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Just started stripping the cabinet for my AC Dayton radio. The cabinet is in pretty good shape except the top. Looks like the lid was made from gluing several slats together then veneering over them. The slats have started coming apart at the glue joints. Is there way I should go about filling the gaps between the slats? I doubt I would be able to clamp them back tight again as the lid has warped a bit over the years.
Here is a couple pics.
[Image: http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m501...028D07.jpg]
[Image: http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m501...BFACC8.jpg]
[Image: http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m501...93E262.jpg]
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What kind of shape is the bottom of the lid in? Is the shrinkage only on the right side, can't tell from the picture.
Actually why not move thread to "cabinet restoration"
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The other side looks pretty much the same.
Put the thread here cause it isn't a Philco
"Other Radios (Non-Philco)
Here is a place to discuss radios from manufacturers other than Philco.
Chassis and cabinet restoration questions about these sets are welcome here."
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Is the veneer delaminating from the solid wood at all? This sort of construction was very common for constructing solid wood parts on radio, and other, cabinets in the days before plywood became common. The reason for using narrow strips was for stability, several piece glued together is less likely to warp then a single or pair of boards. Usually when I see strips that have come apart like this it was due to the set being in a damp environment and breaking down the old glue, but at the same time the veneer is usually lifting off.
If there is no warpage, and the joints look straight, and the veneer is not bonded anymore, then I would try gluing the joints back together and clamping them with a set of pipe clamps, perhaps also clamping down vertically with some plastic bag covered blocks and bar clamps or C clamps to keep the joints aligned vertically. If the veneer is still bonded then I don't know what to suggest, this is not something that one typically runs across in my area of the world, the high heat and dry climate must have caused both the wood to shrink and the glue joints to separate.
Regards
Arran
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I agree with Arran, if you can lift the veneer, do so and then re-glue. Failing that, you could clean out the exposed joints using a sharp, thin awl. Sand the wood and save the sanding dust. You could then make up a paste with the glue and dust and fill the cracks. Spraying with a tone lacquer would help make the cracks less visible.
(This post was last modified: 10-25-2012, 11:01 AM by
Dick Finn.)
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Thanks Gents for the replies.
The veneer is still tight on top and bottom. I also think the radio must have been stored someplace that was damp for the ends to come apart like they did. There is a little warp to the lid just enough to were it wont lay flat to the bottom nothing I can do about that. As for the splits I ended up filling them with some wood filler and sanding everything smooth. The wood around the top gets toned much darker the the center so I hope this will cover the filler well enough.
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I have a top to a Philco chairside that was warped and I flattened out by clamping it to some steel angel iron. It took a long time, about 6 months but it worked well.
GL
Terry
