[Guest]

I have a Philco model 96 Lowboy that looks identical to the attached link minus the finish. I have removed the old stain someone had applied over the years and filled in the scratches/dents. What do I put on this to finish it?

http://www.philcoradio.com/gallery/1930a.htm#c

[Ron Ramirez]

Hello and welcome.

The original finish was tinted lacquer (Medium Walnut or Perfect Brown) with clear lacquer on top. Depending on what you have used on the cabinet, you may - or may not - be able to reapply a lacquer finish.

If any products containing silicone were used on the cabinet, the lacquer will not adhere to the surface correctly; instead, it will "fisheye" and not look right.

[Guest]

I see I put my question under the under the wrong topic - should have been "Philco Cabinet Restoration" instead of "Philco Electronic Restoration". A novice mistake...sorry about that Ron. Thank you for the reply. I am a novice at restoring furniture as well. I used Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Filler which from what I understand I don't think it contains Silicone so I think I am okay?

You indicated above that the top finish is clear lacquer and the rest of the cabinet is a tinted lacquer. I thought that the two panels on the front (panels to left and right of center) might also have been clear because of the pretty patterns on the panels but, now that you say it, it makes sense that the color on the front would all be the same.

Thanks for you help.

[Ron Ramirez]

I see I put my question under the under the wrong topic - should have been "Philco Cabinet Restoration" instead of "Philco Electronic Restoration".

Not a problem - I will move it for you

I used Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Filler which from what I understand I don't think it contains Silicone so I think I am okay?

Yes, if that is all that you used on the cabinet.

You indicated above that the top finish is clear lacquer and the rest of the cabinet is a tinted lacquer. I thought that the two panels on the front (panels to left and right of center) might also have been clear because of the pretty patterns on the panels but, now that you say it, it makes sense that the color on the front would all be the same.

Radio cabinet manufacturers generally used tinted lacquer instead of stains - tinted lacquer gives a more uniform color overall, on different types of wood, than stains do.

[Arran]

I'm not certain but I think that the Philco 96 in the picture may have been refinished already, I seem to remember that my model 96 had some shading or fogging around the edges of the front panels and that the sides of the cabinet were an extra dark walnut. I took some pictures of the cabinet before I stripped it, I don't know how to post here but I could email them, the cabinet was beat up and the finish rather weathered but it still gives some hint of the different contrasts in shade.
Best Regards
Arran

[Ron Ramirez]

Arran,

You're right. Good catch. The control panel should be somewhat lighter than the rest of the cabinet, in a sort of "sunburst" pattern. If you look at the 96 highboy and the 296 radio-phonograph on the same Gallery page, you can see this effect.