[scottwkurth]

I've recently decided to restore my grandfather's Philco 40-185 to its former glory. It has been collecting dust in a basement with a 41-295X for a very long time. My brother is going to attack the 41-295X after he sees how this project goes. The cabinet is in reasonably good shape but definitely needs work to spruce it up. I'm completely a novice at this, with only some minimal woodworking / finishing experience. I'm likely to have lots of questions and will appreciate any help that others can lend. This piece has a great deal of sentimental value and I don't want to screw it up!

I've got a couple key concerns:
1. Miscellaneous scratches all around the cabinet
2. Some chips from the veneer at edges or corners
3. A dark stain under the slats on the front
4. Final finish - currently it is very dull

For #1
After reading many of the other posts here in the forum and elsewhere, it seems that Howard's Restore-A-Finish seems to be recommended pretty regularly. I'm guessing that I'd need the Walnut color based on some of the other projects I've read about. Can someone confirm this?

I've also come across folks who recommend Mar-A-Way. Does anyone have experience with it or recommend it over the Howard's?

For #2
The chips are fairly small and seem to be just wear from rubbing against something as opposed to veneer breaking off in sheets. Given that, I'm guessing the best thing to do is use some form of stain/dye/lacquer to clean them up. The problem, however, is that I have no idea how to do that, especially without making a mess of the areas that aren't too bad off. I've read through many posts here but can't say I've read them all.

Can someone give me some tips on how to handle this or links to existing posts where it has already been covered?

For #3
If the treatment from #1 doesn't clear this up, I have no idea what to do. It looks like a stain but I suppose it is possible that it is just part of the grain. Any ideas?

For #4
Once I've cleaned up the chips, worked out the scratches / stains, and cleaned off the grime, how do I finish it off? Wax? Clear lacquer (which sounds scary to get right...)?

Thanks in advance for the help - I'm glad a forum like this exists!
Scott
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The full set of photos are here for the curious:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=20...1e89aee475