38-690 Refinish June Update
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I am looking at refinishing my 38-690 cabinet. Appears to be done over with polyurethane with a few runs and rough finish. Looks like it was slathered on too thick.
I was curious if there is any photo finish on this radio, especially the front. From what I can tell it's veneer but sometimes it's easy to be wrong. I tried to strip a slightly hidden spot with lacquer thinner, and it appears to be veneer as there are grain pores visible.
I don't want to strip it and find out that I ruined the cabinet.
Also, what wood type is this cabinet? Seems light for walnut, but it has open grain so it's possible.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/152428891@...ed-public/
(This post was last modified: 06-03-2018, 06:52 PM by tbone.)
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As far as I'm concerned there is no photofinish on this radio: strictly veneers and toning.
People who do not drink, do not smoke, do not eat red meat will one day feel really stupid lying there and dying from nothing.
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No photofinish on the 38-690. Ron generated a handy list of models that have photofinish and its in the Tech Section.
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Ok that makes sense. I think it was around 1940 when they used photo finish quite a bit.
Thank you.
This is going to be quite a job, but I should be able to use a citrus stripper to do this in sections. The hardest part will be the roll top which is on canvas. Not sure about that yet.
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Thanks for the link Bob!
(This post was last modified: 12-28-2017, 08:17 PM by tbone.)
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A radio of this class and photofinish kinda make little sense together.
People who do not drink, do not smoke, do not eat red meat will one day feel really stupid lying there and dying from nothing.
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Midway thru 1936 ('37 model year) and there after was BIG on the Philcocoat (photo) finish.
When my pals were reading comic books
I was down in the basement in my dad's
workshop. Perusing his Sam's Photofoacts
Vol 1-50 admiring the old set and trying to
figure out what all those squiggly meant.
Circa 1966
Now I think I've got!
Terry
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(12-28-2017, 08:14 PM)tbone Wrote: Ok that makes sense. I think it was around 1940 when they used photo finish quite a bit.
Thank you.
This is going to be quite a job, but I should be able to use a citrus stripper to do this in sections. The hardest part will be the roll top which is on canvas. Not sure about that yet.
Philco had a lot of photo phinish by 1937.
I doubt that "citrus stripper" is going to work on poly, it hardly works on lacquer.
"I just might turn into smoke, but I feel fine"
http://www.russoldradios.com/
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Chemical paint strippers seem to work on poly effectively, but are stinky and you have to wear gloves as they really harsh on skin.
Water based paint stripper also work but much slower.
The photo finish, as I understand it, was mostly used on tabletops in 1937? The consoles I saw, especially the expensive ones, like 37-116, don't seem to have it?
People who do not drink, do not smoke, do not eat red meat will one day feel really stupid lying there and dying from nothing.
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Mike
Some of Philco's low end consoles, including the 37-33, 37-34, 37-60 and 37-61 (among others), used photofinish on the front panels. You are correct, the high end consoles such as 37-690, 37-116, 37-675 and others, used real wood veneer and no photofinish.
I made some additions to the list Bob linked to in post #3 above. Philco used photofinish on some 1941, 1942 and 1946 models also, as well as some models in later years (which are not in the list).
--
Ron Ramirez
Ferdinand IN
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Thanks to Ron and everyone for the information which will be helpful going forward.
I will be stripping the cabinet myself, and most likely will be using a citrus gel stripper I have had good results with before.
Does anyone know what type of wood the main cabinet is? Reason I ask is that I would like to buy something close to experiment on so I can get the coloring correct. Kind of a practice piece.
Thanks again.
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If you just have to use stain - and you don't have to, I would stick to using it just on the hardwood trim (poplar or ?) at the base and the edge of the top, not on the veneers.
"I just might turn into smoke, but I feel fine"
http://www.russoldradios.com/
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I was actually thinking about toners for the base (feet) which is not the best wood, grille bars, and the rim around the top. I agree that the dark veneer and pretty much the whole front should be left as is.
I will know more once I get to the Grain filler step. I believe that only the top, sides, and front panel around the dial will need this step. The dark veneers around the front are not that open of a grain.
Tony
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The veneers on that cabinet look beautiful. That is going to look awesome when you're phinished! 
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