12-18-2019, 01:33 AM
Hello everyone, about 5 years ago I was given a 1932 U. S. Gloritone Model 99A Cathedral Radio that someone had restored electrically but then somehow destroyed the original Utah speaker and the original grille cloth by what appeared to of been grabbing the radio by the front of the cabinet and then having it slip out of their hands and their fingers went right through the speaker and grille cloth and absolutely destroyed it, plus the original finish on the cabinet was completely shot on it.
So over the course of about 5 years (yes it took me 5 years to finish restoring this radio) I repaired the tears in the original Utah speaker by using brown coffee filter paper and watered down Elmer's Glue and then I completely stripped the old finish off the cabinet of the radio and refinished with a couple of coats of Minwax #224 Special Walnut Stain followed up by 2 coats of Polyurathane with some light sanding with 220 grit sandpaper in between coats.
I think the finished product turned out pretty good for being my very first radio cabinet refinishing project.
Before and after pictures posted below.
So over the course of about 5 years (yes it took me 5 years to finish restoring this radio) I repaired the tears in the original Utah speaker by using brown coffee filter paper and watered down Elmer's Glue and then I completely stripped the old finish off the cabinet of the radio and refinished with a couple of coats of Minwax #224 Special Walnut Stain followed up by 2 coats of Polyurathane with some light sanding with 220 grit sandpaper in between coats.
I think the finished product turned out pretty good for being my very first radio cabinet refinishing project.
Before and after pictures posted below.