This is my first antique radio restoration and the first time working with veneer of any kind, never mind old veneer. I have watched a lot of videos on patching, and read a lot about putting on new veneer - in addition to reading the many posts on this forum.
I am posting a few photos of the cabinet. I am hoping to get some opinions to help guide my own. I think I know what I have to do, but I know so little there could be factors I am overlooking.
I assume this is the walnut I am looking at? Is that correct? (I believe this cabinet only came in walnut or maple.)
Photofinish -- This actually looks fairly decent. It has many surface scratches and some cracking, but it's an almost 80-year-old radio. I have more scratches and cracking and I'm only 45.
Left Side (when looking at the front) -- It is badly water damaged. The staining is discolored on 45 percent of it. About 85 percent is still glued down -- the rest has come unglued and cupped. Pieces are missing from the edges, especially at the bottom. There are several deep gouges. I think I am looking at replacing all of the veneer on this side, sad to say.
Right Side -- If I am to save this side, it is going to take tremendous work. There are some deep gouges to deal with, sections that are missing, and the bottom has come unglued and bubbled. I think with some craft and creativity, I can salvage this side. A major patching and reconditioning job.
Top -- Of all the veneer I think this is probably in the best shape. It needs to be cleaned up, refinished, and patched, but I think it's salvageable.
My thinking is to save as much of the original veneer as possible. Is that wrong-headed? Is this just too much damage? Should I replace both sides and the top just for uniformity? I would love to hear all your opinions. Thanks!
(This post was last modified: 02-20-2015, 10:54 PM by JimTheUmp.)
My local wood supplier sells 4X8 sheets of walnut veneer for $30.00, which is enough to finish a floor model radio. I think you can also purchase 4X4 sheets as well for half that price. In my humble opinion I would remove all the veneer and do a total replacement. Good luck.
Thanks guys, I was afraid of that. I sure wanted to keep as much as possible. But I think you're right. It would certainly be much easier to replace it than repair it, for sure. *sigh*
Not only will it be much easier, the grain splice and color would probably be noticeable as a repair. By replacing the whole panel/panels the matching grain figure will look more original with all 3 sides the same veneer.
I don't think the panels walnut veneer. I think it is an inexpensive veneer, possibly birch, toned dark to look like walnut. If you look closely at the grain pattern, it looks to be rotary cut. You might peal a small piece of the veneer and look at the back side.
(02-21-2015, 02:55 PM)Steve Davis Wrote: I don't think the panels walnut veneer. I think it is an inexpensive veneer, possibly birch, toned dark to look like walnut. If you look closely at the grain pattern, it looks to be rotary cut. You might peal a small piece of the veneer and look at the back side.
Steve
So the original walnut veneer would have been quartersawn?
The backside of the veneer told the story. Steve nailed it. This is not the original veneer. Looks like it was redone with some cheap veneer in the late 1960's. I can also see repairs to the cabinet that I hadn't noticed before. Thanks guys!
Jim, the veneer is probably original. I don't think Philco ever used walnut veneer on these cabinets. I believe they used a cheep veneer and toned it dark to look like walnut. They did the same thing on Clyde Shuler cabinets (16B, 18B etc.) I have ran across a couple of Clyde Shuler cabinets that had real walnut veneer on the wrap-around but the vast majority don't. They fooled a lot of people.
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