I have a couple of the 1938 era Zeniths like the 9S262 on which the veneer on the top rolls down across the front.

I don't consider myself a perfectionist, but I have some experience with woodworking and auto painting, so I'm used to looking for flaws in curves. Presently, I'm working my way through 300 board feet of oak and 100 of walnut. I know wood changes shape, especially with time. I realize these radios are 80 years old, which is ancient to most people, but most of what I live with is much older.

The problem is that there is a visible dip in the veneer between the front and the back of the radio. It is what I noticed immediately on the 9S232 rather than the missing speaker and grill cloth. A straight edge running front to back has a dip forward of the middle of 0.015 inches, which is the thickness of 3 sheet of paper. I'm sure many people wouldn't notice it, but it is obvious to a trained eye.

This seems too much to have been original, but could just be a symptom of differential expansion of the frame from age. A 6S254 is similar.

Is this normal?

John

That seems unusual to me as mostly I see radios that bow (dip down) across the width. At the front they are flat but not across the back. Obviously not enough bracing rather than needing a thicker ply which doesnt always solve the problem.

If you don't keep looking specifically at that, to me, tiny flaw it will eventually go away. Taking up Yoga meditation may help

Gary

Cover up this hideous defect with a plant, clock, etc.

Your not to picky, I had to repair several tops that were sunken down. But this rare Majestic was worth it to me.

Fred,

Thanks for your post. Nice work on the Majestic. I think I read all of your threads before I joined. Its an impressive body of work. I've gone through thousands of BF of solid lumber, but veneering is in the distant past. If you don't mind, which gluing method do you use? When I last veneered, contact cement was the normal glue. This wasn't a problem for flat 2 dimensional surfaces, but it is unforgiving. Making it around the curve seems tricky.

John

I use both contact cement and yellow glue but I'm doing more and more yellow wood glue. There are you tube videos on gluing veneer. Takes practice. You Just have to read up on it and practice on some cabinets or some furniture or scrap wood.