Hello!

I have plans to restore an antique Mohawk radio. The only thing is : I never did this kind of job and I want to learn!

I want to manually sand the cabinet. I don't want to use electronics stuff like rotative sander, etc.

What is the common tools I need to have? Kind of paper sander? Kind of cleaning stuff? (wood cleaning, kind of wood varnish).

There is some wood part missing from the speaker grill. What is the tool/material I need to repair this?

Thanks you!

Guy

Do not sand the cabinet. That old finish is very likely lacquer which will easily come off with a rag and lacquer thinner. Sanding can damage the thin veneer or leave marks. Plus it's a ton of work.

http://www.antiqueradios.com/features/lacquer.html

Do not sand the wood, for the reason just mentioned..
Follow the instructions on the link I gave you .. I have been using this method for years and it works very well.
Dan in Calgary

You guys saved me a lot of trouble !! I will see how this method works first. Thank you so much !!

Guy

Humm... quick question here

In the instructions, it says : "In a jar, mix one part shellac to five parts of denatured alcohol to make a thin "sealer" coat"

I don't really understand what it is. It is like... 1 x 100ml of shellac and 5 x 100ml of denatured alcohol?

Thanks !

Guy

It is a one to five mixture. For example ,,,,one ounce of shellac and five ounces of denatured
alcohol .[gas line antifreeze].
Just apply it with a good paint brush. Follow the grain of the wood.
One coat is all you will need.
It will dry very fast, like in about two minutes.
Dan in Calgary

Hello!

I just finished to stipper the radio. I used Methyl Hydrate (shop recommandation and the guy was saying I do not need lacquer thinner) to clean the lacquer surface but now I have a milky surface... I don't like that.

I read on the net I need to lower my humidity but I am already at 40% and less and 23c.

What I can use to remove that milky surface?

Thanks in advance!

Guy

After I strip a cabinet I wipe it down with a clean cloth dipped in lacquer thinner, then I go over the cabinet with minwax oil stain, after a couple of days I go back and use aniline dye for the lighter areas of the cabinet. Let it sit another day or so and use clear semi-gloss lacquer is a rattle can.

I cleaned one side using lacquer thinner but I still have the milky color. Here some picture. Is this bad for the lacquer wood? I am wondering if the oil stain will resolve this issue... Here some picture.

EDIT : I used a steel wool #0000 to apply the lacquer thinner.

I think with steel wool you're simply pushing the residue around, but not moping it up. I'd try some rags with lacquer thinner. You need to replace the rag often as it becomes saturated with the old finish. Too bad the guy at the store insisted you use the Methyl Hydrate, because lacquer thinner alone would have been much simpler to deal with. Even so the worst part is behind you. I really like that Mohawks cabinet styling, especially the curved top.

When I do my cabinets I use a 50/50 mixture of lacquer thinner and acetone.
I use it with the 0000 steel wool For the tight spots I use a BRASS wire brush, as it does not dig into the wood.Then I go over it with the same solution using a rag..
When the rag soaks up the old finish I use a new rag. Do this until the rags you use come out clean..

Then I wipe down the cabinet with a clean rag soaked with methyl hydrate.
if the cabinet ends up having a whitish color it does not matter as it will dissolve or go away when you put on the sealer
Before I put on the sealer I usually wipe down the cabinet with methyl hydrate The actual sealer is [one part shellac and five parts methyl hydrate].
If you try this method on a scrap piece of wood or a junker cabinet, you will see how it works.
Here are a couple of photos showing the cabinet as I was stripping it , showing the whitish areas . and then the finished cabinet.

Dan in Cagary

Guys, thank you for these informations !

I bought some rag at the store. I will give it a try!

Other question here regarding the finish : what is the best

1) Shellac + methyl hydrate?

2) crystal semi-gloss lacquer (Minwax product)?

I never did that before :/

Thank you!!

Guy

Guy;
I use Mohawk lacquer for the finish. you can get it in various sheens from shiny to a low gloss.
Most of the radios that were made in the 1930s had a lacquer finish.
I also use the Mohawk toned lacquer for the parts you want to be darker.
You can get it in quite a few colors, and I like the extra dark walnut for around the bottom,
and the Vandyke brown for some of the other areas that you want to be darker, but not as dark as the bottom.
Dan in Calgary.

Hi Dan,

With what I understand, I can use spray toned lacquer for some areas (if desired) and no need to apply a shellac/methyl hydrate on that after?
Is the toned lacquer contain already a kind of shellac/vanish or I really need to apply a coat of shellac/methyl?

Very sorry for my ignorance, I don't want to miss a step! I am about to buy all the stuff today if available!

FIRST --------- Strip the cabinet using 50/50 mixture of lacquer thinner and acetone.
SECOND ------ Apply a coat of dark walnut or extra dark walnut stain to the whole cabinet. Let dry for a day.
Then wipe it down with a dry cloth, just to get any excess stain off.
THIRD--------Apply the 1 to 5 mixture of shellac and methyl hydrate .. It will dry in a minute or two.
FOURTH----------- mask off the areas [like in my photos]
-FIFTH--------Spray on the toned lacquer.
SIXTH--------spray on the finish coats of lacquer, over the whole cabinet
This is about all I do with the cabinets.
If you are worried about getting it wrong and making a mess with the cabinet,,try it on a similar cabinet.
or a piece of the same kind of wood.
Just take your time and it will come out fine. Email me if you want and I can send you some photos,
of cabinets I have done using this method.
IT WORK VERY WELL.
Dan in Calgary

Chaz,

What is your thoughts on the advantage of using the 50/50 mixture of acetone and lacquer thinner, vs straight lacquer thinner? Are you after a higher evaporation rate? I always understood there was a small amount of acetone in lacquer thinner, but I don't understand the advantage of adding more. I have mixed denatured alcohol with lacquer thinner to slow it down when you want more working time, such as amalgamating the surface of an old crazed lacquered finish, which is basically what was in the old Formby's refinisher product.

Also you're not using any grain filler with your process, other than the shellac wash coat?

Thanks!

Hi Kevin;
I am not an expert in refinishing, by any means.
I have learned by doing and reading, and what others have told me.
I have used grain filler on some radios and not on others. I think it depends on just how smooth a finish you want.
For the 50/50 mixture well that was what I was told to use and it works for me .. I suppose it would be OK to use straight lacquer thinner.
I look at it this way

If it works and gives me a nice finish I will continue to do it that way.
I have sold quite a few radios that I have refinished, and I have not had any complaints. But you know there are those who are fanatical about some things, and I suppose for them, it must be done a certain way. Each to his own,
I just enjoy this hobby and try to pass on any information I have that I think will help others. Here are some photos of radio I have done using this method.

Hi Dan,

I just saw your work on the cabinet (pictures) . They look awesome!!!

For the toned lacque, do you think this will works? https://www.rona.ca/en/laque-03305549--2

It seems I don't have Mohawk product here in Canada.

I just bought Dark Walnut stain (MINWAX products) and the clear semi gloss lacque for the final finish. I am almost ready to do the work !

I know they have Mohawk in Canada as I live in Alberta.
You can try some paint suppliers and see if they have it .
The product you are talking about in your link is high gloss lacquer and you can use it for the finishing coat..

It is NOT a toned lacquer
Most of the guys on the forum use Mohawk toned lacquer and I do also.. If you use it and the color is not what you like you can take it off with lacquer thinner.
That is the nice thing about it.
You might have to do some searching to find Mohawk toned lacquer and I would suggest
you google it and see where you can get it in Canada in your area.
You might have to contact them and have it shipped to you ..
Dan in Calgary.

I did forget to mention that you can go over the whole cabinet with the dark walnut stain.
But in order for the bottom and possibly around the top to be darker ;;stain will not work;;
that is where the toner comes in.

Dan in Calgary