<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/kb1awv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/050512_1557_Westinghous1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
One radio made me particularly sad. I purchased it several years ago from a fellow collector who lived in the suburbs of Boston. It was in his basement. The radio is a 1931 Westinghouse model WR-8, also known as the Columaire. Upon first sight you think that you have found a five foot tall grandfather clock of Art Deco design. Look more closely and you find that the clock movement is an ordinary electric model and is secondary to the piece. The primary focus is the radio. Inside this exquisitely designed cabinet there are two chassis. Together they comprise the power supply and RF deck of the radio. They are almost identical to the internal workings of an RCA Radiola Model 82 radio. Westinghouse got the chassis from RCA and just made those modifications necessary to support it vertically inside a grandfather clock cabinet.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/kb1awv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/050512_1557_Westinghous2.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The radio sat in my heated basement for several years. It seemed that every time I moved it another piece of flaking veneer would crack and fall off. When we moved a little over a year ago the radio went right to the unheated basement of the new home. It wasn’t long before I noticed that long sheets of veneer had become unattached and were literally hanging from the side of the unit. The radio was self-destructing\u00a0and I was just watching. It seemed like another hobby was meeting with a dead end.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/kb1awv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/050512_1557_Westinghous3.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Then I watched some online videos posted by a Flickr friend of mine who had also acquired a Columaire. He made quick work of taking it apart and beginning the electrical and cabinet restoration. This motivated me. My son-in-law helped me move the radio two floors up to my radio room (heated) and I began to stabilize the cabinet by gluing down every loose piece. At this point almost all of the exterior walnut veneer is glued\u00a0down and most of the cabinet interior is also ship-shape. I purchased some real nice walnut veneer on e-Bay and have successfully made my first ever veneer repair. Also, the chassis parts are on the workshop bench and I have begun their cleaning. I acquired some new tubes (still need 2 more), have a complete set of drawings, and am close to the point where I will replace capacitors and any faulty resistors. I may finish this project yet. Wish me luck and the will to see it to the end.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/kb1awv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/050512_1557_Westinghous4.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Shown above is a damaged area near center for which I have cut a replacement walnut patch.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The new patch was used\u00a0as a template to cut out the damaged area. \u00a0Then the veneer patch was glued\u00a0in place. \u00a0 Looking to either side you can see that there is much work to be done.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Videos:<\/strong> Photographs:<\/strong> Historical Information and Literature:<\/strong> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/kb1awv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/050512_1557_Westinghous6.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWestinghouse Columaire References on the web:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nBob Anderson\u2019s WR-8 restoration, Part 1<\/a>
\nBob Anderson\u2019s WR-8 restoration, Part 2<\/a>
\nBob Anderson\u2019s WR-8 restoration, Part 3<\/a>
\nBob Anderson\u2019s WR-8 restoration, Part 4<\/a>
\nBob Anderson\u2019s WR-8 restoration, Part 5<\/a>
\nBob Anderson\u2019s WR-8 restoration, Part 6<\/a><\/p>\n
\nGrill Cloth in Antique Radios forum<\/a>
\nRadio Attic site; with Remote Control<\/a>, by Ron Potter
\nRadio Museum information page<\/a> on WR-8
\nBob Anderson\u2019s WR-8 photo set on Flickr<\/a><\/p>\n
\nShelbyDodge Imp Antique Radios \u2013 nice page on history of the Columaire<\/a>
\nAntique Radios forum discussion with 20 posts and photos<\/a>
\nAdvertisement, Saturday Evening Post, on Old Time Radio Researchers Group<\/a>, March 7, 1931; two full pages<\/a> (last link goes to photo., other link to main site<\/em>)
\nAdvertisement stored at Duke University online archive<\/a>
\nComplete Riders schematic for Radiola 82 (same as WR-8) from Nostalgia Air<\/a>
\nTechnical Lesson 46, RCA Institute<\/a>, Radio & TV Course. This PDF is supplied\u00a0courtesy\u00a0of KM5Z. The lesson covers the WR-6, WR-7, and Radiola 82. The 82 is mostly the same as the WR-8.<\/p>\n