A Steampunk Brass Tube Radio

Hi all,

today i have a new Project. A Change from a German Radio Kit called - Franzis UKW Radio Deluxe.

This Kit is with a Tube like the old Tube Radios. The Tube makes the sound softer and more melodious.I used the complete electronics and the Tube. A measuring instrument I built self in addition.

It is complete from brass and copper !

The Franzis Radio Kit

Some Brass lamp divides

Some Brass Tubes

Brass Ornaments

Brass balls

Small Cables

A soldering Set

2 Led ( Orange and Green )

A 2 watt speaker ( I used Visaton )

A measuring Instrument

Nitric Acid ( 10 % )

Sulfur liver

Some Screws and Hotglue

In one of the two Brass balls is sitting the measuring Instrument. Cut the Head of the Ball in the Diameter from the Instrument. Solder the + and - Cable and pull it by the hole of the ball outside. Fix the Instrument with a little bit Hotglue. Then solder the orange Led with + and - cabel, shrink it and fix it with Hotglue under the measuring Instrument. Cut a thread of a Bulb socket so long as you would like and close the opening with a thon windowpane. I had straight one suitable that really fit on the millimeter inside ;

I explain the coloring of the individual parts in a later walk !!!

I used a bell shaped Bulb socket. Cut the opening of the Bulb socket in the Diameter of the Speaker. Cut a basket ornament in the Diameter of the Speaker too. Solder two cables on the Speaker and fix it with Ultraviolett Glue in the basket ornament. Fix the Basket ornament with Ultraviolett Glue in the bell Bulb Socket. Cover the loudspeaker with copper perforated plate.

Take annother Brass Ball and drill or rasp a Hole in the Diameter of the Tube socket. Solder a thin cable on every pin and shrink it. Do not forget to mark the cabels ! Now still another small brass ring around the Tube socket and finish is the whole.

Solder the PCB as in the Franzis Instruction but without cables for the Speaker, the Voltage, the Led and the Tube!

Puuh, thats a hard Step ;)

We need Sulfur liver and Nitric Acid ( 10% ). Please be carefull with this two Things !!! Use gloves, eye protector and respiratory protection. Sulfur Liver stinks as if a whole herd of cow in the room. The best stinking Bomb ever ^^ ;)

Mix the Sulfur liver with warm Water until it has a beautiful yellow color.

Clean all Brass divides from patina and fat.Use braking cleaner or Acethon. It must be clean. In the first Picture you see the old patina. Not so dark but shining and with lacquer covered. Brass brushes in the drilling Mashine is the best. In Picture 2 you see after cleaning.

Now we warm up the workpiece with a hot air blower to ~ 40 degrees. Dive in the Sulfur liver for 1 Minute. After this dry it and dive in the Nitric Acid for 1 Minute.That make you as long as it is completely black ( Pic 5 ). Let it completly dry.Now abrade with some Steel wool until the desired colour developed.( Pic 8 )

Put all cables to the Brass tubes to the Bottom and the PCB and solder with the original Pins. The Led from the Measuring Instrument with the Led pin of the PCB and the Tube Pins with the Tube Pins of the PCB. Solder the Voltage cables on the PCb and put the complete Board under the whole Construction. Sry, but i have no Photos from the Groundplate.

Ok here is my Steampunk Brass Tube Radio and a very short Video show it.

Thanks for reading ;)

Best regards

Your Leander Lavendel