' or 'Gondolier'. Lovely quality & something a bit different to work on. Being a child of the 1960's I grew up with tape players, valve radios, Record players etc & now have a laugh when people encounter these things for the first time as to me they are so commonplace. Keep up the great work Vince. I love your channel.
the gondoliers are very good, push pull ecl86 valves
Why not start with a good general cleaning to work in better conditions and see better, even if the device will not be fixable? Detailed cleaning later.
how many radio`s do u have after all these videos
Why is deoxit so expensive?
Nice last name
Beautiful
show us it working
Rest in Peace Queen Elizabeth II from United States of America.
watch your tag vince
Erm they supply prisons 😆
Is this a re-upload?
Must be as already saw it edit: already shown on the TH-cam fixers video a week ago, pretty crap showing the same repair twice, if this is the future of the channel showing repeats then Vince doesn’t deserve views !!
@@CARLOS68 it's Vince's channel he can upload what he wants don't get me wrong I enjoy the TH-cam fixers series but personally I'm glad he uploaded this separately for one this isn't as edited as what was showcased in youtube fixers secondly if someone has a radio like this, then this video could assist them in their repair but no one would know that this radio was showcased in TH-cam fixers without watching this video makes it easier to find as it directly tells you what is being fixed.
Edit- not to mention some may not even watch TH-cam fixers so those people would never see this repair, Vince uploading it as a standalone allows those to watch it if they don't care for TH-cam fixers.
I don't know if i'm the only person but there's something really satisfying about seeing things like this radio getting cleaned and seeing how nice they look after. Another great job Vince and another thumbs up from me.
Soooo satisfying, Vince! That thing looks like it just came out of the factory. Excellent job! 👍
Say hello to Dave from me 👋🏻
best thing for the wood ends is teak oil, not varnish, pretty sure thats what was used in the factory, i've had those type switches give trouble a lot, they're not really designed for power switching, only signals, especially dc, if theres a capacitor one or both sides, they spark and damage themselves, you can sometimes remove the sliders to clean the contacts, from the rear end, sometimes the front, depending on the manufacturer, if you take the knob, spring and latch mechanism off, if it gives trouble again, you may need a new switch, may find them on ebay,, if not i may be able to supply one, maplin used to have 'similar' ones, very likely compatible, i bought a load before they went bust
Good job. I used to work for a Roberts dealer, and the only time these ever came into the workshop was due to the switch bank failing. Affected most models and was at one time available as a service item. It was probably the only weak point on these sets, that and the battery connector. They always had a lovely rich tone
Honestly it is so relaxing watching you fix things and clean them.
I liked this - and well done. I fix Roberts radios all day, every day. You did well diagnosing the dicky switch, and were quite fortunate that it was only that (and a blummin deep clean!) that was wrong with it.
If you need any of my tips or tricks with old-school Roberts radios, take a look at my channel. Plenty of older models on there. Not a shameful plug!.
You're right about the quality - they don't make it any more! Modern Roberts aren't a patch on their yesteryear sets.
Al lthe cleaning you do on stuff, you should change the name of the chanel to Mrs Mopp staring My Mate Vince. lol
Roberts radio's have great sound from them. The new Roberts radios have the positive centre pin now. Roberts done the negative centre pin to be different. :)
If you plan on continuing TH-cam Fixers for more than one season then might I suggest doing different types of objects in the different seasons? Ex: doing electrical devices or consoles in one season or clocks/watches in another. It could be as specific or general as you wanted I just think it could be I interesting. Great video, really enjoyed!
Real nice restoration on this one Vince, i appreciate the amount of time and editing you put into this video and the outcome is absolute quality. I do wonder what type of search filters you have active to find this retro hardware ... anyway more of these restoration videos for sure ! Thumbs up !
The piece of plastic at 28:00 could of been painted with matching spray paint to go over the staining
Great restauration on this one! I don't know why, but I love these radios from the 70s or 80s. Maybe because their PCBs are somehow easy to trace compared to PCBs nowadays, and most of the time, you can even find schematics for them. I have a Loewe Opta r115 52246 from the 70s standing on my shelf, restored it (a bit) and really, really like it.
That is so lovely, I'm glad you made a full video for it too. I think the right switch dial is a bit off though, might just not be on right. But yeah, really nice job.
The push buttons you cleaned while mounted comes off if you pull, easier to clean then. The laquer you used could be switched out with teak oil, a matter of taste i guess. Otherwise good restoraion. i have restored quite a few vintage radios and tv's earlier, satisfying, isn't it ? Keep up the good work.
Love the videos and dont mean to step on toes, but 98% of all our electronix repairs are non disassembly. We flood the m with crc contact cleaner and alls good. hope this helps.
Thanks for your video Vince. Excellent work. What did you do about the battery power? I see these old radios use a superseded battery? I was going to convert to 9v?
Well done Vince! Your meticulous work pays off well.
I never thought a hole lot of the brand name to remember. But had one the same color and everything I got for my 12th birthday. I had it up until I was 17 and have no memory about what happened to it.
Have you tried to push that aerial all the way down?
Very nice job btw, we had a much older Roberts radio way back, the tone of it was just lovely
It's such a shame things are not made this way anymore.. I would pay more for proper quality items.
Wow I've loved this video Vince, what an amazing job you've done from it looking grubby to it looking perfect. Beautiful.
They always had really good speaker sound. Deep and not tinny.
Well done. So nice to see an old radio back to life.
Was originally a little disappointed I'd already seen this fix, but I did end up watching it again and with this longer version I can really see how much effort cleaning that up must have been.
Lovely wee radio and looks class at the end. Wilkos sell the ronseal ultra tough polyeurethene varnish, its the spirit based one and in my opinion its a lot better than the water based one, it doesn't raise the woodgrain and goes on flatter.
The smegma on the buttons was nasty.looks great now good job Vince
Epic grime removal there Vince. But what a lovely device - you've definitely done it justice with this restoration. I'm still constantly amazed at the level of dirt I find in these old audio devices - the cleaning always takes 5 times as long as the fix. :)
Absolutely lovely. Can say I thoroughly enjoyed this one, less for the technical issues, more for the style and restoration. That is a beautiful piece.
It is the first time I have seen that battery type
A fabulous repair, loved watching this. I love old radios like this and you done a brilliant job.
Quick answer to the leather question: It's a synthetic leather than was produced back in Sheffield in the 1920's called "Rexine". It was originally used in cars, but Roberts got a super special deal with Rexine's parent company to use it on their radios in the 60's. They actually someone take imprints of real leather and sort of mold it onto the vinyl. Just hope it clears things up :D
They should/could have been using offcuts.
Why do i have the feeling i have seen this TH-cam video before on a earlier date ?
VINCE.... I have the Bell 🔔 but I DIDN'T get a Notification!
Thanks for letting me know. This time I didn't actually push this one out to subscribers, as it is just the longer version of the same video that was in the first episode of 'The TH-cam Fixers' 👍👍