06-29-2019, 09:01 PM
Today I got started on refinishing the 201X top.
Removal
At first I was worrying about how to protect the rest of the cabinet while refinishing the top - but I remembered seeing someplace (Philco Serviceman article? Service bulletin) that the 37-690X had a removable top to make refinishing it easier. Damage to the top of radios has clearly been a problem since they rolled out of the factory. Anyway I wondered if the 201X might be assembled in a similar way that might permit the top to be removed.
In fact it does come apart.
I removed the screws holding going vertically into the top and then gently tapped the top with a rubber mallet around the edge from inside the cabinet.
[Image: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4815...5b7b_c.jpg]
[Image: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4815...c276_c.jpg]
It's probably not really intended to be disassembled since there's evidence that glue was used - but here's one example of weakened 85 year old glue being helpful.
Ready to be stripped:
[Image: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4815...a3d6_c.jpg]
Stripping
I used CitriStrip to strip the top and trim. Here it is after stripping:
[Image: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4815...c277_c.jpg]
[Image: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4815...10b8_c.jpg]
[Image: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4815...8d04_c.jpg]
Pretty clean - but it looks like maybe the lacquer issue was due to water on the top since the wood there is a bit lighter in color.
I'm hoping that putting back the finish will make the color more uniform and help blend that area. I know there are ways to bleach water damaged wood lighter - but in this case it doesn't seem like that would help.
Sanding Sealer
I lightly sanded the top (hoping that the color might blend better - it didn't much).
Then I gave it a coat of sanding sealer.
[Image: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4815...04c4_c.jpg]
Grain Filler
Finally, I filled the grain with walnut color grain filler. This actually helped blend things better - makes sense since now theres matching color in the grain in both areas.
[Image: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4815...970c_c.jpg]
Hopefully the toning lacquer will further blend things.
Removal
At first I was worrying about how to protect the rest of the cabinet while refinishing the top - but I remembered seeing someplace (Philco Serviceman article? Service bulletin) that the 37-690X had a removable top to make refinishing it easier. Damage to the top of radios has clearly been a problem since they rolled out of the factory. Anyway I wondered if the 201X might be assembled in a similar way that might permit the top to be removed.
In fact it does come apart.
I removed the screws holding going vertically into the top and then gently tapped the top with a rubber mallet around the edge from inside the cabinet.
[Image: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4815...5b7b_c.jpg]
[Image: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4815...c276_c.jpg]
It's probably not really intended to be disassembled since there's evidence that glue was used - but here's one example of weakened 85 year old glue being helpful.
Ready to be stripped:
[Image: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4815...a3d6_c.jpg]
Stripping
I used CitriStrip to strip the top and trim. Here it is after stripping:
[Image: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4815...c277_c.jpg]
[Image: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4815...10b8_c.jpg]
[Image: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4815...8d04_c.jpg]
Pretty clean - but it looks like maybe the lacquer issue was due to water on the top since the wood there is a bit lighter in color.
I'm hoping that putting back the finish will make the color more uniform and help blend that area. I know there are ways to bleach water damaged wood lighter - but in this case it doesn't seem like that would help.
Sanding Sealer
I lightly sanded the top (hoping that the color might blend better - it didn't much).
Then I gave it a coat of sanding sealer.
[Image: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4815...04c4_c.jpg]
Grain Filler
Finally, I filled the grain with walnut color grain filler. This actually helped blend things better - makes sense since now theres matching color in the grain in both areas.
[Image: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4815...970c_c.jpg]
Hopefully the toning lacquer will further blend things.
