Hello Lee
Sorry I am so slow getting back to you, but things apart from radios needed my undivided attention.
However, I am going to try to send you a few more pics. I also think, that rather than try to carve or mold your new bezel, you could build them up using different thickness of Balsa Wood, and carpenters glue to give them their desired shape/ 3D effect. I used that method last evening to fabricate some grill area parts for my Deforest Crosley 6D531. Balsa wood is easy to sand, saw, cut or carve as needed, and can look close to the real thing, and is ready to stain or paint.
Note: Again this is the second time this original post has disappeared from this Forum Topic. I already reposted once, and now I will attempt to Re-post it again. Not certain why this continues to happen???
“Original Post”
How are things going on your Westinghouse Bezel and Push Buttons. I have recently fabricated a set of six push-buttons for my Westinghouse W780Y Console, and also done major fabrication and repair to the bezel. Having worked on my radio, which is somewhat different than yours, I think they both have things in common when it comes to Bezel design and the design of the push-buttons themselves. While those Items look different in shape, the idea behind how they work is somewhat the same. The pushbuttons themselves are of a simple design. And the Dial Glass Bezel would be easy to fabricate from wood or other methods, eve if you do not have proto-type to go by.
The one thing I would try would be to keep the two bezels separated. Other words two bezels instead of one. Once the Dial Glass Bezel is completed, you can move forward with the Pushbutton Bezel. Just design it so that the contour/curves on the rear of the Pushbutton Bezel just fit over the contour of the upper Bezel. The result would be that they look as though they are one. piece. Look at my bezel and you will see that the Bezel from to rear is about 1 1/4 inches in depth. This bezel also acts as a retainer to keep the Pushbuttons from falling out of the radio, and it also keeps them in alignment. Notice that there is actually two banks of five push buttons with a divider between them. This divider keeps the Bezel from warping. The original Westinghouse Bezels did have a warping problem. (mine is warped also) Maybe it was the material they used???
Anyway my pushbuttons are manual, I am not familiar with the complete set-up for power tuning. However, having said that, and if I am correct, on another picture you posted I think I can see the springs which tension the actual Pushbuttons towards the front of the radio cabinet. Can you post a couple of pics of the Pushbutton mechanism, which should show the above mentioned springs, if indeed they do exist. I will post a few pics of my Bezel and newly fabricated buttons. They are not perfect, but they are much better than “No Bezel or Pushbuttons at all.”
Regards Ralph
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