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Post by Peter on Jul 25, 2019 11:17:53 GMT 12
Dear Forum,
A friend of my wife has asked me to refinish the cabinet of an otherwise restored Ultimate BWU valve radio. I would like to do it as authentically as possible and therefore would be most grateful for any general comments that forum members can offer, but also more specific advice on the following topics.
1. Can you confirm that the moulded edges and the three vertical "dividers" on the top of the face of the cabinet would have originally been painted in a gloss black, as opposed to being stained and varnished?
2. The exterior of the cabinet appears to be in mahogany veneer, but the photo examples of this model that I have found online seem to differ somewhat in terms of colour. Perhaps this variation may be due to degradation of the original stain colour over time. Does anyone know whether there would have been a "standard" colour for this model, or have suggestions for what to use for a sensitive restoration?
Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Regards, PeterC
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Post by dada on Aug 1, 2019 12:43:37 GMT 12
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Steve
Society Members
vintageradio.co.nz
Posts: 732
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Post by Steve on Aug 20, 2019 15:01:30 GMT 12
Hi Peter, I can't confirm the exact finish on this model, but I believe the first (main) photo for this model on vintageradio.co.nz is probably original finish and original grill cloth. I would expect it to be a black nitrocellulose lacquer, and the body to be done in clear NC lacquer. It was probably piano finished when new, but I have no definitive proof of that. Sometimes old advertising photos pop up (like the black and white shot of the model 19 Columbus here: www.vintageradio.co.nz/model/columbus/19) which shows some evidence of the type of finish - satin in that models case I suspect... but I don't have anything like that for the BWU. Any major variances in the finish of different unrestored ones are likely to be nothing more than 80 years of UV degradation, polish, and wear & tear - although the model ran for at least an entire year and would have sold in a reasonable quantity - every single cabinet was different both in tones and grain patterns, so there would have been variation across the production cycle. So, I expect black lacquer for the trim, as shown, and gloss or satin clear over the entire cabinet. I tend to find straight clear can look a little bit blah though, and so my first coat will often get a touch of brown mixed in just to darken it up a bit. A good tip I was told a while back for satin finish is to use gloss on all undercoats and just satin on top - as the flatteners can build up and make the overall finish cloudy with multiple satin coats. So, in conclusion - sorry I can't answer your questions Cheers, Steve
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Post by Peter on Aug 30, 2019 16:29:52 GMT 12
I apologise for the delay in my response. Thank you Steve, the information you provided was just the amount of guidance I needed, despite the expected uncertainty about the “original” details. Incidentally, I fully agree with your philosophy and reasoning with respect to satin finishes. That method has been my own practice for many years, since having it recommended by a friend in the US, who is a professional finisher of some repute. Kind regards, Peter
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Steve
Society Members
vintageradio.co.nz
Posts: 732
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Post by Steve on Aug 30, 2019 17:32:17 GMT 12
You're welcome Peter, I hope you'll post some photos when you're done Cheers, Steve
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