[Steve Davis]

Ron, I can't count the times I've had runs or have a spray gun drip on a cabinet and have to sand them out or even strip and start over.

Steve

[Eliot Ness]

It's looking pretty good Ron.  The nice thing about lacquer is it's fairly easy to correct those mistakes (most of the time).  Taking a few days break is probably a good idea.  What brand of grain filler are you using?  If you already said what it is I must have missed it.

[Ron Ramirez]

John - I didn't say, sorry - Behlen Pore-O-Pac, Medium Walnut. Thanks for the compliments!

Steve - I'm sure you have had your share of errors, but the end results of your cabinet work are always wonderful.

[Ron Ramirez]

Oh, and as I have three cabinet threads going at once since two are RCA and one is Philco, I posted the following in the Philco cabinet thread but it applies here:

I've been thinking about it, and on the RCA 6T2 I think I am going to try a combination of very light wet sanding and a few spritzes of Mohawk's Blender Flow-Out, which is supposed to help flow out lacquer (I happen to have a can of that on hand). Barring that I could get one of those fill-it-yourself spray cans from Home Depot, fill it with lacquer thinner, and spritz a little on the trouble areas (with the cabinet lying on its back, of course). I've read previously that this is something some refinishers do when they get an orange peeled surface; spritzing lacquer thinner from a spray can supposedly smooths out the finish - again, when the surface is horizontal so the lacquer can't run.

On the Philco 66B, I will follow a similar course of light wet sanding, followed by spraying some Medium Walnut in a spray can lid and applying it with a brush to the bare spots, wait a day or two, then spritz that area with Blender Flow-Out.

I'm cautiously optimistic at this point that I can salvage both cabinet jobs and that they will turn out OK.

[morzh]

Ron,

the only one at the bottom left (the last one) looks noticeable; the rest you have to squint to see as the surface is dark, and they are noticeable here as on the photo they are blown up.

[Phlogiston]

Ron, you need a compressor and sprayer. All of these finishing issuers can easily be dealt with if you can adjust the material just a little.

Be careful of used compressors since wear can cause them to vaporize compressor oil creating fisheyes. BUT, even this can be dealt with if you can mix your own paint - not to mention, not being stuck with standard spray-can colors.

I have not calculated savings, but I would say that the equipment will pay for its self over the cost of cans in just a few years.

[Ron Ramirez]

Russ, maybe I do, but I can't justify the cost. Especially now, facing surgery for this lovely cancer. Besides, I don't do a yuuuge amount of cabinet refinishing...and I would then have to re-learn a new way of spraying...not to mention trying to figure out how to mix my own toners. I think I'll stick with the rattle cans.

[Ron Ramirez]

So...

Success.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...T2_025.jpg]

Sorry for the glare. This photo was taken with the cabinet face up on my workbench, with my LED shop light directly overhead.

I used a scrap piece of 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper and carefully sanded the areas with the drips.

I think it turned out very well indeed. I managed to knock down the drips to the point that they are (almost) level with the remainder of the surface, without burning through any toner...which was my goal.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...T2_026.jpg]

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...T2_027.jpg]

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...T2_028.jpg]

I'm glad I had that scrap piece of 1000 grit paper on my workbench. I believe it was the perfect choice for doing this. I think that anything coarser would have burned through the toner.

The remnants of the drips are showing up more in the close-up photos under the bright LED light than they do when just looking at them.

I'm very pleased with how this has turned out. I feel that now, with subsequent coats of clear lacquer and careful wet sanding, that I will be able to get these areas to the point that they will barely show up if at all.

And I don't think I will need the Blender Flow-Out after all (even though I have it if I need it).

[NostalgiaRadioTime]

  Looks great, Ron! Excellent work

[Ron Ramirez]

Thanks Greg...

...unfortunately, spraying the next two coats of clear revealed that the drip spots were still showing.

In addition, it was really hot and very humid when I sprayed the second two coats, so the finish did not turn out well - it had a powdery appearance in some areas of the cabinet. Yes, I know - it was the result of spraying lacquer when the weather is too hot and humid. The lacquer was drying in areas before it hit the cabinet.

I wet sanded the cabinet again today, going down to 600 grit and getting a bit more aggressive with the drip spots. Fortunately I did not burn through the toner (knocking wood), and the spots look better/smoother than ever now. Whether they will (mostly) disappear after the next two coats remains to be seen. The entire cabinet has been smoothed out by the wet sanding, although I need to wet sand the sides some more. The top and front are ready for the next coats.

The weather is supposed to be a bit milder tomorrow with less humidity, so I guess I'll try it again. I'm hoping the cabinet turns out smoother this time.

[Ron Ramirez]

Two more coats of clear, and I think the 6T2 cabinet is almost finished.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...T2_029.jpg]

Looks pretty good, eh? Take a close look at its problem areas:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...T2_030.jpg]

This is, or was, the worst of the lacquer drips. It is just barely showing now - and that is with very close inspection. I don't think the average Joe will notice it now.

And the other bad one, on the right side:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...T2_031.jpg]

GONE.

The shine is deep!

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...T2_032.jpg]

However...

Drip issues (mostly) fixed, another issue occurred. I was a bit over-zealous with spraying clear on the right side, and ended up with a nice run. This photo does not show it, but it is there just the same, near the top of the right side.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...T2_033.jpg]

However, I am optimistic that a careful wet sanding will take care of it, just as it did with the drips.

I think that after I wet sand the run that I will mask off the rest of the cabinet and spray that side only, laying it on its other side when I do. I don't think the rest of the cabinet needs any more clear. I'm satisfied with it (other than the run, that is).

[PhilcoJohn]

Wow Ron very nice! The radio will play just as nice when you finish it.

[Eliot Ness]

Looking good Ron 

You're inspiring me to try finishing a cabinet or two when I get settled.  I have a Walton cabinet that only needs another two or three coats to be finished.

[Ron Ramirez]

Thanks, John and John!

John (PhilcoJohn), with God's will, the first radio I work on after I recuperate from surgery will be the 6T2 chassis.

John (Eliot), this is just what I hope to accomplish by posting these cabinet threads - to show that anyone can do this, even without the professional setups of Russ, Steve, and others. Now, mind you, I will readily admit that one will achieve better results with the professional spray equipment. But the DIY-er can also achieve decent results with rattle cans. Not perfect, but decent.

And, as I've said before, I am no expert at refinishing cabinets. Not by a long shot. I just do the best that I can with what I have. At least I'm slowly gaining a much better looking radio collection.

I would like to have a Walton cabinet. I have a 9-S-262 chassis that needs a lot of work, and I bought it a few years ago in the (faint) hope that I might obtain a Walton cabinet eventually. But, oh my, those Walton cabinets are expensive!

[Eliot Ness]

I bought my Walton 7-J- 232 years ago from a buddy for something like $65.  I have a 9 tube chassis for it but decided to keep it original since the 7-J is somewhat unique from the others.  I replaced some veneer and shot a couple coats of lacquer, got sidetracked and never finished it