How to Make an Antique Radio iPod

I don’t know what it is about mixing old with the new when it comes to the iPod, but there have been numerous numbers of retro and vintage inspired docks and speakers that have been featured here on the site. Now, how about just skipping all that era and making a classy antique speaker for your iPod. Hopefully, the price value for this project will be like that of a certified antique.

1. Obeyken bought an Art Deco 1947 National Union G-619 for $25 at a flea market. A good buy considering that all the knobs, feet, glass and dial windows are original. The mahogany cabinet may be a little scuffed and the grille fabric a little frayed, but we are gunning for the antique look aren’t we?

The rest of the steps await after the jump!

I don’t know what it is about mixing old with the new when it comes to the iPod, but there have been numerous numbers of retro and vintage inspired docks and speakers that have been featured here on the site. Now, how about just skipping all that era and making a classy antique speaker for your iPod. Hopefully, the price value for this project will be like that of a certified antique.

1. Obeyken bought an Art Deco 1947 National Union G-619 for $25 at a flea market. A good buy considering that all the knobs, feet, glass and dial windows are original. The mahogany cabinet may be a little scuffed and the grille fabric a little frayed, but we are gunning for the antique look aren’t we?

2. He then took out the chassis, which came off in one piece. And removed the grille fabric and the dial window as well. You might want to keep these things just in case you’d want to restore the radio to its original glory.

3. Get some speakers that are lying around your house. Make sure that they are spare speakers, because you’re going to dismantle them to fit into the radio. Break out the volume, power switch and the LED. This will require some desoldering. Fatten the posts with some duct tape.

4. Mount the power and volume on a strip of pegboard which will fit behind the knob holes. Now do the same with the speakers. It will probably take you a lot of time to cut the pegboard to the exact dimensions, so just be patient. Mount the PC speaker’s circuit board as well.

5. There are shops that sell grille fabric so if you can get one of those, much better. So you won’t have to use the original that can be worth something as time passes. Just hot glue the fabric on to the other side of the pegboard where the speakers are mounted.

6. Place the pegboard inside the cabinet with the grille cloth, speakers and amplifier electronics on it first, followed by the controller knob pegboard. Attach them with a couple of screws to keep them in place.

7. Provide backlight for the dial window with an LED hidden behind a makeshift backdrop. Stick a white adhesive labelling on the back of the dial window before hot gluing the LED.

8. There you have it. All glammed up. Now all that’s left is your iPod. The left knob is now a push button that toggles the power and the right knob is for volume.

Via flickr