Philco 44 - Restoration & Authenticity

[Guest]

Greetings,

I was curious how difficult it is to restore a cabinet. I have only a little woodworking experience, although my brother has built furniture before so I'm sure he would probably be able to help me out. I am also concerned about restoring the radio to its original state. Is there a secret code of stains out there, or do folks generally match them somehow, or ??? For that matter, I would be curious to see any pictures that might be out there of the cabinet for a 44.

The reason I ask about the stain is that I really have no knowledge of the colors, and I know that my 44 appears different from the one other I have seen restored in the past. The other was not a two-tone design like the one that I posess. Any help would be most appreciated!

-Chris

[Chuck Schwark]

In the 30s and 40s toning lacquers were used predominantly, at least on most Philcos. Lighter and darker areas were built-up with multiple layers to achieve lighter and darker effects. Much better control that stains.

[Ron Ramirez]

Assuming you have the flat-face 44B cathedral, here is how it should look:


(Photo credit: Ed Locker)

Take Chuck's advice on the toning lacquer. This is the only way to duplicate the original look. As a general rule, you can't buy toning lacquer in local stores, you have to order it via mail or Internet. Here are two sources:

http://www.mohawk-finishing.com/
http://www.touchupdepot.biz/index.php/cPath/10_44_59

The first link, Mohawk, is the most well known product, although the site sells mainly to businesses and requires a large minimum order. The second link sells Master's Magic brand toners, and has no minimum order.