Title: Refinishing A Heathkit AT-1 Cabinet Post by: W9ZSL on November 29, 2015, 12:26:33 AM Any suggestions for a matching paint to refinish an AT-1 cabinet? I have a DX-20 so the same finish would match it if nothing else is still available.
Title: Re: Refinishing A Heathkit AT-1 Cabinet Post by: wb1ead on November 30, 2015, 01:46:50 PM Hi Mike..see you posted earlier with that question..well I do have a pretty much complete station of the DX-40 now restored..certainly similar to the DX-20/35..I used a Rustoleum product called Painters Touch..color is Satin Granite..low luster indeed..almost but not quite flat..has a sort of very lite texture ability and for that reason I picked it also the color was very close to original on the cabinet..I'm not one to sit and sand/remove the scratched up cabinet although lite sanding of the big dings should be done..but the lite texture it leaves hides a lot of scratches etc that and the mentioned low sheen helps there too..dries very fast but you should use a quality primer preferably gray to coat any bare metal if needed..if not then right on over the existing old finish..I did every piece..the DX-40 cabinet/VF-1/AM-2/even a digital freq counter to make it all "match"..next up will be the cabinet of my new to me SB-200....of course you might think it not the best and yes I have never owned an AT-1 so I ain't no expert..just my thoughts on it....BTW NICE DX-60 station!!! 73 de DAVE
Title: Re: Refinishing A Heathkit AT-1 Cabinet Post by: W9ZSL on November 30, 2015, 02:48:19 PM Thanks Dave. I heard about that particular paint before but really needed confirmation. I'm not attempting a total restoration of the AT-1. That would call for redoing the front panel and getting the copper-clad chassis redone ($160, ouch) but what I have isn't bad and I scored some Wright's Copper Cream. The cabinet refinishing is an easy job. The AT-1 project started when I saw a complete coil set on eBay with the mounting bracket and hardware.
My plan was to use them on a simple MOPA exciter project to feed a single 813. Turns out the same source also had a chassis, sockets and all the switches. I picked up almost everything including the terminal strips. Next I got a copy of the construction/operation manual. I have a power transformer and bought a few new parts to add to what was in the junk box. Now the plan is to rebuild it from the ground up with modern caps and resistors. I even found a meter that matches. Too much fun! Thanks! The DX-60B set is another story. I already had the receiver, found a DX-60A transmitter and when it arrived, the two didn't match. So I cleaned up the A model and got my money back selling it. After that I took my time and ended up with the complete matched set. I think the receiver knobs are a bit different than the VFO or XTR but the cabinet finishes are all identical. Yeah, I'm picky but it's a set-up I've always wanted since my novice days...and yes, the DX-20 was my first XTR. The receiver was a Gonset G-33, and YES, I have one of those also to recreate my first station. Thanks again & 73! Mike - W9ZSL Title: Re: Refinishing A Heathkit AT-1 Cabinet Post by: AB3L on December 01, 2015, 06:59:02 AM Here are some paint formulas for different radio's. This is from the Glen Zook website. AMfone - Dedicated to Amplitude Modulation on the Amateur Radio Bands
http://nebula.wsimg.com/94662f1b14642593d71fa3dd7f9649a1?AccessKeyId=5DDC3F25F0398F58962E&disposition=0&alloworigin=1 |