Hello, I've been working on restoring a Northern Electric 1051a and the chassis looks to be copper plated or painted, not sure. I have found what looks like the worst section and clean it using navel jelly letting it sit for 5 mins. The result was fair to bad . I'm not sure if should paint or clear coat the chassis after i clean it all. I'd like some input here and to know if anybody had good luck painting such chassis matching it to this similar color? and what they used for paint...

Thanks, Corey

First, I'd try some good metal polish, such as Simichrome. If that did not work, I'd paint it.

If you would like to see a chassis paint job that came out pretty good using Krylon primer and Rustoleum Appliance Epoxy take a look here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8aQzihx0r4 Look at about 4:30 for the start of the painting.

It's not my work. I just think it came out pretty good.

Curtis Eickerman

or this technique http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dbANTNvavI

Well I've been very busy working on the push button assembly for this radio the last few days taking longer then i had thought it would. It was just today i had got around to try to polish the spot on the chassis. I don't happen to have any Simichrome just Brasso and to my surprise it turned out better then i had guessed. There is a rough uneven looking and feeling surface left but after 72 years its sure got a reason to be.

I have painted several chassis's before but never a copper plated one so for this one I think for fun I'll leave the option of painting it or not here and so what the vote is...

Thanks, Corey

Looks like it will be fine, clean her up!

Hi,
Personally, I'd clean it up like you started, then let it age gracefully.
Applying a clear coat, the clear might peel later on and make it look worse.

If one decides to paint a chassis, you could use one of the Hammertone colors. It leaves a slight texture and hammered effect. Or use a pewter color enamel available at craft stores, etc.
I had a person give me a chassis once and it was sprayed with silver aluminum paint! Hideous thing, I had to remove it.

Well i guess the vote is to clean it up and i can agree to that. The plan was if i was to not paint it then to clear coat the chassis after i polish it as i noticed it tarnishes quickly in just a few days and i even had a coat of wax on it. On some copper plated brackets it appears to have been clear coat originally so likely the chassis was as well but peeled away.. Not sure what i'll do now after i clean it up..

+1 on clean it. Let the lady show a little of her age, she has earned it. The best of paint jobs, well, look like paint jobs. Better than a Seriously rusted chassis that shows no hope. Yours looks nice cleaned.
Jerry

Clean it, restore the electronics, do whatever ya have to, to the cabinet, and then enjoy it!

Once it's back together, how often are ya gonna turn it around to look at the chassis anyways, lol? And if there's a back cover with a loop antenna affixed to it, you won't see it at all.