[MrFixr55]

Ron, nice job on that radio!! That general cabinet style is popular. I have a 41-255. My uncle gave me an AM / SW / 1st gen FM (42-395?) chassis that was taken from a console and a table top cabinet sans speaker was built for it out of plywood. Rather utilitarian, not finished or styled, but the same angle. I need to get to this one. Both of these sets have push-pull 41s with phase inversion done at the screen grid of one of the 41s. Bad news is that both of these sets suffer from Tennititis. Ther are repro escutcheons available on the internet.

You folks are all correct regarding justification of what we spend on these hobbies!  Go on a vacation, 3 week bender, etc., what do you have to show for it?  What happens in Vegas does not stay in Vegas if you get drunk and do something sufficiently stupid to land you in their jail. Travel outside the US and you may fall afoul of laws that you don't even know about that could land you in jail there.

All in all, unless one tries for an EH Scott, a Zenith Stratosphere or a Radiobar (unless you get lucky), the hobby is not really expensive.  Go to a Broadway Show in NYC for 2 with dinner and transportation, you can be out $500-$1,000.  I think that for retirees, $200/month for hobbies is not excessive.  Could be worse, you could own a BOAT (Bust Out Another Thousand).  

We all have living history right in our houses.  In my case, the people who built, owned and used these radios benefit from my prayers.  (I pray the Requiem Eternam for those who built and owned the radio every time I touch one.  Catholic theology teaches that the Souls in Purgatory benefit from our prayers.)  

I too, have some radios and TVs that were in our family from time of purchase.

Now, to convince Ms. Fixr of this, and worse yet, sinking $20-30K for bodywork and engine rebuild into my1964 Lincoln Convertible. Hey, cheaper than buying a new luxury car. Even a Wagoneer now starts at $100K. My collector car insurance on the Lincoln ($300K liability and small estimated value for comp and collision) is under $150/year vs what, $3K /year for a new luxury car? My insurance is now about $1500/year for each of my $20+ year old cars for Liability and Comp, no collision as the deductible is more than what the car is worth.