Northern Electric Baby Champ Antenna Reel Reproduction
Antenna Reel Reproduction
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Frequently the antenna reel of the Model 5002 and Model 5110M Baby Champs is missing along with a quantity of the antenna wire. The antenna reel is made from the same fiberboard material that forms the back of the radio. |
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If you have an extra radio back, you can use it to make an antenna reel. Clicking on the image to the left will take you to a larger image which you can use as a template to make your own. |
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I had an extra rainbow back that came from a Model R6A junker which I was able to use. The fiberboard is very tough to cut. I discovered that a Dremel tool cutting wheel cut the material fairly well. The left antenna reel is the original and the right one is the reproduction.
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If you can't get your hands on the fiberboard, you job is a little tougher. Gord Neish made the reel to the left using the following method: "I made them out of a piece of high density cardboard normally used for matte frames on photo mounts. Two dollars at the dollar store buys enough to make 10 or 15 of them.
First I glued a laser print of the template to one side, punched the holes and then glued a mirror image laser print of the same photo to the other side. After the glue dried, I used an exacto knife to trim them and the coated them with a matte finish glaze from Lewiscraft (the glaze is basically white carpenters glue). It seals the surface and stiffens the cardboard. Once done they feel a lot like the original fiberboard material." |
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Finding a suitable replacement for the antenna wire is a bit of a challenge. I have not personally tried to find any, but in response to a question in a forum it was suggested that one use cotton wrap multistrand Litz wire available at Antique Electronic Supply (Stock No.S-W106) and dye the wire dark brown.
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