I decided it was finally time to replace my old Dell PC that has been running pretty much 24/7 since 2006. I started scoping out cases, parts and suppliers and had everything planned out when I remembered that I had always wanted to take an old radio, TV, toaster, what-have-you and modify it into a computer.
So, I started searching eBay until I came across this beautiful old Art Deco 1940 Sears & Roebuck Silvertone radio, Model R-1261.
Now that I had a case to work with, I had to throw out most the parts on my list and replace them with small form factor parts instead.
It took a lot of trial and error but I finally managed to get everything I needed to make it work. It being just a wooden box required finding a lot of specialty cables, switches, brackets, Dremel work, etc. I replaced the old speaker cloth with an aluminum mesh screen and fabricated a new back for the case.
It being an old radio, I wanted to try and maintain a semblance of that functionality. I was able to to keep a couple of the original Bakelite knobs in place. One still moves the radio channel selector (though it's just for show) and the other controls the volume of the modern digital amp. Now when I want to listen to tunes, I can fire up Pandora or queue up some MP3s and crank it up.
1 Comment on Silvertone Radio Case
first i miss read it as silverstone radio case