[Steve Davis]

I have been planning to make reproduction Philco 70 and 90 cabinets for quite some time, but with everything that has been going on the past two years, the project has been on the back burner. Well, I have finally found time to get back to the project. I just finished the first 70 cabinet. Here are some pictures.


[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4370/3654...e227_z.jpg]105_0788-1 by Steve Davis, on Flickr

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4381/3700...9052_z.jpg]105_0789-1 by Steve Davis, on Flickr

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4412/3654...78e7_z.jpg]105_0790-1 by Steve Davis, on Flickr
The first three 70 cabinets have been spoken for after that I plan to make a 90.

Steve

[OldRestorer]

Not bad

Thats just amazing. how the heck did you do it. I need those tools!

[morzh]

Wow. Better than factory.

Ed Coombs is smiling at you in heaven, Steve.

[klondike98]

Very Nice Steve!!!

[gregb]

WOW, fantastic! Wish I had half that much talent.

Gregb

[Arran]

Steve;
Will you be offering a choice between walnut and mahogany veneer in the front panel? Will you also be offering a choice between the grain of the veneer over the arch being vertically or horizontally oriented? I think I found a router bit that closely replicates the profile around the inside of the speaker grille cutouts on those, and on some 1932-33 era Philco consoles, it's a small Powersonic beading bit, I want to try it on some plywood to see what it does.
Regards
Arran

[Ron Ramirez]

Wow. Better than factory.

+1

[jerryhawthorne]

Steve, that is just lovely. Kirk, it is not just the tools but the talent to use them. Steve, you are a master of your trade. I could go to Steve's shop and never produce something that perfect or even close.
Best, Jerry

[Steve Davis]

Arran, I will offer different options if the customer wants.

I have two original 70 cabinets and one 90 and none of them have exactly the same profile on the edge of the arches. I just had to pick one as a pattern to grind the moulding knives. So, who knows, your bit may be close to some 70. Where did you find the bit?

[Steve Davis]

Kirk, it is not just the tools but the talent to use them.

From what I have seen, Kirk does have the talent!

Steve

[jerryhawthorne]

Not suggesting Kirk does not have the talent, only I don't!
Jerry

[Arran]

Steve;
I got the bit from a place here called "Midland Tool" , I spotted it one day in their router bit selection and then waited until they had a store wide sale to buy it. It's called a PowerSonic beading bit, but I don't know if the label is exactly accurate, it claims to be 3/4'' in diameter, 7/32'' high, and to have a 3/8'' inch radius, which I assume means that the arc would be formed from a circle having a 3/8'' radius. It was imported by Samona International, Burnaby, B.C., the part number is 38380. I can't speak for the grill of a model 70 or 90 as I don't have one to examine and compare it to, but the profile looks very close to the profile around the inside of the grill of my 60L, and likely an 89L.
Regards
Arran

[Phlogiston]

Are you going to mark them in some way as reproductions. I can see them turning up on E-Pay being sold as originals (that is a complement).

[tab10672]

The cabinet is beautiful but it's also nice to know individual cabinet pieces are available again (I think mr. Oliver may have passed on?) I would have had just another parts cabinet, but thanks to you it will live again.

[Arran]

I don't really see that as a concern, for one thing the originals, even well kept ones, will have signs of aging and wear. If I am not mistaken they may also have cabinet shop markings such as stamps, not to mention paper labels. To be honest though, unlike the brand Z "Waltons" models there isn't much profit incentive to commit fraud by passing off one of these as a original, particularly when you add up the parts, and matching the correct interior finish, external finish, dirt, aging, most fleabay sellers don't have the know how or the motivation to pull that off.
In fact I doubt whether you would get any more or less for a 90 with a good repro cabinet and finish as opposed to a restored original. Everyone that I have heard of who bought a Dick Oliver 20, 70, or 90 cabinet did so because they had a spare chassis and speaker, or had a complete set with a wrecked cabinet.
Regards
Arran