[Gene Pederson]

Geoff,
I started with "perfect brown" but had to go to "Brown Mahogany" due to some filling of dents etc that were showing through.

Yes, I think this color looks good and should make the set look nice overall even if it is not the original color scheme.

Gene

[Gene Pederson]

Update 5/29/12

It's been a frustrating week and a half.........I ordered the graining pens and backround markers from Pond Cove Paint on Monday morning 5/21/12. Initially I did the order online and when I got to the checkout it was going to cost $17 and change for shipping Fedex. In reality I am 3 1/4 hrs from Portland, Me.

Being as cheap as I am I decided to call the order in and use USPS which should be a lot cheaper (we are talking about 10 magic marker sized pieces here). I got the impression on the phone they really don't like doing phone orders or using the postal service. But the guy said he would e-mail me with the total including postage.

No e-mail Monday; No e-mail Tuesday; Wednesday AM I called them back to check on my order. On hold for two min while he located the order. HHmmmmm. On hold again while he gets the shipping figure HHmmmmm. He says it should ship Thursday and I will have it possibly Saturday or if not Tuesday. Well I check my account I used to pay with on Thurs....not taken. Check again Fri........not taken. Checked it today after the holiday weekend and it finally has been processed.

So I figure they will get here Thursday if I'm lucky.

Last night I set up an account with The Wood Finishers Store in CALIFORNIA. I figure I can get any items I want just as fast and their prices are actually lower, so it should be a wash even if the shipping is more.

My other option is to have my sister who lives in Portland go to the store and pick it up and she could mail it a whole lot faster than these Yahoos.

After this frustration, I would NOT recommend Pond Cove Paint to anyone!!

Gene

[Arran]

I started with "perfect brown" but had to go to "Brown Mahogany" due to some filling of dents etc that were showing through.

Yes, I think this color looks good and should make the set look nice overall even if it is not the original color scheme.

Just for future reference if you have some dents to deal with try steaming them out with a damp rag and an old clothes iron or even a soldering iron. You will be surprised how well it works and it makes many dents just about invisible.
Regards
Arran

[morzh]

Wow! Great technique if it works.
Do you use it on the stripped wood/veneer or droes it also work on finished one?

[Arran]

Wow! Great technique if it works.
Do you use it on the stripped wood/veneer or droes it also work on finished one?

It works on either, but it may cause laquer to blush so I recommend using it either on a stripped cabinet or one about to be stripped.
Regards
Arran

[Gene Pederson]

Thanks for the info on the dents Arran.

UPDATE: My graining pens and markers finally made it here yesterday.
The verdict is these will not do what I had hoped. I am unable to match the base color after several tries. Another problem seems to be that the layer of wood under the veneer has the grain going the opposite way which is very difficult to hide.

After thinking about trying the peel n stick veneer I decided against that also. Walnut isn't too badly priced @ $38.50 for a 2ft X 4ft piece, but the closest to the light wood is birds eye maple which is $138.00 a sheet. So I am going to respray the lacquer, reassemble the case and get to work on the chassis. Put a doiley on the top and if I get lucky, find another case somewhere down the road.

It has been another learning experience with these wonderful old radios, and as I think I stated somewhere earlier woodworking is not my forte. But it was definately worth a shot.

Thanks for all the positive info and comments!

Gene

[codefox1]

Well, don't give up yet. Underlying wood can be filled with filler or glue and made to be "white." Then use pens, or oil pigments with a spotting brush to get color and grain correct.

If you are a little shaky, get an artistic kid to help you. As a rule, Girls have better visual acuity. Let dry for a week or more, and you can then use sprayed toned lacquer. After the repairs disappear or become OK to you, a few more coats of clear will be in order.

Or not.

[Eliot Ness]

I second what codefox1 recommended. I've seen guys use artists oil paints to blend in the color and then fine tip pens or markers to draw in the grain. With a little trial and error I bet you can make those spots blend in pretty well.

[Arran]

UPDATE: My graining pens and markers finally made it here yesterday.
The verdict is these will not do what I had hoped. I am unable to match the base color after several tries. Another problem seems to be that the layer of wood under the veneer has the grain going the opposite way which is very difficult to hide.

After thinking about trying the peel n stick veneer I decided against that also. Walnut isn't too badly priced @ $38.50 for a 2ft X 4ft piece, but the closest to the light wood is birds eye maple which is $138.00 a sheet. So I am going to respray the lacquer, reassemble the case and get to work on the chassis. Put a doiley on the top and if I get lucky, find another case somewhere down the road.

It has been another learning experience with these wonderful old radios, and as I think I stated somewhere earlier woodworking is not my forte. But it was definately worth a shot.

Thanks for all the positive info and comments!

Gene

Those are some pretty expensive prices for veneer, but then again a 24 inch wide piece would cost a lot more then a piece 14 inches or narrower, most radios used narrower strips of veneer but book matched pices parallel to each other. I would also have a look on fleabay to see what they have there. There is a seller that I have bought from before (brkgas is his user name) that often carries bird's eye maple and many other species, but they often come in lots of 50 square feet and things, but there are others with smaller lots too, sometime single strips. Albert Constantine carries a lot of veneers and their prices aren't too bad. I would contact Bob Andersen about where he gets his veneer.
Regards
Arran

[Gene Pederson]

The veneer prices ARE from Constantine's. Didn't find anything on the bay. As was suggested, I will go down to the paint store and see about getting some artists paint to see if I can match it that way.

Probably won't be until Monday as it is alumni weekend here. Claremont has the distinction of having the oldest active alumni association in the United States!

I have found a couple 262's on CL, but they are too far away and unless I can see some really good photos or else look at it in person, I won't be buying another one too soon.

Gene

[Gene Pederson]

OK, Moving right along....purchased some oil paints and mixed up a pretty close match (I think) for the base. Need to allow it to dry thoroughly and then add in the graining. I'll see how it turns out and if I will have to redo it again. I am hoping not.
[Image: http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z345...inted4.jpg]
[Image: http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z345...inted3.jpg]
[Image: http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z345...inted2.jpg]
[Image: http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z345...inted1.jpg]
[Image: http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z345...ainted.jpg]
[Image: http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z345...M_0026.jpg]

Gene

[Ron Ramirez]

Looks good so far. I think you'll be fine. Keep telling yourself...you can do it!

[Gene Pederson]

Thanks for the encouragement Ron! This definately turned into a much larger project than I originally thought it would be.

Gene

[Ron Ramirez]

They always do, don't they? Like with me and my 41-616. Hang in there, don't get discouraged.

[codefox1]

Nice little article which sums up pretty well about "color" Looks like you are going to do just fine on this cabinet.

http://painting.about.com/od/colourtheor...chroma.htm