[Groundhog74]

On the 30's Philcos. I currently own 5 30's vintage Philcos. The ones with the original finish are glossy. I refinished one other to a satin finish simply because I liked the look better. The first one I bought had been re-done by the previous owner and it was satin. Currently I am working on a Model 90 Baby Grand. What is the period correct finish? Gloss or Satin? On the Model 90, I want it to be as close to original in appearance as possible without going too far into OCD.
Also, when spraying DEFT lacquer from the can, at what temperature and humidity level is it "safe". Being in Indiana, the warm, low humidity days are going to be few and far between until next spring.

[Ron Ramirez]

Groundhog

What part of Indiana are you in?

I would not use Deft below about 55 degrees F, nor would I use it above 90 degrees F. Others will have their opinions, which are most welcome.

Oh, and gloss was the original finish used, even though semi-gloss often looks better on the table models.

[Groundhog74]

Kokomo. Thanks I was thinking gloss was period correct. It seems like a lot of folks go with satin now because it looks better to "modern" eyes.
I hope we get a warm day or two soon....yeah..right.

[Ron Ramirez]

Kokomo, eh? Convenient for you since IHRS holds their largest meet of the year every spring right there in your town. Now, I'm down here in southern Indiana - the true southern Indiana, not what the idiots in the central part of the state call "southern" Indiana (Bloomington, Nashville, Columbus). Those in Indianapolis consider us to be part of Kentucky except when it comes time to collect taxes.

The temperature is supposed to get up into the 60s this weekend here in my part of the state. I actually sprayed lacquer last Saturday with the temperature around 57, and it worked out OK.

Yes, many collectors prefer satin or semi-gloss. I've been using semi-gloss on table models but I'm tempted to put the high gloss on the 42-761EZ that I spent a lot of the summer working on.

[Bob Andersen]

I've sprayed in the 50s as well, but I try to get it back inside to a warmer area ASAP. I generally use gloss and rub the finish out with steel wool or pumice to knock down the shine.

[Ron Ramirez]

Yeah, that's exactly what I did last Saturday, Bob - I sprayed the lacquer, then took the cabinet inside right away. Wife was out of town at the time so no worries about the lacquer smell in the house.

[Bob Andersen]

LOL - I just put a coat on my 623 and brought it back inside. Boy is that Mohawk stinky

It also a good idea to keep the spray cans warm. There's noticeable difference with a 50F versus a 75F can.

[Ron Ramirez]

My stash of Mohawk and Deft is kept in the house, so no problems there. And you raise an excellent point - the ambient temperature should be fairly warm but the lacquer and the cabinet both definitely need to be warm.

[Groundhog74]

I got into the hobby about June of this year so I missed the last IHRS meet. Saving my allowance for the next one to be sure. Good idea about keeping your cans warm since I only heat my garage just prior to going out there to do whatever. I think I'll spray the 90 with gloss. I can always hit it with the 0000 steel wool later. I looked up your town on the web, you are pretty far south. We ride Harleys quite a bit in the Brown County area, the women can't get enough of Nashville, occasionally make it as far south as Madison, haven't been in your neck of the woods much. That far down usually involves an overnighter. Hard to get many folks on a ride that have the time (or the money) for that anymore.

[Ron Ramirez]

Yep, we're only about 3,000 miles from Indy. OK, more like 137 miles; 173 if traveling by interstate (I-64 to Louisville, then I-65 north). It just seems like 3,000 when driving there, especially when taking the more direct route - which is mostly 2-lane roads. Less miles but more time.

Yeah, there is something about Nashville, Indiana that women love. I don't know what it is. Debbie and I went there once. Just a trendy tourist trap, to me. It was on that trip that some shmendrik scratched my Mustang while it was parked in a lot.

[Steve Davis]

Yeah, that's exactly what I did last Saturday, Bob - I sprayed the lacquer, then took the cabinet inside right away. Wife was out of town at the time so no worries about the lacquer smell in the house.

I couldn't get by with that. Theresa has a sensitive nose, if she came home a week later, she would still smell it.

The main thing to remember about spraying lacquer in lower temperatures is, it is much easier to get a run.

Steve

[Arran]

Gloss most definitely, satin has flattening agents in it that make the lacquer, or even varnish, softer and more prone to damage. I have a G.E J-82 that someone refinished with satin lacquer and it's full of scratches and scuff marks near the base because it was too soft. Even so I don't like the look on an old radio cabinet, it is like clear coated paint on a vintage car it just looks wrong. If you don't like the gloss you can always rub it out as Bob suggests.
Regards
Arran

[Ron Ramirez]

I couldn't get by with that. Theresa has a sensitive nose, if she came home a week later, she would still smell it.

Oh, as soon as Debbie came home the next day, I asked her to come upstairs to see the 42-761 cabinet. She immediately began to hold her nose as she quickly looked the cabinet over, told me it looked great, and then headed back downstairs to get away from the smell.

By then I no longer smelled it.

I think any woman can smell lacquer fumes a mile away, even if it is a week old.

[Groundhog74]

Nashville, for me is just tradition. I have been there every year at least once, usually in the fall, since I can remember and I'll be turning 57 this month. When I went as a kid with my parents it was always during the busiest day of the year, and my mom would enter a store and meticulously look at EVERY item on EVERY shelf just in case one thing was priced a little lower than it's counterparts. Of course my sister and I were bored and constantly getting yelled at. It was something right out of a Jean Shepherd story.
I swore the other day when I bought the 90 I was going to stop for a while until I got caught up. Then I ran into a guy that used to work for me and while we were catching up I told him about the radio hobby. He said "I almost started that a few years ago...I have two old wooden radios I'll just give you". And so it goes.

[Radioguy52]

I recently completed my 15X console and wanted clear Gloss. I toned it with Mohawk but used Valspar Clear Glossy Lacquer from Lowes. I have used Deft and Mohawk in the past but really liked how easy Valspar was to work with in cool and humid conditions. I had ZERO Runs.