The PHILCO Phorum
RCA 6K3 Cabinet Restore/Refinish - Printable Version

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RE: RCA 6K3 Cabinet Restore/Refinish - Joe Rossi - 08-30-2026

Roy, The cabinet looks fantastic. I remember building plastic model airplanes and sometimes the decals would curl up on the backing in the water before you could get them out. Joe

RE: RCA 6K3 Cabinet Restore/Refinish - radiorich - 08-30-2026

Hello Joe,
Very nice !!
sincerely Richard

RE: RCA 6K3 Cabinet Restore/Refinish - glyphmon - 08-30-2026

Thanks for the encouragement, Ron, Joe, and Richard.  My space to work on this type of project recently got reduced, so I tried outdoors with the portable spray tent that I picked up, but it was too breezy, so I moved it next door into an apartment building that I'm redoing, literally from basement up.  At least there I could get some still air.  Project on hold until the new cans of lacquer come in, then can finish glossing it up.

Anything people recommend after the final coats of lacquer?  I've seen talk about wax and so forth.

Best wishes,
Roy

RE: RCA 6K3 Cabinet Restore/Refinish - MrFixr55 - 08-30-2026

Glyphmon, REALLY NICE JOB on that cabinet!!! You told Coty that you are almost as new to the Phorum as him, but you are on what, your 4th radio? Again, great work!!

I have a lot of nice radio chassis in not so nice cabinets. I am not much of a carpenter or cabinet maker. I have the same problem with autobody. I am much better at assembling cars than knocking, and filling dents.

Fortunately, I also do have a few nice radios in nice cabinets. I wish I had nice mechanicals in nice auto bodies. In fact, I wish my body and mechanicals were in better shape!!

RE: RCA 6K3 Cabinet Restore/Refinish - glyphmon - 08-30-2026

MrFixr55,

Well, I did only join earlier this year so I am pretty new to the discipline.  I feel like the lighting on the cabinet is hiding the imperfections, but I think I will be generally happy with it once I get the lacquer finished.  I appreciate all the kind words and will make sure to get some better photos when all is said and done.


So far, technically I have only really operated on two radios, the 37-610 and the 6K3, both of which I'd call at about the 95% complete state.  I have gotten some parts for and tested the tubes in the Silvertone my wife wanted which is the next to be worked on.  And, yes... I have acquired a fair few more that haven't really been touched at all.  I think this winter I will have many good projects for chassis to work on.  I'm eager to try to completely disassemble the AK 469 and really spiff it up, but before that, I have a 54C that a friend would like to have (with Bluetooth) in their inn.  That one will require a fair bit of work, maybe a recone of the speaker.  I know Ron did quite an extensive re-visioning of that model but I don't know that I will go quite so extensive.

I will have some brain-picking to do on the Silvertone in its own thread, since I want to find a way to incorporate an aux input like I have done with the 6K3.

Best wishes,
Roy

RE: RCA 6K3 Cabinet Restore/Refinish - klondike98 - 09-01-2026

Looking nice!

RE: RCA 6K3 Cabinet Restore/Refinish - EdHolland - 09-03-2026

Really nice work, Glyphmon, the cabinet and finish look fantastic.

RE: RCA 6K3 Cabinet Restore/Refinish - glyphmon - 09-08-2026

Tonight I couldn't stop myself.  Went and grabbed the cabinet after getting home from work at about 10 Eastern, reinstalled the escutcheon and center bar and test fitted the grille cloth inside.  I know it's not the original pattern but it was the one the wife and I thought would look best and the grille cloth guy hasn't reproduced the original pattern yet - though he's considering it.  Tomorrow I'll do a little touch-up on the gray paint inside where the masking tape pulled some off, get the staple gun to reattach the grille cloth backing to the inside of the cabinet, and the chassis and speaker can go back in.

The cabinet isn't perfect - I think I'll need to invest in a compressor and spray gun setup for the future (I'll need the compressor for other projects as well, not just the hobby).  That will probably help me achieve a better finish, easier.  But all in all, from a few feet away, I think it looks pretty good, and certainly a far sight better than what I picked up for $20 originally.  I will post one more update with the whole thing back together and playing, but for now, enjoy.  Note the supervisor in the photos, still unimpressed.

               

Original:
   

Best wishes,
Roy

RE: RCA 6K3 Cabinet Restore/Refinish - radiorich - 09-09-2026

Hello glyphmon,
it looks great !
I have a General Electric model L-916 that needs some real cabinet help
luckly its not all beat up just finish in gone in spots .
Sincerely Richard

RE: RCA 6K3 Cabinet Restore/Refinish - glyphmon - 09-09-2026

Richard,

Thanks.  I did start out trying to salvage this one but there were enough dings, scratches, and cracks from abuse, not to mention the color was kind of muddy since I think a prior owner applied a stain over the top of the original finish, that I felt justified in stripping it and starting fresh.

Best wishes,
Roy

RE: RCA 6K3 Cabinet Restore/Refinish - MrFixr55 - 09-09-2026

I have never attempted to refinish a cabinet. Looks much better than it did!! Major improvement! Goes great with the nice wood floors, doors and trim in the room! Congrats! Don't worry about the minor imperfections. Dad worked for Grumman Aerospace and their favorite saying over there was "It looks fine at 10,000 feet".

The front really pops, especially with those correct decals!! The grille cloth is neat, looks like a whole bunch of people or like a choir. I'm waiting for it to play the 4th movement of Beethoven's 9th.

RE: RCA 6K3 Cabinet Restore/Refinish - RodB - 09-09-2026

Nice job, it's satisfying when it turns out to be more than expected. The grain in the top is a showcase. The escutcheon and dial cover in the original said "Don't look at me!". Your wife has excellent taste in grille cloth, and I'm sure you agreed with her.

RE: RCA 6K3 Cabinet Restore/Refinish - glyphmon - 09-09-2026

It's almost there.  The dial pointer is catching on the inside of the dial "glass" so I'll take out the chassis to adjust but besides that, it's pretty well done.  Photo as assembled, and using a spare piece of wire as an antenna.  Laptop is streaming via Bluetooth to an AM transmitter in the room behind the door on the right.

   

Per MrFixr55's request, a short section of 4th movement of Beethoven's 9th: https://youtube.com/shorts/phQmXMXLAfk?feature=share
But because I'm more a fan of Dvorak's American, here's it's 4th movement: https://youtu.be/4WtFATSf1pQ

Thank you again to all who contributed knowledge and experience for both the electronic and cabinet restoration.  Now we get to go back to the 37-620 to chase down some final ghosts.

Best wishes,
Roy