[mikethedruid]

Today I made a new back for my radio. The old one was falling apart in layers. Fortunately the antenna loop windings were still intact. I glued two layers of cardboard from a large cereal box together, three would have been better, but I only had the one box empty, and so used the front and back, gluing the printed sides together, which left the brown inside cardboard showing, which looks pretty much like the old stock RCA used. Like I said, 3 or four layers would have matched the original better, but this does OK. I then carefully removed the loop from the old back, very carefully desoldering the leads so as not to lose any length. I traced the old back on the new cardboard when it had dried together, and cut out the new back with an Exacto. I then sprayed the new back with polyurethane, first one side, then the other letting each side dry. I screwed two three terminal strips to the back. Then I glued the original winding onto the new back just as it had been on the old back. I wrapped the leads from the loop around the appropriate terminals. I also wrapped a foot long red stranded 20 gauge wire end around a terminal on one of the strips (number 3 on the schematic) Then I mounted the new back on the radio and connected all the leads. It looks fine and works as it should. For those interested, the schematic can be found here : http://www.nostalgiaair.org/Resources/996/M0014996.htm
I'm still waiting for the dial glass and the decals. I'll begin work on the cabinet tomorrow.