11-07-2011, 06:06 PM
Good day, all...
Well, I finally have made enough progress on my restoration project (Philco 41-280) that it no longer looks as if I've just been sitting on my hands for the past couple of weeks!
As I began this project, it became apparent to me that the preferred method of transporting this old radio must have been 'rolling it end-over-end down a gravel road!' While still solid, it was pretty banged up; only a couple of really nasty chips to the solid wood (and both of those - thankfully- on the very bottom). But there were countless little bumps and bruises. There was one pretty bad veneer chip in the left top [horizontal] panel, and rear of both of the curved side panels had severe veneer damage.
So, being new to all this, I took the radio cabinet completely apart... pretty courageous (or absolutely nutz!) for a genuine newbie. Of course, as soon as the curved panels were free from their seventy year captivity, they started "relaxing"... trying to straighten back out (as you can guess, this made reassembly a bit of a challenge.
Anyway, I removed all the veneer from the damaged panels and re-veneered. I had to make a holding fixture for the curved panels so that I could really "bear down" during the process (I used old-style contact cement).
I used acetone to remove the old lacquer and hand sanded the solid wood parts to remove all the little bumps and bruises (and there were a bunch of those!). I restained everything with General Finishes "Brown Mahogany" gel stain (I don't know why they call it that, it's all brown and no mahogany!).
I agonized over what to do about the totally useless photo finish on the vertical pieces that flank the speaker opening. After weighing all the options, I wound up taking the easy way out... I just stained them with Bartlett's "Jet Mahogany" gel stain (four applications) to get an acceptable contrast.
The fnal finish was with DEFT [spray can] lacquer. This is the first time I have ever used this product, and I really like it!
So, that's where I am... This project will be a disappointment to the experienced and certainly to those who highly prize originality (and, be assured, I deeply admire both of those groups!), but it is turning out OK for my first try... and better than that, my wife loves it!
More later... I hope.
Rob
[Image: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y173/z-...C_5731.jpg]
[Image: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y173/z-...C_5730.jpg]
[Image: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y173/z-...C_5729.jpg]
[Image: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y173/z-...C_5728.jpg]
Well, I finally have made enough progress on my restoration project (Philco 41-280) that it no longer looks as if I've just been sitting on my hands for the past couple of weeks!
As I began this project, it became apparent to me that the preferred method of transporting this old radio must have been 'rolling it end-over-end down a gravel road!' While still solid, it was pretty banged up; only a couple of really nasty chips to the solid wood (and both of those - thankfully- on the very bottom). But there were countless little bumps and bruises. There was one pretty bad veneer chip in the left top [horizontal] panel, and rear of both of the curved side panels had severe veneer damage.
So, being new to all this, I took the radio cabinet completely apart... pretty courageous (or absolutely nutz!) for a genuine newbie. Of course, as soon as the curved panels were free from their seventy year captivity, they started "relaxing"... trying to straighten back out (as you can guess, this made reassembly a bit of a challenge.
Anyway, I removed all the veneer from the damaged panels and re-veneered. I had to make a holding fixture for the curved panels so that I could really "bear down" during the process (I used old-style contact cement).
I used acetone to remove the old lacquer and hand sanded the solid wood parts to remove all the little bumps and bruises (and there were a bunch of those!). I restained everything with General Finishes "Brown Mahogany" gel stain (I don't know why they call it that, it's all brown and no mahogany!).
I agonized over what to do about the totally useless photo finish on the vertical pieces that flank the speaker opening. After weighing all the options, I wound up taking the easy way out... I just stained them with Bartlett's "Jet Mahogany" gel stain (four applications) to get an acceptable contrast.
The fnal finish was with DEFT [spray can] lacquer. This is the first time I have ever used this product, and I really like it!
So, that's where I am... This project will be a disappointment to the experienced and certainly to those who highly prize originality (and, be assured, I deeply admire both of those groups!), but it is turning out OK for my first try... and better than that, my wife loves it!
More later... I hope.
Rob
[Image: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y173/z-...C_5731.jpg]
[Image: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y173/z-...C_5730.jpg]
[Image: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y173/z-...C_5729.jpg]
[Image: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y173/z-...C_5728.jpg]
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