Remler Infradyne

Ricks Remler Infradyne 1
Ricks Remler Infradyne 2
Ricks Remler Infradyne 3
Ricks Remler Infradyne 4
Ricks Remler Infradyne 6
Ricks Remler Infradyne 5
Ricks Remler Infradyne 7

     Remler Infradyne. At first glance this set looks like it is the second Thorola version of the infradyne, dated to about October, 1926. However, there are some screw holes in the baseboard that indicate there may have been three tube sockets in a row at the left side of the baseboard (between the Thorola coils). If there were originally three tubes here it could mean that this is a first version infradyne from the original August, 1926 article in Radio. Further examination and research is needed. This set needs a complete restoration. In particular it needs some trim molding at the base of the radio and it needs the warped lid fixed. This is going to be my next project. Depending on how the lid flattening turns out, determines if I continue the restoration. The front panel originally had Kurz Kasch dials as indicated by the screw holes in the panel.

October 15, 2023 Update:

Ricks Remler Infradyne 8.1
Ricks Remler Infradyne 8.2
Ricks Remler Infradyne 8.4

     Well, as you can see I was able to straighten the lid out and complete the restoration of the infradyne. Straightening the lid out was no easty task, and if I had it to do over again I would not attempt it! I’m going to reveal what I did to the lid; not that I’m proud of it, but to stop someone else from going down the same road. The first thing I tried was soaking the lid in water. I put soaking wet towels on top of the lid and kept them wet for 24 hours. I thought that the original finish was already gone on the top of the lid and I wouldn’t have to strip it. That’s how the lid got warped in the first place, right? After the 24-hour soak the lid was still warped! I decided to clamp the lid between two heavy and straight boards anyway. I heard the lid crack as I tightened the C clamps - a bad sign. After about four weeks of drying I decided to remove the clamps and check on the lid. The lid was still warped, but now it had a nasty crack almost completely across the lid!

     I decided that it was time to get serious with this lid. If I couldn’t straighten the lid with the soak and clamp method I would get more forceful and try the groove and clamp method. I cut some grooves in the top of the lid, clamped the lid flat on a table, and filled the grooves with slices of cut walnut. I figured that after the glue dried the lid would be forced flat. I found out that the lid was indeed a little flatter, but it still had a warp.

     After I sanded the grooves down in the above “groove and clamp” method, I noticed that the lid wood was a lot lighter than before. Could it be that there was still finish on the lid and the finish prevented the water from soaking into the lid on the first attempt of the “soak and clamp” method? I made a flat container with a tarp that would hold water. I put the lid upside down in the water so just the top of the lid would be in the water. I checked on the progress after about four hours and I was shocked to discover that most of the water had disappeared! The lid had soaked up the missing water and now the lid was perfectly flat! I clamped the lid between two straight boards again and waited about four weeks for it to dry. After the four-week drying period I discovered that the lid was still warped a little. I ended this whole lid flattening project by sanding both the top and the bottom of the lid. The result is what you see in the above photos.

     All of this effort was because I wanted to save the original decal on the bottom side of the lid. I have successfully flattened some wood with the soak and clamp method after my trials on the infradyne lid. However, I think the best option now is to start from scratch and make a new lid!

     Oh, and by the way, I have came to the conclusion that this infradyne is indeed the first version from the August, 1926 Radio magazine construction article. Some owner, presumably in 1926 or 1927, upgraded the set to the October version. The evidence is the wiring of the set in the front end. The wire is different in the front end and it is not wired as nice as the rest of the radio. Other evidence is the screw holes from where the tubes were located in the first configuration. Other evidence is the wiring in the audio section. The amperites in this set match the August plans and they do not match the October plans.

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