Pye Fenman II restoration

[Nickthedentist]

Ah, "book matched". Thank you!

[maninashed]

Well, this is something of a mute subject, and I've got a FM2 to do myself at some stage but will probably leave it until next year when the weather warms sufficiently to French polish. I believe its best to keep to originality if a cabinet needs refinishing. However, coloured cellulose laquer is almost impossible to obtain nowadays. So if you think about it, what is the next best thing? I believe its French polish. Black French polish is available, and gives a lovely finish, BUT it needs a lot of preparation as with any quality finish. There is no easy solution. If the set had been a Quality piece, it would have been French polished in those days. So I believe thats the way to go. I'm going to finish mine in black French polish on the top and sides and button polish on the front and it will stand inspection in the nicest surroundings, because that's what I want. Criticism accepted.
It looks rubbish now, but it won't when I've finished!
Bill

[telstar]

Hi. I have a FMII with the same cabinet top problem. I may get around to sort it out after I have sorted the cord drive out (put aside project).
Mike

[Nickthedentist]

It seems very common. My mint one went all 'orrible on top after a year in a room whose temperature fluctuated a lot. A shame.

[stevehertz]

Having just got a Pye Fenman 2 (see other thread re corner of veneer broken away) I'd like to give my take on points made in this thread.

My 'FM2' is not black or anywhere near black on the top and sides, it's a darkish brown and it's original. You can clearly see wood grain through it. So there must be darkish brown and 'darker brown approaching black' versions out there - and variants thereof.

I suspect that the reason why Pye (or it's cabinet maker) coloured the top and sides with a darker colour is because it's an attempt to hide the unveneered edge of plywood that is showing all the way round the edge on those surfaces. It's a common trick on wireless sets of the era and saves extra veneering or complicated woodwork/joints.

Clear cellulose lacquer is available. You can colour it to match existing finishes by adding a few drops of suitable stain dye. I've just done it. Just google cellulose lacquer, there's lots. For dyes I use Stewmac ones that I have in stock for doing guitar repairs. But yes they're expensive being imported from the US. More readily available in the UK is Liberon wood dye that can be bought from Screwfix. So basically there's no need to use French Polish or Danish Oil - unless you simply have a preference and want to use it of course! - as the correct cellulose finish is readily available.

[stevehertz]

As I mentioned previously, although I used utmost care in removing the knobs, the 'shaft' part of one of them broke into two pieces. It was relatively easy (using my +4 diopter glasses!) to supergule the two pieces together, then to glue them back into the knob, but I felt that the joint would not take the spring clip without breaking again. So I put in a fillet of araldite all around the base of the shaft where it meets the back of the knob. The snag was that araldite would seep into the shaft cavity by way of the two slots that run along it's length. So I applied silicon grease (none harmful to plastics) to a cotton bud and similarly to the shaft part of another cotton bud and carefully pushed them into the cavity to stop the araldite running in. Basically I could not get the 'bud end' of two cotton buds in side by side, that's why a plain shaft was used at the one side with plenty of grease. The photo shows the results, you can see the pool of araldite around the shaft base and the remains of the silicon grease inside the shaft. I now feel more confident about sliding on the spring clip with the shaft breaking again. In any case I will find some way of opening up the clip and easing it in place helped by more silicon grease. Alternatively I could use a 'dummy' pot shaft to insert into the back of the knob while refitting the clip - not sure if I have one though! Incidentally, I will use a smear of silicon grease to put the knobs back on the pot shafts as this will help future removal.

Moderators, I realise that this is not cabinet work, but it is to do with the restoration of the set that is the subject of the thread. But move if you need to.

[Radio_Dave]

I've fixed a few of these knobs by gluing new, modern, knobs inside the broken one.

David

[stevehertz]

Great idea Dave.