Get Mesmerized by This Refitted Vintage Radio

Released in 1946, the DAC90 from Bush sold in Great Britain for 12.00 GBP. It featured a bakelite casing, which was a popular material for electronics like radios at the time. Recently, steampunk enthusiast Paul Parry at Bad Dog Designs restored one for a customer. He repurposed the vintage radio into the visually stunning Mesmeriser using LED rings.

"The Mesmeriser was created by accident, I was given an old bush radio and asked to turn it into a clock."

Designed for a client who already had a sound system, Parry opted to skip the audio and focus on the visuals. Most of the pieces available from Bad Dog Design include a Nixie clock. The Mesmeriser is no different. Parry noticed that the existing speaker location could support an LED ring, which he had available on-hand. From there, it was a matter of adding some additional LEDs and diffuser material, in this case, Mylar.

Instead of controlling frequency, the radio's controls now change the variables that affect the display's lights. Looking at the pictures, you might think this particular radio is new and made out of wood.

Bakelite, patented in 1907, is the world's first plastic. Back when it was new, manufacturers quickly adopted the new material as a non-conductive case material for radios and telephones. The Bakelite enclosure used in Mesmeriser's took a trip to a local auto body shop for a detailed polishing, leaving it looking new.

Unfortunately, you cannot buy the Mesmeriser; it was a one-off project. But if you like it, you should check out Bad Dog Design's other unique Steampunk inspired clocks.