[morzh]

This is also the last radio from my 1938 38-12-family; the rest have been restored.

so, I have

38-15 (the very first I got)
38-12 in the same brown backelite as this one
38-12 in plain wood cabinet
38-12 in painted white cabinet
38-14 in a brown backelite cabinet.
I wish I did not miss that auction for the white plaskon 38-12. Maybe one day it will fall in my lap.

Now off to other projects.

[MrFixr55]

Lookin' good Morzh.

Front looks really nice. As for the shoe polish, one can try it on the inside of the cabinet under the chassis. Like the instructions on fabric cleaners state, "Test on an inconspicuous spot".

[Arran]

I see that Mike is gathering a good collection of this series. Were there battery powered versions of this series as well, there was for the Canadian market, at least in the Bakelite cabinet?
Regards
Arran

P.S I answered my own question by looking these sets up in the gallery, they reused the cabinet for the 38-14 in a battery model in 1940 in the U.S models, that doesn't mean that they did not in the Canadian market, they tended to have wider offering among battery sets here.

[morzh]

Arran

That cabinet was popular and used the next year also, like in TH-3 and in 1940 in 40-90.
They also liked the dial and used it in portable 40-504.

Also in 1941 (PT-30)




Mr. Fixr

I have already used that polish on the same exact cabinet several years ago; I have 38-12 that I tried it on. I did not start in inconspicuous place as I did not expect anything bad from shoe polish on Bakelite. Worked well.

[RadioSvit]

Michael, I used to use Tempo wax-based car polish to polish carbolite cases. This gave excellent results for many years, as the protective layer of wax preserved the shine of the carbolite for a long time and protected it from oxidation and clouding. I think that you can easily find a similar polishing car paste in the United States.

[morzh]

Yeah. Some Turtlewax.

[Paul Philco322]

Early on in video.

Paul

[radiorich]

Hello mike,
Well , the radio came out really nice and sounds good too.

Sincerely Richard
P.S. I have that exact set .

[morzh]

Rich

Thanks. Considering the start condition, it is not bad.




Paul

Is that one at 1:19 timestamp? It is not classical per se, unless you meant something else; I think it is pop-orchestra / big band playing some easy listening music.
Otherwise I have not heard anything further.

[RodB]

I am always skeptical about using an abrasive wax on bakelite. That coating on bakelite only lasts so long before you're down to the substrate. After that, no more shine. I had 2 cabinets in that condition and was able to use cherry Restor-A-Finish then a couple coats of beeswax to get a decent finish. It took a month for the Restor-A-Finish to completely dry.

[morzh]

I am not even sure I want to do anything else to it.
there is some patina; it is well-earned and is a sign of maturity
I'll leave it be.

[MrFixr55]

Well earned Patina?  Sign of maturity?  Are we talking about old radios or old us?

I resemble that remark! 
- Slip Mahoney of the Bowery Boys

[morzh]

Why do you think we are doing it?
We are saving kindred spirits!
"We be of one blood, thou and I".