01-10-2010, 05:10 PM
Philco isn't the only make of radio where the finish flakes off of parts of the cabinet. They all have the same problem.
Firstly, the cabinets were never stained when they were finished. They were coated with tinted lacquer, probably after a sealer coat had been applied. That's the way I refinish the cabinets. In the case of Philco's tombstones like this 116B, or as Ron says, about any of the sets of that style had finish flake off of the whitewood part of the cabinet. Where decorative woods are used, such as walnut or mahogany, the finish stays on very well, but not on the whitewood (generally basswood or gumwood). It may be residual oils in the woods that promote breakdown of adhesion........I don't know. Since I have several of the sets like this one,I've found that, if you can save the walnut veneered panel of the set, and can preserve the original Philco decal, it's a good deal. Reason for this is, that the original decal used on these sets has never been reproduced, as nearly as I've been able to find. The new ones, supplied by a couple of sources, have been excellent, but if I can save the original decal, I'll do it. The walnut veneered panels usually survive pretty well.
In the case of the 116B I hve that's like this one, I bought the cabinet totally naked. It had been stripped clean as new, with no chassis or any parts....just the bare cabinet. Within a year, I had found a somewhat stripped chassis, a speaker, and a few internal parts. I had an exact power transformer on hand. I had the knobs. Bought a new dial scale from Clint Blais. Put all the stuff together, with new capacitors, and there I had it: a new Philco 116B.
Right in that same time frame, I found and restored the other 116B, that I have. It had to be stripped clean, and re-finished.Both appear in Ron's book. Both are jewels to have. They just never made 'em any better!
Firstly, the cabinets were never stained when they were finished. They were coated with tinted lacquer, probably after a sealer coat had been applied. That's the way I refinish the cabinets. In the case of Philco's tombstones like this 116B, or as Ron says, about any of the sets of that style had finish flake off of the whitewood part of the cabinet. Where decorative woods are used, such as walnut or mahogany, the finish stays on very well, but not on the whitewood (generally basswood or gumwood). It may be residual oils in the woods that promote breakdown of adhesion........I don't know. Since I have several of the sets like this one,I've found that, if you can save the walnut veneered panel of the set, and can preserve the original Philco decal, it's a good deal. Reason for this is, that the original decal used on these sets has never been reproduced, as nearly as I've been able to find. The new ones, supplied by a couple of sources, have been excellent, but if I can save the original decal, I'll do it. The walnut veneered panels usually survive pretty well.
In the case of the 116B I hve that's like this one, I bought the cabinet totally naked. It had been stripped clean as new, with no chassis or any parts....just the bare cabinet. Within a year, I had found a somewhat stripped chassis, a speaker, and a few internal parts. I had an exact power transformer on hand. I had the knobs. Bought a new dial scale from Clint Blais. Put all the stuff together, with new capacitors, and there I had it: a new Philco 116B.
Right in that same time frame, I found and restored the other 116B, that I have. It had to be stripped clean, and re-finished.Both appear in Ron's book. Both are jewels to have. They just never made 'em any better!
