I had bought this little console from a fellow ARF'er awhile back, and recently finished the electronic restoration. The cabinet is a minor fright, however, and never really having done woodwork, would like to know what the easiest and best method would be in order to strip it down to as bare as possible.

It's not really a rarity or historic piece of any kind, so rather than adhere to a strictly factory specific color, I'll want to refinish it in a Golden Oak tone, to match the furniture in my bedroom.

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

This is the method I use for my cabinets , and it has worked for years.

I would refinish it as close to this photo as possible, if you want it to look more original.
Dan in Calgary.

Cant see it Chaz I left my binoculars in my suburban.

http://radioatticarchives.com/archive.h ... =a4#Airlin

Go to this site and then go to Airline. scroll down to 62-301.
Sorry the photo was so small.
Dan in Calgary.

Doing well, staying busy restoring many different antiques from vending machines, to ice boxes with a few radios in between, hope you are well. Glad to hear you are enjoying the Philco, IMO a very nice radio.

I use methylene chloride for stripping cabinets, the semi paste works best for me. I use a flat very flexible three inch putty knife to scrap the finish and stripper off wiping the putty knife on a piece of newspaper. Once I have the finish off I wash the cabinet with a porous cloth with lacquer thinner. On the corners and base of the cabinet that is usually gum or popular I use alcohol based aniline dye, let it sit 24 hours and then go over the entire cabinet with minwax, in your case you wanted golden oak. Allow the cabinet to dry for a couple of days then I spray Deft sanding sealer and steel wool then four coats of Deft semi-gloss clear.

I would suggest using CitriStrip if you're just removing the original finish. The stronger, harsher chemical strippers aren't necessary. Save them for things with multiple layers of paint that have to come off.

Rather than scrape the finish off with a putty knife, go to a pet supply store and get some hamster bedding. You can grab handfuls and scrub the finish/remover sludge off quickly. It absorbs some of the liquid and has a slight roughness that cleans the surface without damaging it at all. Once it's finish free, apply a liberal amout of lacquer thinner and use more fresh, clean hamster bedding to remove it and anything it pulls up.

At that point you're ready to start the finishing process. There's no need to sand anything unless there is damage you need to remove (like scratches in the wood).

Finally got the cabinet stripped, using a variety of methods, CitriStrip, Tuff Strip, a wire brush, and a sander (whew, too much like real work, lol!)

I tried small applications of both Golden Oak and Red Oak stain on the bottom inside back wood piece, but didn't really care for it.

In looking at the picture of its -I presume- factory color, exactly what color is that? I could stain it that color, but I don't like the black on the grill bars or side trim, so I would want to use a somewhat darker wood stain. Any suggestions on what color would blend well for the trim would be appreciated.

Stain might not work too well on the trim. Possibly Mohawk Extra Dark Walnut for me.

Gary

I would be masking it off and also using Mohawk Extra Dark Walnut for the dark areas.
Dan in Calgary

So is Mohawk Extra Dark Walnut a paint, rather than a stain? Also, what would be the closest stain color for the majority of the cabinet?

Hi fifties -

If you don't want to go quite so dark as Mohawk Extra Dark Walnut, maybe try Mohawk Van Dyke Brown. I've had good success with that color toner.

Mohawk Extra Dark walnut is a toned lacquer. That means it is a lacquer with a color add into the lacquer.
It comes in spray cans.
If you mask of an area and use the Extra dark walnut, and you find it is too dark you can remove it with a 50/50 mixture of acetone and lacquer thinner. Then you can start over with another toned lacquer.
As mentioned Van Dyke brown is a good choice, and I have use it many times , because I do find that the Extra dark walnut is quite dark.
Refer back to the link I send earlier about recreating a 1930 finish.

Dan in Calgary

Thx guys, I'll look into the Van Dyke brown for the trim, but what wood color do you think would be closest to the original, at least as shown in the Radio Museum picture?

I have used dark walnut stain or extra dark walnut, on most of my radios.
Each person has a different method of redoing cabinets, but I usually stain the whole radio, and after it is dry I give it a coat of one part shellac and five parts mental hydrate [gas line antifreeze] as a sealer.
Then I lightly use 1500 grid sandpaper, just to take off the small bumps.
Then mask of the areas you want to use the toner on.
You my decide to use two different colors of toner for different areas of the cabinet,and in that case you must mask off each area separately.
Sometimes I use extra dark walnut on the bottom, and Vandyke brown on the upper portions.
It is a personal preference, and I don't think you or I will get it to be the exact same as the original one was ,anyway
After the toner is applied where you want it, you can start with the final coats of clear lacquer

Thx. I guess I'll mosey on down to the hardware store and look over the stain colors, see what might blend with the existing furniture in the room. I'll post a pic once I stain it.

Your work is exquisite, BTW. Mine won't look nearly as good.

Your radio cabinet can look as good. The photos I posted have an exceptionally nice
grain on the cabinet, and I was lucky to get that radio.
Your cabinet would look good with a dark walnut stain . If you are looking for a special color to match your furniture
you might not be able to get it . Each radio is different and I feel that they all compliment any room.
I have done ALL my radios with the same stain and each radio is a little different in color.
This is not rocket science, so don't think it is hard to do It is fairly easy to refinish a cabinet.
It does take some time and elbow grease, but it is worth it.
Here are some other cabinets I did, to show the difference in various grains of wood with the same stain.
Dan in calgary.

That's quite the show...Lotta eye candy there!

I am going to be putting the Airline here in the computer room, and move the Philco TRF into the bedroom. As you can see, the dark cabinet doesn't quite blend with the desk and bookcase. Since I am custom coloring the Airline, I wanted something not exactly the same color, which is Golden Oak, but that would blend in, at maybe a shade or so darker. I think the Dark Walnut is just a bit too dark.

The RM Org pic of the Airline that I posted earlier looks about right, but IDK what color that would be considered. Do you have any idea?

Don't apply the stain neat to the cabinet. Buy one that is oil based and thin with Mineral Spirits first. Start with say a 30% stain to MS mix. Its easier to go over with a darker mix if needed.

Did you mention grain filling?

Gary

I'm not a woodworker, so I want this to be an easy exercise. No grain filler, as the cabinet seems smooth, and not porous.

If I use a rattle can for the darker trim first, then either spray or wipe with a rag the majority of the cabinet with lighter stain, and finally finish with one or more clear coats, is the way I was gonna approach it.

Grain filling isn't hard, just a bit tedious. Buy oil based and thin with dark walnut, oil based stain first. Sand off. I would do at least one coat, better than none.

Then the thinned stain. Leave 24 hours, mask and do the trim and then the lacquer.

Gary