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FStephenMasek's Philco 112 cabinet restoration - Printable Version

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FStephenMasek's Philco 112 cabinet restoration - FStephenMasek - 05-15-2017

This radio model has quite a nice cabinet design by a famous designer. 
I found this one just a few miles from our house.   Unfortunately, the top veneer had been destroyed by a house plant, and somebody had hacked-in a cheap PM speaker.  It was sold as non-working.  Somebody had also-hacked-in new capacitors without disconnecting the old ones in the bakelite blocks.
 [Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/FStephenMasek/Philco%20112%20Lowboy%20as%20found.jpg]
I removed the old veneer by wetting a terry cloth towel, placing it on the top, then using an old iron and a sharp scraper.  It came right off.
This is my first top re-veneering job, and I'm delighted with the outcome.
I stopped at Austin Hardwoods the other day and noticed some nice 1/16" thick walnut veneer.  The original top had been one wide piece of veneer, but such wide veneer is not easy to find.  Rima and I think this book-matched veneer looks just right on this radio, as it complements the book-matched front side panels.  The edges of the veneer pieces were not straight, so I carefully marked overlapped the pieces, marked with a pencil, the shaved the edge of one piece with a small hand-held plane and sandpaper in a rubber block.  
 
I applied the veneer using the brown Better Bond Cold Press Veneer Adhesive, a thick glue filled with pecan shell powder, and applied by pouring and spreading with a glue roller.
Here it is with some Pecan and Provencial oil=based stain, then clear lacquer sanding sealer:
[Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/FStephenMasek/Philco%20112%20with%20new%20top%20veneer.jpg]
[Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/FStephenMasek/Philco%20112%20new%20top%20veneer.jpg]
Even with the sanding sealer, the grain filler will somewhat darken the finish, and I'll adjust with more stain if needed. 
I also clamped over-sized patches of veneer on four small dings, then sanded the down to leave flush patches in those locations.

RE: FStephenMasek's Philco 112 restoration - Ron Ramirez - 05-15-2017

Lurking

This should be a very good thread...

RE: FStephenMasek's Philco 112 restoration - FStephenMasek - 05-15-2017

Thanks! I'll try to keep it interesting. This one has the later version of the chassis, and I should be able to start on it later today.

RE: FStephenMasek's Philco 112 restoration - sam - 05-15-2017

Some guys make it look so easy.  Icon_cry


Sam

RE: FStephenMasek's Philco 112 restoration - Paul Philco322 - 05-15-2017

Nice piece, a prize for any collection, good luck. Keep at it.

Paul

RE: FStephenMasek's Philco 112 restoration - Kenneth F. Besso Jr. - 05-15-2017

Very,,Very Nice workmanship,,,CHEERS

RE: FStephenMasek's Philco 112 restoration - FStephenMasek - 05-20-2017

It is coming along well.  I cleaned-up the cabinet with lacquer thinner today, did some light sanding, then applied a wash of Pecan stain to get the color even (the Sentinel 104 went through the same process).

 [Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/FStephenMasek/Philco%20112%20and%20Sentinel%20104%20cleaned%20and%20stained.jpg]

RE: FStephenMasek's Philco 112 restoration - FStephenMasek - 05-23-2017

Grain filling is always an important day, as the next step is the first coat of clear lacquer, hopefully later this week after allowing the filler to dry. After staining, allowing the stain to dry for few days , then applying clear lacquer sanding sealer, I used Behlen oil-type grain filler, applied with a wad of burlap, and cleaned-off with pieces of burlap. Of course, it now looks dull, but that is normal. After the grain filler had dried a while, I did a quick light wipe with more stain to get rid of excess grain filler and help make sure the color is even. The Sentinel 104 got the same treatment.

RE: FStephenMasek's Philco 112 cabinet restoration - FStephenMasek - 06-19-2017

Here she is, in a corner of our dining room, with an Ingragham clock:
[Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/FStephenMasek/Philco%20112%20finished.jpg]