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Old 4th Nov 2021, 11:59 am   #1
MurphyNut
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Default Philips 634a cabinet restoration

Recently finished my Philips 634A cabinet, a previous “restorer” had removed all the varnish, black painted edging and those distinctive bands. It was also sanded down with very coarse sandpaper scratching the veneer badly and a high gloss varnish applied to it. I had to basically start again!
My technique for refurbishing cabinets has evolved from trial and error over years, it’s quite time consuming but I like the finish I get and it’s proved to be incredibly durable. I use a clear satin polyurethane varnish.
The first job was to remove all the previous varnish and get the cabinet back to bare wood, luckily it didn’t have much varnish on it so an easy job. Trickier was removing the unsightly and deep scratches mainly on the front panel. I used fairly fine grade sandpaper (240) and gradually worked away at these areas until they disappeared. Obviously careful not to go though the veneer luckily all went well and I managed to remove 90% of the scratches; this was good enough because when the first coat of varnish went on they weren’t noticeable at all.
Before I added my first coat of varnish I had to recreate the bands that run along the sides and top of the case. It would be understandable for someone not familiar with this set in thinking the bands are of different wood veneers. They are in fact just stained, It’s important at this stage that the wood is entirely free from anything that would hinder the wood from taking the stain evenly. A good trick is to wipe the cabinet over with white spirit; this not only gives an indication to how it might look when varnished but show up any areas were old varnish might have been missed in the form of light patches.
I got the proportions of the band widths by looking at pictures on line of sets that had survived in their original finish. I then simply used masking tape to get the edge and stop the stain getting onto the middle band which just remains the natural base colour of the wood.
With the stain fully dry I gave the entire case two coats of varnish, it’s not critical at this stage in the finish; this is really basically filling in the wood grain.
I now moved my attention the black painted edges, these areas needed a little “keying” before in order for the paint to adhere well. I used a water based “Blackboard paint” this is remarkably black with very good covering power, don’t get any on your fingers, it takes ages to clean off!
I used masking tape again to get that sharp edge between the black and wood, I found this quite critical, just a little off and it shows up a lot, so I had to revisit areas a number of times until I was happy.
When done and dry another coat of varnish, this seals over those black painted areas nicely, now moving on to achieve flat surface. No matter how carful using a brush is there will always be brush marks. You can thin the varnish down with white spirit but then you end up having problems with it running.
My technique in removing these irregularities is to sand down between coats (240 grade) I leave it a day at least for the varnish to fully set before I do it again. In total I usually end up putting 4 coats on. When all the varnishing is finished I get a 400 grade paper and completely sand down this last coat, this will make the cabinet look very dull. But by using a cutting compound in the form of “Autosol chrome polish” it will polish up really nicely. Yes, this is car product but I’ve discovered it to be excellent for getting back a very nice finish, not too glossy to look brash and new and not too dull to look lifeless.
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Old 4th Nov 2021, 1:07 pm   #2
HamishBoxer
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Default Re: Philips 634a cabinet restoration

Super job. Wish I had the courage to try cabinet restoration.
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Old 4th Nov 2021, 3:16 pm   #3
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Default Re: Philips 634a cabinet restoration

What a super job you have done !

I do love your 'Art-Deco' lamp next to it, they really complement each other.
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Old 4th Nov 2021, 4:26 pm   #4
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Default Re: Philips 634a cabinet restoration

Very very nice! Well done !!
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Old 4th Nov 2021, 5:33 pm   #5
Phonosandradios
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Default Re: Philips 634a cabinet restoration

That really does look good and as you say not too shiney looking nor too dull. Just right

I think you might of given me the confidence to tackle the lid of my Grundig Arundel radiogram. The finish just on the top has been destroyed whilst the rest of the cabinet is in wonderful condition. I've been putting off doing anything with it but your technique looks like something I could do and stand a chance of getting it to look right with the rest of the cabinet.
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Old 9th Nov 2021, 11:10 pm   #6
Phil G4SPZ
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Default Re: Philips 634a cabinet restoration

Clive, what a superb job! I've got one of those sets, chassis restored, cabinet stripped and ready for re-finishing... and I've had it for years, waiting to start the job. Your excellent efforts should galvanise me into some action. Great description of the techniques you used too.

I was toying with the idea of French polishing my set. They were originally coated in sprayed-on toner which is probably beyond my skills to replicate, but I'm confident with French polish.
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Old 10th Nov 2021, 10:01 am   #7
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Default Re: Philips 634a cabinet restoration

Superb job Clive well done , so you can still buy sprit based varnish I would like to know where to get it as the water based stuff is ok for some applications ,but it doesn't seem to rub down very well .Mick.
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Old 10th Nov 2021, 10:05 am   #8
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Default Re: Philips 634a cabinet restoration

That's a grand job you've done there, and one befitting of THE quintessential vintage wireless.
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Old 10th Nov 2021, 1:04 pm   #9
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Default Re: Philips 634a cabinet restoration

Great job, identical finish to my own original, super radio these and very well made, best of luck finding an sd4 though!.
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Old 10th Nov 2021, 1:38 pm   #10
stevehertz
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Default Re: Philips 634a cabinet restoration

Quote:
Originally Posted by Phonosandradios View Post
That really does look good and as you say not too shiney looking nor too dull. Just right

I think you might of given me the confidence to tackle the lid of my Grundig Arundel radiogram. The finish just on the top has been destroyed whilst the rest of the cabinet is in wonderful condition. I've been putting off doing anything with it but your technique looks like something I could do and stand a chance of getting it to look right with the rest of the cabinet.
You could probably make that top much better - not perfect, but then refinishing it won't match the rest either - by using Topp's Scratch Cover polish light variant. You'd be surprised. It's a Mr Sheen product these days but Rustins and others do similar. It'll save you a lot of time and bother if it works, well worth a go.
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Old 10th Nov 2021, 1:41 pm   #11
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Default Re: Philips 634a cabinet restoration

Very nice!!

I’ve only ever done one wooden cabinet, it was a PYE P75 (and it still is!), someone had lathered it in the most disgusting brown paint, so that got stripped and sanded, went a bit too far and went through the veneer in a couple of places, but then I used some spray cans of car lacquer with wet sanding between coats, it came up nicely, and still looks good today! Well, for a first attempt it’s not bad!! If I ever try again I’ll be more careful with the sandpaper…

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Old 10th Nov 2021, 3:22 pm   #12
MurphyNut
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Default Re: Philips 634a cabinet restoration

Quote:
Originally Posted by vinrads View Post
Superb job Clive well done , so you can still buy sprit based varnish I would like to know where to get it as the water based stuff is ok for some applications ,but it doesn't seem to rub down very well .Mick.
I've not used a water based varnish as yet, but I suspect it won't be anywhere as good. Yes, sprit (oil) based Varnish is still available, I use Ronseal "Ultra tough." You wont find it at DIY stores so much these day's as they are encouraging us to use more environmentally friendly but not so good water based products.
The varnish I use can be found on a well known auction site.
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Old 10th Nov 2021, 3:41 pm   #13
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Default Re: Philips 634a cabinet restoration

Quote:
Originally Posted by MurphyNut View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by vinrads View Post
Superb job Clive well done , so you can still buy sprit based varnish I would like to know where to get it as the water based stuff is ok for some applications ,but it doesn't seem to rub down very well .Mick.
I've not used a water based varnish as yet, but I suspect it won't be anywhere as good. Yes, sprit (oil) based Varnish is still available, I use Ronseal "Ultra tough." You wont find it at DIY stores so much these day's as they are encouraging us to use more environmentally friendly but not so good water based products.
The varnish I use can be found on a well known auction site.
As I said above, that's a great job. But I think you need to try the new water based finishes as they are much easier to apply (like applying cream), they self level much better, and they are much easier to rub down; they don't clog like oil based varnishes. In short, once I'd tried them - I use Wilko Quick Dry Varnish - I'd never go back to the sticky, hard to apply Ronseal stuff again. But for sure, once again, that's a great job you did there.
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Old 11th Nov 2021, 12:41 pm   #14
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Default Re: Philips 634a cabinet restoration

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Originally Posted by stevehertz View Post
As I said above, that's a great job. But I think you need to try the new water based finishes as they are much easier to apply (like applying cream), they self level much better, and they are much easier to rub down; they don't clog like oil based varnishes. In short, once I'd tried them - I use Wilko Quick Dry Varnish - I'd never go back to the sticky, hard to apply Ronseal stuff again. But for sure, once again, that's a great job you did there.
I'll certainly give a water based varnish a go and see what I think, though reading up it seems they aren't as durable as an oil based ones. But saying that a radio sitting on a shelf shouldn't be subjected to much knocking about!
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Old 11th Nov 2021, 1:09 pm   #15
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Default Re: Philips 634a cabinet restoration

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Quote:
Originally Posted by stevehertz View Post
As I said above, that's a great job. But I think you need to try the new water based finishes as they are much easier to apply (like applying cream), they self level much better, and they are much easier to rub down; they don't clog like oil based varnishes. In short, once I'd tried them - I use Wilko Quick Dry Varnish - I'd never go back to the sticky, hard to apply Ronseal stuff again. But for sure, once again, that's a great job you did there.
I'll certainly give a water based varnish a go and see what I think, though reading up it seems they aren't as durable as an oil based ones. But saying that a radio sitting on a shelf shouldn't be subjected to much knocking about!
Well, that's it isn't it? A radio is hardly going to get kicked about like a door, a chair or a table. I spent 50 years struggling with the inherent difficulties of poly varnish (Ronseal and the like), and it was like a light in the sky when I discovered Wilko quick drying varnish. Have a go on a piece of scrap wood.
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Old 20th Nov 2021, 11:49 am   #16
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Default Re: Philips 634a cabinet restoration

The before and after photos demonstrate how essential the banding on the top and sides of the cabinet and the black paint to the front edge is to the look of this receiver. Without that detailing the cabinet does not look anything like as impressive. There used to be some cheapo reproductions clearly based on this model circulating a few years ago which never seemed right (not the Dynatron replica), and comparing photos of this restoration it is apparent why they looked wrong.

Great cabinet restoration.
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