Ever Ready 5019 cabinet

[chipp1968]

You may wish to add more coats to get a deeper finish as the original ,More the better really .May take some days to properly dry for burnishing , but it will burnish back with suitable burnishing cream and make a nice shine, which you can enhance then with a small amount of wax.
I recently have revived a murphy radiogram cabinet by applying oil over the original finish .The original is slightly faded but had a stable surface ,so i burnished it first to help remove some patches ,and some of white discolouration in the finish due to sunlight,which rubbed through a bit.I didnt want to strip the cabinet .Maybe because its not soaked in it took longer to dry.It came up a treat and the application of oil helps to tone down scratches a little.

[Phil G4SPZ]

Chipp, I really do appreciate your interest and advice on this.

I'm just about to apply another coat of Danish oil and I've bought some lint-free cloths to apply it, but I'll rub it down gently first. I've seen advice to use wet-and-dry (used wet) between coats, but very fine grade wire wool seems a good alternative as I'd prefer not to get any water near it.

[Aerodyne]

The only problem I've found with wire wool is the tendency for tiny fragments of wire to become trapped in the wood grain. A vacuum cleaner nozzle helps clear this problem, as does an improvised tack rag - a bit of smooth lint-free cotton damped with turps substitute is OK for Danish oil, just let it dry naturally before applying more oil.
I feel there's a natural limit to the value of more than four or so coats of Danish oil. It brings up a very pleasing soft sheen but it can never equal the best French polish for colour or for gloss. That said it can look great and is easy to apply - which, IMHO, French polish ain't!
Good point about the water. It wouldn't be of importance with lacquer but any open or exposed grain 'top' after rubbing down might swell or hold moisture to give problems with Danish oil when applying the next coat or two.
-Tony

[Phil G4SPZ]

Hello Tony, and thanks for the advice. I have actually found wire wool to be gentler and more controllable than wet-or-dry, but you make a good point about the bits it leaves behind. I was quite surprised how relatively rough the finish was after two brush-applied coats of Danish oil, and I found several bristles, hairs and specks of dust trapped in the coating, which the wire wool got rid of very effectively. Perhaps gentle sanding between each coat would have been better. I actually used a hand-held vacuum cleaner whilst rubbing down, and finally wiped the whole thing over with a very soft cloth before applying the third coat of Danish oil.

I hope this will have dried hard enough by morning to try a little burnishing cream followed by wax polish. I've got a variety of waxes, clear and coloured, but I bought some colourless liquid wax this afternoon so I'll give that a try first.

Incidentally, I've used Humbrol no 10 dark brown gloss enamel paint on the exposed ply edges around the speaker aperture, to good effect. Takes ages to dry, though

I have always felt my main interest was in the electronics side of radio restoration, but having tackled this cabinet I have gained a lot of experience and confidence, not to mention enjoyment, from the process and it hasn't taken as long as I anticipated. I hope the end result will be worth all the effort!

[David G4EBT]

Just a little point about 'scrapers'.

The scraper shown is one generally used for paintstripping, often in combination with a blowlamp or hot-air gun - more a weapon than a tool! For stripping varnish off radio cabinets, IMHO, a proper cabinet scraper is much to be preferred.

These as flat thin slightly flexible hardened steel, (generally about 2.5" x 3") which are held between the fingers and applied almost vertically to the cabinet. They have a slight burr, which needs to be kept sharp on an oilstone or diamond sharpener.

Cabinet scrapers are much kinder to the wood, which on radio cabinets is generally quite thin veneer on a plywood base, and hence, easily worn away. Cabinet scrapers achieve a fine finish and indeed, are often used as the final finish before varnishing or French polishing.

Cabinet scrapers are also available for curved surfaces as well as flat ones.

Hope that's of interest.

David,
G4EBT

[chipp1968]

The oil i used on the Murphy was called finishing oil i think .Im not sure if its the same as Danish oil . I would advise getting some burnishing cream .I used to use T cut , but I find the cream as good , better, and it doesnt have the petroleum smell and horrible residue of T cut at all,or white deposit .
Wet and dry is probably better than wool .Just dip the paper in a bowl of water as you use it ,and keep a cloth handy for drying .It cant do any harm .
You should be able to tell of the oil isnt dry enough as it will drag the wool or even your fingers if rubbed across the surface

[batterymaker1]

That is going to be a gorgeous cabinet when you're finished with it.

[Aerodyne]

Use wet and dry wet only when sufficient layers have fully protected the underlying timber - and all 'voids' in the grain are filled. Rub the wet and dry when wetted on a little soap, ideally from a block of hand or domestic soap rather than wash-up liquid. The soap will stop clogging and make cutting smoother. Using wet leaves a residue that should be removed with a dampened cloth.

I've not tried a burnishing cream with Danish oil so I'd be interested to know your final results.

[Phil G4SPZ]

Well, after a fairly intensive three days work on this cabinet, I've got the results to share with you all - but first I need to acknowledge all the help and advice I've received from so many of you! Thank you so much.

I have ordered a proper flat steel cabinet scraper (ready for the next restoration) but I got on quite well with the shave hook 'weapon', and managed not to damage the veneer.

Liberon burnishing cream worked very well following three coats of Danish oil, and brought up another level of gloss. The trick is to follow the instructions, and let the burnishing cream dry for about 15 minutes to a light powdery residue before polishing off - it's like a dilute T-Cut and far less abrasive, yet I could feel the roughness disappearing as I applied it. The front panel took two applications. To finish off, I finally applied two coats of clear liquid antique furniture wax, again leaving this to dry thoroughly to a haze before polishing off.

Whilst the results are not perfect, they are gratifying and worth the effort and modest cost, and the 'before and after' comparison is probably the most striking I have achieved to date. The attractive veneered top panel was virtually invisible before, and the contrast between the veneers at the front has been enhanced. Sharp-eyed viewers will also spot the outstanding task, to re-paint the stepped joint around where the top and sides meet.

I'll try and write this all up into a Success Story soon, as the electronics and chassis work was quite interesting too, as well as the restoration of an Amplion battery eliminator that now sits inside and powers the set.

Once again, to Col, Chipp, Tony and everyone else who gave advice and encouragement, thank you all once more. Kind regards,

[chipp1968]

Well it looks lovely from this end ! Well worth it when you look at the before picture. The cabinet surface is full of life now.

[Aerodyne]

That's remarkable for Danish oil. Congratulations!
-Tony

[chipp1968]

I think there are different types of oil under the name Danish .. some perform fore like varnish some are more mat .I Havant worked out which ones are best . the varnish ones seam best for getting a good finish which can be quite shiny.

[Phil G4SPZ]

The brand I used was "Blackfriar" and it was one of the cheaper makes at about £2.80 for 250ml. On the tin it says 'gives a satin lustre' which is pretty well what it did. When fully dry, I applied burnishing cream followed by wax polish, both of which enhanced the gloss.

I looked in the DIY shop yesterday and there were at least two other brands at around £5.00 for a similar quantity, both of which stated 'satin' finish. All were clear; I could see no coloured or tinted Danish oils, although this is my local independent DIY outlet, and if you can brave the queues and high prices at the national chains you might find a wider choice. There are numerous suppliers on the internet too.

If anyone can suggest a brand of Danish oil that gives a higher gloss finish, I'd be interested. Perhaps I'll start a new thread on this particular question!

[David G4EBT]

Originally Posted by Phil G4SPZ

The brand I used was "Blackfriar" and it was one of the cheaper makes at about £2.80 for 250ml. On the tin it says 'gives a satin lustre' which is pretty well what it did. When fully dry, I applied burnishing cream followed by wax polish, both of which enhanced the gloss.

I looked in the DIY shop yesterday and there were at least two other brands at around £5.00 for a similar quantity, both of which stated 'satin' finish. All were clear; I could see no coloured or tinted Danish oils, although this is my local independent DIY outlet, and if you can brave the queues and high prices at the national chains you might find a wider choice. There are numerous suppliers on the internet too.

If anyone can suggest a brand of Danish oil that gives a higher gloss finish, I'd be interested. Perhaps I'll start a new thread on this particular question!

Phil,

I've answered your query in the other thread before I looked at the pics of your cabinet, which I have to say is suburb to my eyes, and looks just right. I don't think you'll get a better finish with another brand of Danish oil, and personally, I don't think there would be a better way to finish it to bring out the natural beauty of the veneers on that particular cabinet.

I'd be mightily chuffed to have it on display, and it's clear that you've put an enormous amount of effort into it, whch as paid off handsomely.

David,
G4EBT

[chipp1968]

Tinted Danish oil is available .I have inherited a tin of "mahogany " colour oil

[paulsherwin]

Colron have a range of coloured liquid waxes which are somewhat similar to Danish oil. I've found they give a pleasing result, though it's not a high gloss finish like typical 1950s lacquered finishes. Fairly easy to apply though.

Paul

[batterymaker1]

WOW

That wood just glows!

Great job!

[Phil G4SPZ]

Thank you all for your kind comments! I would certainly use the same techniques again - if I can do it, anyone can - and I've nearly finished the write-up for 'Success Stories'.

Best regards and thanks again,

[PaulR]

I have just come across this thread and read it all. That is an excellent result, Phil. As has been said Danish Oil penetrates the grain and doesn't stay on the surface. This makes the result look different from how it would originally have done, but in my opinion it shows off the grain far better.

I believe that the finish used many years ago, before French polish was invented, was linseed oil upon which Danish oil is based. This soaks into the wood which means that the finish does not scratch or wear as surface polishes do. They actually improve with age and polishing as they absorb the polish and some dirt over the years giving that mellow patinated result. I have a longcase clock made in the early 1800s which has a lovely natural shine. So, if you Ever Ready is still around in 200 years it should look even better than it does now!

One point about wire wool that I discovered many years ago. You will never get all the tiny fragments of the steel out of the grain. This is Ok as long as you dont then use anything wet on it because if you do the fragments will rust and leave nasty, permanent. spots.

Paul