UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > General Vintage Technology > Cabinet and Chassis Restoration and Refinishing

Notices

Cabinet and Chassis Restoration and Refinishing For help with cabinet or chassis restoration (non-electrical), please leave a message here.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 28th Nov 2016, 6:41 pm   #21
stevehertz
Dekatron
 
stevehertz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,809
Default Re: Re-veneering a hifi receiver

Here's a shot of the first side to be veneered. NB, no trimming or sanding has been done at this point, it's all 'raw'. When lacquered the grain will even more attractive.

The top panel will be more of a challenge since the veneer has to sit in between the two side panels, so it will have to cut very accurately to size and square. No 'slapping it on' then trimming it up afterwards with that one as is the case with the sides.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	20161128_173210.jpg
Views:	289
Size:	80.9 KB
ID:	133522  
__________________
A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever..
stevehertz is offline  
Old 28th Nov 2016, 8:18 pm   #22
Andrewausfa
Octode
 
Andrewausfa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: St Ives, Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 1,180
Default Re: Re-veneering a hifi receiver

Looks good Steve, best of luck with the rest.

Andrew
__________________
Invisible airwaves crackle with life. Or they should do.
BVWS Member
Andrewausfa is offline  
Old 28th Nov 2016, 9:10 pm   #23
stevehertz
Dekatron
 
stevehertz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,809
Default Re: Re-veneering a hifi receiver

Thanks Andrew. It's slow progress, but that's often the way it is with me! I'll get there though.
__________________
A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever..
stevehertz is offline  
Old 1st Dec 2016, 8:46 am   #24
stevehertz
Dekatron
 
stevehertz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,809
Default Re: Re-veneering a hifi receiver

A couple more photos. The first shows the first side panel after trimming to size and some sanding done. The veneer has 'steps' in its surface that are cutting marks where it has been turned from the log on a lathe. These are disappearing with the surface sanding, but still some more to do. The photo does not do justice to the grain of the wood, it's full of wood dust. Obviously after final sanding that will be brushed, sucked and wiped away before lacquering.

The second photo shows the veneer in place on the second side, untrimmed as yet. What's interesting is how under the pressure of six bricks the glue has oozed through the grain and stuck to the newspaper - that veneer is stuck! Again that side will be trimmed and sanded.

At the moment I am undecided whether to edge veneer the side panels or veneer the top next - there's pros and cons to both..
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	P1010417.jpg
Views:	252
Size:	79.6 KB
ID:	133643   Click image for larger version

Name:	P1010416.jpg
Views:	267
Size:	91.2 KB
ID:	133644  
__________________
A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever..
stevehertz is offline  
Old 1st Dec 2016, 1:24 pm   #25
unitaudio
Heptode
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Manchester, UK.
Posts: 860
Default Re: Re-veneering a hifi receiver

It's a slow job but sometimes it has to be. Better than rushing in and making a dog's dinner of it! You're evidently a more patient man than myself...

Regards,
Paul
__________________
...No, it's not supposed to pick up the World Service, it's not a radio!
unitaudio is offline  
Old 1st Dec 2016, 7:24 pm   #26
stevehertz
Dekatron
 
stevehertz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,809
Default Re: Re-veneering a hifi receiver

Thanks Paul, I don't know about patient, if I had my way I'd work on it from dawn till dusk. Truth is, for me - like most of us I suppose - I don't have that facility. I reckon another couple of weeks. I'm going to put the edging strips on to the sides tomorrow hopefully, photos to follow.
__________________
A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever..
stevehertz is offline  
Old 3rd Dec 2016, 8:39 am   #27
stevehertz
Dekatron
 
stevehertz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,809
Default Re: Re-veneering a hifi receiver

Side panels front edges veneers now in place, but un-trimmed or sanded. Will finish them today, and veneer the top edges too. So that will be all of the actual veneering completed on the side panels, but still lots of sanding, smoothing and a small amount of touching in with plastic wood along the bottom edges that are 'raw' ie don't meet up with another piece of veneer.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	P1010419.jpg
Views:	208
Size:	75.9 KB
ID:	133747  
__________________
A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever..
stevehertz is offline  
Old 3rd Dec 2016, 7:02 pm   #28
stevehertz
Dekatron
 
stevehertz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,809
Default Re: Re-veneering a hifi receiver

Today I managed to apply the veneer to just one of the top edges of the side panels. The reason is that the Heath Robinson 'rig' needed to apply compression during the glue drying process only enables me to do one at a time.

But for now, a photo of the sanding beam that I use to sand the edges of the cabinet with, and after application, the veneer too. The beam is borrowed from my Luthiers' tools that I use for guitar setups and repairs. It's a hollow steel beam that has been surface ground to be perfectly flat, and I apply sticky backed sandpaper to it to create a perfectly flat sanding tool (it's used on guitar frets normally). It means that the rough edges of the veneer, once trimmed can be sanded down neatly, and that the long cabinet edges are sanded truly flat in all directions.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	20161203_125740.jpg
Views:	213
Size:	107.7 KB
ID:	133770  
__________________
A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever..
stevehertz is offline  
Old 4th Dec 2016, 8:08 am   #29
stevehertz
Dekatron
 
stevehertz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,809
Default Re: Re-veneering a hifi receiver

Late last night I managed to get the second side panel top strip veneer glued in place. Photos attached, again, untrimmed veneer on those top strips at the mo. I carefully chose them - all of the strips actually - to exhibit symmetry and interesting/attractive grain pattern. When they're trimmed and sanded I have to sand the side panels themselves some more as there are still manufacturer's lathe marks vaguely showing. There's also bits of remedial work to be done at the some edges and corners. That'll be plastic wood. Then I have to stain the inner sides of the side panels to match the colour of the veneered surfaces when they are lacquered. And finally, in a few days time, apply the top panel veneer that has to be cut perfectly to size in order to drop in between the side panel upper edges.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	P1010425.jpg
Views:	210
Size:	112.0 KB
ID:	133783   Click image for larger version

Name:	P1010426.jpg
Views:	214
Size:	75.1 KB
ID:	133784  
__________________
A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever..
stevehertz is offline  
Old 4th Dec 2016, 11:08 am   #30
unitaudio
Heptode
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Manchester, UK.
Posts: 860
Default Re: Re-veneering a hifi receiver

Cutting that top panel veneer sounds scary! But going by the job you've done so far, it'll be fine. This will end up better than original. Then there's just the receiver chassis to do...

Regards,
Paul
__________________
...No, it's not supposed to pick up the World Service, it's not a radio!
unitaudio is offline  
Old 4th Dec 2016, 11:55 am   #31
stevehertz
Dekatron
 
stevehertz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,809
Default Re: Re-veneering a hifi receiver

Paul, yep, the top panel will require some accurate cutting. Then you're right I have the chassis to finish. Actually, the electronics are pretty much there now. One channel is slightly louder on stereo FM, so i will check it out with a sig gen tone through an aux input to see if it's happening there too, and so on. I have to 're-chrome' the frame around the long dial, and that's going to be scary. Lots of very accurate masking needed and some careful spraying required.
__________________
A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever..
stevehertz is offline  
Old 4th Dec 2016, 2:12 pm   #32
stevehertz
Dekatron
 
stevehertz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,809
Default Re: Re-veneering a hifi receiver

The two side panels are essentially, veneered. In the photos you may be able to see little areas of plastic wood sticking proud ready to be sanded down. It will take two hours for the plastic wood to dry properly, then I'll turn it the other way up and apply plastic wood to the upwards facing areas as appropriate. I'm going to give the sides one coat of lacquer to help protect the veneer from being lifted at corners while I complete the job. Although it's all glued down, edges do have a tendency to get damaged and lacquer has the effect of holding it all together. For reference/comparison, I've included a photo of the receiver as 'got'.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	P1010427.jpg
Views:	235
Size:	119.4 KB
ID:	133804   Click image for larger version

Name:	P1010429.jpg
Views:	275
Size:	125.8 KB
ID:	133805   Click image for larger version

Name:	P1010260.jpg
Views:	265
Size:	90.9 KB
ID:	133806  
__________________
A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever..
stevehertz is offline  
Old 4th Dec 2016, 3:17 pm   #33
Guest
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Re-veneering a hifi receiver

Be careful with veneer, once you have the taste you will be doing multiwood patterns and the such.
 
Old 4th Dec 2016, 5:55 pm   #34
stevehertz
Dekatron
 
stevehertz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,809
Default Re: Re-veneering a hifi receiver

LOL! nah, I don't think so. I did my first veneering back in '78, and I knew then that it was a difficult thing to do. So much so in fact that I would only do it when necessary, not for fun.. Nope, no chance of me taking up marquetry.
__________________
A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever..
stevehertz is offline  
Old 8th Dec 2016, 11:33 am   #35
stevehertz
Dekatron
 
stevehertz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,809
Default Re: Re-veneering a hifi receiver

For the past couple of days I've been performing 'micro-repairs' using plastic wood to sharpen up minor imperfections in the veneering at corners and along edges. Veneer has a mind of its own when trimming, and even when using a really sharp knife and taking extra care, it will decide to cut in the wrong direction, hence these small repairs. Any colour mismatches in these areas will be compensated for using my collection of artists' brown felt tip pens to disguise and blend them prior to lacquering.

I still have some more sanding to perform on the two large side panels, as you can see there's still manufacturer's lathe marks there. I'd hate to spoil all this hard work by applying lacquer only find that those lines are apparent!

Later today I'm going to make up some lacquer using my dyes to paint the small strips/areas along the front inner edges of the sides in order to match the colour of the new veneer. Like I said previously, as they will be seen, these areas are only about 2mm wide and are not 'veneerable' due to the fact that the chassis/front panel would no longer fit if I expanded the thickness of the side panels inwards.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	P1010456.jpg
Views:	202
Size:	77.7 KB
ID:	134043   Click image for larger version

Name:	P1010457.jpg
Views:	192
Size:	108.8 KB
ID:	134044   Click image for larger version

Name:	P1010458.jpg
Views:	208
Size:	98.0 KB
ID:	134045  
__________________
A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever..
stevehertz is offline  
Old 8th Dec 2016, 3:01 pm   #36
stevehertz
Dekatron
 
stevehertz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,809
Default Re: Re-veneering a hifi receiver

I've mixed my small jar of lacquer to paint around the inner edge of the sides. This morning I managed to buy a tin of Indian Rosewood stain (not lacquer, just 'dye') and I mixed this with my lacquer. In the photo you can see (l to r) the bare plywood inner side panel, my test lacquer applied (still slightly wet, it will be matt), then my previously clear lacquered piece of veneer, held down flat with a steel rule. There's no such thing as a perfect match as the colours of veneer vary dramatically along its grain pattern. Whatever, I'll see what it looks like when it is properly dry and if necessary, adjust the brew.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	P1010459.jpg
Views:	209
Size:	104.8 KB
ID:	134051  
__________________
A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever..
stevehertz is offline  
Old 9th Dec 2016, 1:38 pm   #37
stevehertz
Dekatron
 
stevehertz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,809
Default Re: Re-veneering a hifi receiver

Today's job is to get the inner edges of the side panels stained/lacquered so as to match the new veneer once it is clear lacquered. The colour is just right, but I may apply a few coats of clear lacquer on top to level things out a bit when I do the newly veneered parts. Note that the top is still 'unveneered'. In fact, it will probably remain so until all of the work on the side panels is finished. This is because I have to sand and/or fine wire wool those narrow, top inner edges of the side panels, and sanding in that direction would mark the top at right angles to the grain - as you can see clearly in the photo.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	P1010462.jpg
Views:	171
Size:	83.9 KB
ID:	134089  
__________________
A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever..
stevehertz is offline  
Old 9th Dec 2016, 2:24 pm   #38
vidjoman
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: East Sussex, UK.
Posts: 3,315
Default Re: Re-veneering a hifi receiver

I use a piece of thin card to stop the sandpaper getting to the bit I don't want sanded.
vidjoman is online now  
Old 9th Dec 2016, 6:34 pm   #39
stevehertz
Dekatron
 
stevehertz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,809
Default Re: Re-veneering a hifi receiver

I've now got one coat of clear lacquer on to one side panel. In the photos attached, the tiny white grain/sanding dashes have been 'ignited' by the camera flash and do not show up like that to the naked eye, you can't really see them. So, just one coat of lacquer so far and unsanded/wire-wooled, I'm quite happy with the results.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	P1010466.jpg
Views:	210
Size:	48.2 KB
ID:	134101   Click image for larger version

Name:	P1010467.jpg
Views:	215
Size:	55.7 KB
ID:	134102  
__________________
A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever..
stevehertz is offline  
Old 9th Dec 2016, 7:29 pm   #40
unitaudio
Heptode
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Manchester, UK.
Posts: 860
Default Re: Re-veneering a hifi receiver

If that's anything to go by, the colour is just about spot-on for a 70's receiver. So much better than the Fablon wonder it would've ended up as if it were mine!

Regards,
Paul
__________________
...No, it's not supposed to pick up the World Service, it's not a radio!
unitaudio is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 11:03 am.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.