11-05-2007, 04:02 PM
[Image: http://home.comcast.net/~morrised2006/ra...lco204.jpg]I recently acquired a Philco 47-204 which has a leatherette covering. After removing the usual paint splatters from the top of the cabinet (I picked them off carefully with an X-acto knife), I cleaned the leatherette with mineral spirits. I then easily restored the leatherette finish with brown leather scuff cover, which can be found in most shoe stores. Kiwi was the brand I used, but there are probably others.
I then masked off the leatherette and restained the upper wood trim with mahagony stain, and repainted the lower wood base trim with antique white. I then applied several coats of lacquer (to the wood trim only, not the leatherette). I repainted the knobs and speaker/dial bezel with the same paint I used for the bottom trim. The final step was to fabricate a new plastic dial cover. I used the plastic from the window of a gift box of vodka, a plywood form, and the kitchen oven to heat and form the plastic.
Electrical restoration consisted of replacing a bad tube, recapping, replacing an out-of-tolerance resististor or two, and a new power cord. The radio plays very well, with good sound.
I then masked off the leatherette and restained the upper wood trim with mahagony stain, and repainted the lower wood base trim with antique white. I then applied several coats of lacquer (to the wood trim only, not the leatherette). I repainted the knobs and speaker/dial bezel with the same paint I used for the bottom trim. The final step was to fabricate a new plastic dial cover. I used the plastic from the window of a gift box of vodka, a plywood form, and the kitchen oven to heat and form the plastic.
Electrical restoration consisted of replacing a bad tube, recapping, replacing an out-of-tolerance resististor or two, and a new power cord. The radio plays very well, with good sound.
