[37silverstreak]

Hey everyone,
Just wanted to post some pics of my just completed Zenith 12S568 cabinet. I bought this set for $80 last summer off of Craigslist. 1941 is very late for my interest, but it is a shutter dial and I liked the different color faces for this model. Anyway, it was a mess. I wish I had some before pictures. The owner before me stripped all the finish including the photofinish and stained it red mahogany, then topped it off with a beautiful piece of yellow burlap for a grille cloth! This was a "why did I buy this thing" set after I got it home! So, it sat in the garage all winter. Finally I decided that in order to get it out of the way, I would clean up and restore the cabinet so I can at least bring it in the house. After stripping off the stain I found a very lovely cabinet hiding underneath! Now, with a month's work of patching, filling, sanding, sealing and numerous coats of toned and clear laquer, it's done and looking pretty decent! I was able to closely replicate the photofinish although it doesn't show up well in the photo's. it can now reside in honor in my home. Step number two- Rebuild the chassis!
Kevin
http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q500...568001.jpg
http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q500...568004.jpg
http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q500...568003.jpg
http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q500...568002.jpg

[codefox1]

Magnificent. You would serve forum well if you have some step by step photos and/or descriptions either here or in cabinet restoration forum. Far too many sets are sent to landfill because of photofinish Phoolery.

On to the Chassis, you have come to the right place! Post schematic or link please, and fire away with questions. Please do not plug it in yet.

[morzh]

Looks good! Wait 'till it plays!

[TA Forbes]

Nice!!!!

[Paul Philco322]

Looks super! When people ask what attracts you to vintage radios show them that one. I got no big really old Zeniths, enjoy yours.

Paul

[Arran]

You did a good job with the faux graining on the grille bars, it probably looks better then the Dinoc type decal they used in the first place. Did you use paint or ink to create that faux graining?
With regards to the previous refinishing job I've seen some "
Weekend Warrior" refinishes that would make you loose your lunch looking at them up close, some would do it from 10 feet away. The oil stains they sell in the hardware stores aren't much good for anything let alone refinishing radio cabinets, they muddy the grain of the good woods but don't obscure the cheap stuff much at all. The worst stuff to get off are those stain "N" finish products and polyurethane.
Every yutz out there who picks up a brush thinks he can refinish a cabinet, your brand Z set is testament to that. There are some on the Braking Dog Forum that think that "Cowards" restore a finish is the cure for flaking and dead lacquer on a cabinet, it isn't. There is also an annoying habit with some people, probably squirly antique dealers, to rub cabinets down with "refinisher" which is basically glorrified acetone, I have at least two cabinets where the finish was smeared around and ruined by that junk with no regard to where the shading began and ended.
Regards
Arran

[37silverstreak]

Thanks guys!
I wasn't left with much of a choice in the refinishing dept. on this one. This was one ugly set when i started. Anything I did to it was an improvement. As for the woodgraining, it was actually fairly easy. i've done a couple of non radio projects. As for what I used, I masked off the cabinet and sprayed a couple of coats of Rustoleum Khaki semi-gloss for the base color. I sanded that lightly and the applied Walnut Minwax Gel-stain in two coats. On the first coat I used a wadded up plastc grocery bag to simulate a walnut burl on the case. for the center pillars I used a stiff brush to grain. After it dried a bit I went over the areas with a soft brush to blur the graining. For the second coat I just used a brush to streak the stain on over the first coat. It's all a matter of playing with it. The good thing is if you don't like what you've done you can wipe it off with a rag and mineral spirits and start over. The pillars were the hardest part as they are curved and it was hard to follow the contours.
Gel stain works really well for this. But, if I were to do it again though, i think I would thin it just a hair as it tended to dry a little too quickly. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.
I've now started on the chassis restoration. Lot's to do there, should be interesting. Good night all!
Kevin

[Arran]

I didn't even notice that the burl was faux finished, unlike the grille bars those areas are something they could have used real veneer on if they wanted to. So it had a burl grain originally? I've noticed that faking birdseye maple, stump/crotch walnut, olive burl, and zebrano was pretty popular as well back then. My FADA 1001 originally had an olive burl grain on the front panel, also some of my Packard Bell sets used a faux grain, I haven't figured out what to replace it with yet.
Regards
Arran

[Steve D]

Really great work on that cabinet. It brings back memories of the first old radio that I bought home when I was a kid back in the Bronx in the '60s. I used to go on my bike scavenging for parts where they dumped household rubbish. I got virtually all the parts I needed for my projects that way.

One time I found this Zenith 12s568 (didn't know the model numbers back then) which was in a house fire and burned on one side of the cabinet. I took all the guts including the wavemagnet antenna initially for parts but when I got it home it was in such good shape I got it working and used it as both a radio and an amplifier for my "hi-fi". The chassis intrigued me as it used two triodes, 6AC5G's with a special driver tube, 6AE7, which I had never seen before.

I used that radio for quite a few years and then stored it in my parents basement. It made its way to my basement over the years and four years ago I decided to restore it. The chassis is now sitting on top of a home made speaker enclosure in the midst my Philcos in my radio display room which shows off the chassis and the warm glow from its 12 tubes. Perhaps one day I'll find another 12s568 complete radio like yours.

I will be interested in following your progress and if you need any help please contact me.

Steve D

[robalex32]

Hello 37silverstreak ,
I'm new in the forum,and looking for photofinish I found your thread,I have a Zenith 10s567 and I have to the same that you did.I am really impressed with the results.Can you be a little more specific on the materials that you use to come out this awesome result on the finish,from start to finish,even what kind of laquer or barnish that you used?
I refinished a RCA VHR-207 already,but that one after stripping is all veneer,a little easier to work and refinished.
Thanks for your time .
Alex G.

[37silverstreak]

Hi Alex.
Welcome to the Phorum! For my Zenith I used pretty standard materials. the biggest part is the prep work, using a good grain filler to get a smooth surface. For that I used Constantines Walnut filler, you can find them online. Once the cabinet is filled and sanded smooth, I masked off the cabinet for the faux finish. Someone before me had stripped the cabinet. Fortunately, I was just able to make out where the stripes of graining were originally. For the base coat I used I think it was Krylon satin paint in a beige or light tan color. this gives the contrast for the graining. I sprayed several light coats and then sanded the paint smooth with 320 grit sand paper. For the graining I used dark walnut Minwax Gel Stain. Use a gel stain as it works like ink. I do two coats of this. The first coat I apply with a foam brush and then to mimic a burl type grain I used a crumpled up plastic shopping bag. I pat and twist the bag over the wet stain to create a swirled look. It takes a little practice and experimenting to get it right, but if you don't like the look the gel stain will come off with mineral spirits and you can try again. Once you are happy with the first coat, I let it stand until the stain has dried a little, then I will take a soft brush and gently brush the stain. This will blur the finish a little and soften it's look. For the second coat I use a brush to apply the stain lightly over the first coat. I use very little stain on the brush and try to create a streaky woodgrain type look over the burled graining. I will also use a cheap brush that I chop the ends of the bristles with a scissors for an uneven look. All of this comes through experimenting and trial and error. It's an art not a science!
For the finish I like using Mohawk brand toning and clear laquers.
I hope this answers some of your questions. If not please feel free to ask more. I'm in no way an expert at this, it's just something I had fun trying! Good luck.
Kevin

[robalex32]

Hello Kevin,
Thanks for your prompt and extensive reply.
When you refer to Krylon, is for enamel?
And when you said "For the finish I like using Mohawk brand toning and clear laquers",did you used any toner on top of the Gel stain?
Did you spray or brushed the lacquer?
Thanks again for your time.
Alex.

[robalex32]

Oh, I forgot to ask.What did you used to refinished the bezel?
Mine is so full of nicotine and scratches that I need to refinished the whole thing,and looks like yours,without the center portion over the glass.