Vintage Wi-Fi Internet Radio

An vintage radio turned into a modern Internet Wi-Fi radio

Step 1 Find a Vintage Radio

I found a local vintage radio dealer in town. He's a real purist and is only interested in preserving radios with the original electronics so he really didn't have any interest in helping me out. It took awhile, but he sold me this empty box for $30.

Comments

[hhamilton2]

Want!!!!!

[jackfaciale]

nice !

[fender-electric-guitar]

wow that radio guy charged you alot you can buy a working tube radio for $20

[thewizard42]

Where might i ask? You can barely get tubes for less than ten

[fender-electric-guitar]

yea now you usally have to buy tubes from an independant seller or ebay both are 50% chance for working

[woutervddn]

I really like this. My gf and I bought an 1958 brAun radio. She allready had the same radio, so now we're going to restaurate it. I'll be doing this with the other one. But I'm gonna try to make my own internet radio cause those things are WAY over priced..

[tinkernaut]

Very nice!!! Too bad you had to destroy this beautiful radio dial. I would have kept the dial intact and somehow mounted the controls and display elsewhere (though, pretty hard on the case you used). Alternatively, you could mount pushbutton switches in drilled holes on the case, wired them to replace the control switches on the board, and then, for the display, cut a window on the radio dial plate closer to the center, thus not obliterating the frequency markings. Much more work, but it would look better. Still great work, from a long-time electronics re-caser.

[alinke]

thanks for the tip but I bought the radio case bare so it didn't have any existing dials or buttons

[static]

LOL you did such a good job of making the face of the new radio look old you have some freaking out about what you did with an old radio dial. As I take it the only old about the dial is the red pointer center and associated pointers.

[Golem100]

Great job, both on the radio and the instructable.  Like tinkernaut though, I was pained by what was done to the old dial.

I have an idea for a similar project, but I want to hide an MP3 player inside that will constantly cycle through as many old time radio programs as can be packed into it.  Then, when someone turns it on, it will sound like it's picking up broadcasts from the time when the radio was made.

[msspurlock]

So where do you get one of these cabinets without paying an arm and a leg?

[Golem100]

Try flea markets.  I found a Philco 46-350 (http://www.tuberadioland.com/philco46-350_portable.html) for $25.  It has all the original works and an unbroken leather strap.  It is missing the battery though.

[tinkernaut]

Try ebay. You can bid on radios with OK cases, but bad innards --- missing tubes, frayed wiring, blown caps. Price should be cheaper due to the extensive restoration work needed for those radios. If you don't mind plastic cases of recent-vintage radios, you can have them for a song. (I just added a bunch of competitor bidders for myself ;-)

[ja1169]

i did something similar but much cheaper.  if you like the vintage look: buy a set of cheap computer speakers (with wall outlet plug in and a 3.5mm input jack).  Place speakers in old stereo casing that has been gutted.  Run 3.5mm cord outside the box.  Plug in Ipod and play.  Same look at about 10% the priceof this one.

[Wittner]

Why is this project called 'Vintage Internet Radio'. It's actually just take a new radio, take the case off and put it into an old case! Weird!

[megg]

this is great! anyone have any tips on how to do this without buying the wifi radio, though? an arduino shield, perhaps?

[andersad]

You might be able to make and amplifier out of that vacuum tube to drive the speakers; however, with only one, it would be mono instead of stereo. The speakers are right next to each other and you may not notice.

[guitarman63mm]

Beautiful cabinet you've got it in.

[DiGiTALMADDOG]

man i was on the verge of doing this same thing i have a console radio i am working on --- in the process of refinishing the wood and searching for the right wifi radio that will fit glad there is someone out there that has done this -- i;ve got to get off my butt and finish this project!!!!! kudos and nice project!!! DM

[tinkernaut]

I hope that we will see an instructable on your project also.

[frank26080115]

I didn't even know such a radio existed Thanks, looks pretty cool

[Hugo.B]

I like it, I currently have a project to to install a computer in an old radio.

H.B.