Old-to-New-Fashioned Radio equipped with Bluetooth Speakers, Wine Holder, and Ambient Light

 TO----------->

(Brady Bunch theme song here, okay?) 

DUH-DUH-DUH-DUGHHHHHHH

Here's a story. Of a Montgomery radio. Who was looking for a new home of its own. It was one radio, living in some storage shed, and it was not being used. Then the one day when the lady saw the radio, and she knew it was much more than a hunch....that this radio must somehow come back to life. That's the way she created the Old-to-New-Fashioned Radio. The Old-to-New-Fashioned Radio, the Old-to-New-Fashioned Radio. That's the way she created the Old-to-New-Fashioned Radio.

DUH-DUH-DUH-DUH-DU-DU-DU-DU-DUH!

This is what we (we = ME) started with. A SUPER AWESOME Montgomery Ward Radio. I was hoping to plug it in and see if it still worked, but the exposed wires inside the half-way gone plug told me to make a different choice.

One of the tuner frequency lines actually had frequencies for SHIPS and AIRPLANES.

As you can see, the top shelf held the components and the bottom was just for the speaker. I was going to try to salvage the speaker at first, but......nah.  Decided I'd be better off just starting afresh and getting clean, new parts for all.

Despite the appearance of wood, on close inspection it looked to be a veneer. Plus, several chips and nicks.

First step, clean it.  Did that using some Murphy's Oil Soap and water. Interesting: the unit doesn't have a bottom. Couldn't tell if it had been lost to time or if it never had one to begin with.

I'm trying out this new paint on the interior first to see how I like it and how it goes on. Oh, the unit is upside-down in this photo.

The above two photos are after one coat of paint. I know I know....the original dark wood was pretty.  I think so, too.  But I was not going to try to correct all those nips and chips.

Whew I remember this.  It was late and I had just finished the second coat of paint. Used a trouble light to help me see.

This is after I've applied a coat of clear wax and then a coat of dark wax. 

Here came the part where I had to do some research. I knew I could buy just a speaker, and was hoping/figuring there'd be one out there somewhere that was Bluetooth equipped. My son's drum teacher helped me know the search term, "naked speaker" and forwarded me a few examples. I think this might have been one of those. I had to enlarge the hole to accommodate the speaker by about 1/4" all the way around.  Oh, and this particular model by PYLE was SO AWESOME to install as it had it's own little "securing feet".

This is what it looked from the front.

This is a detachable screen that fits over the speaker.

Next thing I had to do was affix the new fabric to the front of the speaker board. The old fabric was held on just by glue. I used staples and a staple gun to attach mine. Started to really stretch it like how you do for upholstery. Then figured out....why am I doing that? It's not like it's going to have the pull and wear and tear of a piece of furniture.

Above is the finished product.

I was able to secure the speaker board back in the radio box using all the original screws and corresponding holes. The speaker set I purchased came with two speakers, and I didn't want to waste the second one so I cut a door for this back part and cut out another hole to accommodate the passive speaker. It's not shown in this photo (duh) but the finished product uses two speakers. The active one faces front and the passive one faces the back.

Next thing I pondered.....what should I do with those four small holes where the tuning knobs used to be? I knew I was going to have the rectangle opening set up to hold two bottles of wine. Could I figure out a way to secure four wine glasses by using those holes, somehow? It would also have to be configured in such a way that the glasses would be secure, but could also be removed easily.

Well, I couldn't figure it out plus the deadline to have this done was fast approaching plus I hadn't even completed the other thing I am obligated to complete. So, I went the way so many women before me have....I used unique knobs from Hobby Lobby.  

So, great! I solved that problem. But what about the rectangle that will hold the wine bottles? It seems bare.  It needs something. It's too plain in this photo. I WOULD HAVE used the super cool, original metal frame for the rectangle that I had removed for painting the unit. Guess why I couldn't use that? It made the opening juuuuust narrow enough so that the wine bottles would not fit.  Booo!

I'd have to come up with another way to sort of "finish" those edges.

Enter, the skinniest trim I could find.....of course I had to paint and wax it first before cutting it and affixing it.

There! Can't even tell it's new to the piece, can you?!

Then all I had to do was affix the ambient lighting to the inside and.....voila! Super Fun item!!