[Glenn Roberts]

I could really use some advice,
Below are a couple of pictures of a cabinet I've been working on. The top was bad so I had to sand it down. It still had the original stain so I put a few coats of lacquer on it then tried to tone it to get close. As you can see it's way too dark to match the bottom so...would you remove the top finish and try again or tone the bottom to get it closer. I kind of like the darker tone of the top, but it does hide the wood grain. Any advise would be appreciated, I will not be offended by any critiques or comments, I'm still learning. Oh and FYI that is one coat of extra dark Walnut and one coat of perfect brown ( the XD Walnut seemed to give it a redish tone), 3 coats of Semi gloss laquer before the toner and 3 after.

Thanks again,
Glenn

[exray]

...would you remove the top finish and try again or tone the bottom to get it closer.

Remove it and start again. Don't mess with the bottom, it looks good.

[Eliot Ness]

.......Remove it and start again. Don't mess with the bottom, it looks good.

+1 on that, the bottom of the radio has a beautiful display of veneers.

[Glenn Roberts]

Thanks Guys,

I'll take the finish off tomorrow.. suggestions on which toner? When I use a walnut it seems to have a red tint to it. I was thinking a light coat of perfect brown.

Glenn

[Arran]

Extra dark walnut is really dark, it's almost like dark brown glass bottle, I'm actually surprised that it isn't darker then it is. You may not have to strip though, you may be able to wet sand it off or rub it down with 0000 steel wool, but you will have to wait a week or more for it to harden. It may not be practical to try that with three coats of clear on top. I think that perfect brown or some lighter shade of tone spray may work, see the Philco 38-7 set that Bandersen is doing. You are still learning everyone is still learning, but for learning you are doing a great job, better then some of the self appointed "experts". I like those Grunow cabinets, I wonder who made them? Illinois had some really nice cabinet makers back in the 1920s and 30s.
Regards
Arran

[Bob Andersen]

I find that Perfect brown has some red to it as well, but a nice color overall. I used it on the top of my 15DX and here's how it turned out.
[Image: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3077/5850...6e5d_m.jpg]

I used Dark Walnut on the trim of my 38-7 and found it's a nice darker brown with no red to it. You can see it here around the top edge. Keep in mind that I used about 8 light coats to get it this dark. The rest is Medium Brown Walnut.
[Image: http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6164/6187...407d_m.jpg]

BTW - I have a Grunow 1191 I'm slowly working on. The lower 18 inches spent some time underwater