# How to restore old radio



## ejp (Feb 25, 2013)

I have this 1941 Philco table top radio that's been on my bucket list for decades. Original plan was a full strip/stain/varnish, but now I'm leaning toward a less invasive restoration, since I can always reset later and do the full-monty. See photos of existing finish below.

Do you recommend:

1. Rub in multiple coats Watco with 0000 steel wool either tinted or not, after a thorough cleaning of course. I have a full can of "neutral". Can I just tint with some Minwax oil stain or artist oil based tints?

or,

2. Same as above but with Howard Restor-A-Finish.

3. Or, is there a better recomendation?

Read about this method of gentle restoration here. Awesome book, BTW.

Instrumental on discouraging me from a full strip, was *this *article here on Philco's original long and complex finishing procedure. Pretty thorough and hard to compete with in my garage. Also, there's this notion: In some of my new work or refinishing efforts, I strive for an antique and gently distressed look. I already have that in this radio, so why not run with it. The buggered up corners and edges, however, will need special attention to get back to semi-original. 

Thanks for any suggestions.

BTW, I found a source for knobs, escutcheons,etc here. That's my radio on his home page!


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

If you care about the monitary antique value of the radio you shouldn't do anything but use something like old english scratch cover on it. The more you do the more it hurts the value. 

I wouldn't use watco on a film coating. Watco is better suited for raw wood. The radio more than likely has a nitrocellulous lacquer finish on it. It can be touched up and recoated. The new finish should melt into the old finish and lacquer is a product that is better sprayed. If you don't have a sprayer it is available in rattle can. First the spots where the finish is gone I would fill in with sanding sealer and level with the rest of the finish. Then the whole radio could be topcoated. Recoating is probably the best option as refinishing it would take off the Philco lettering on the front that is either a decal or paint. That would be difficult at best to reproduce.


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## ejp (Feb 25, 2013)

Thanks for the advice. I'm pretty sure it's lacquer based on the 1951 article from Philco at one of my links above. I have a HVLP spray rig but I think a rattle can would suffice since it's easy to rub out imperfections on a small piece. Before your reply, I was headed down the Watco path. Also, the last link above (knobs, etc) sells a Philco decal reproduction.

On the subject of lacquer, it's my experience in rubbing out work I've done with Deft brush on lacquer, that's it's much softer than original commercially sprayed lacquer. Is this the case? Seems there has to be a trade-off for ease of application.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

ejp said:


> Thanks for the advice. I'm pretty sure it's lacquer based on the 1951 article from Philco at one of my links above. I have a HVLP spray rig but I think a rattle can would suffice since it's easy to rub out imperfections on a small piece. Before your reply, I was headed down the Watco path. Also, the last link above (knobs, etc) sells a Philco decal reproduction.
> 
> On the subject of lacquer, it's my experience in rubbing out work I've done with Deft brush on lacquer, that's it's much softer than original commercially sprayed lacquer. Is this the case? Seems there has to be a trade-off for ease of application.


If you have a sprayer I would use that instead of the rattle can. The rattle can paint is thinner and has retarder thinners in it. Rather than using a nitrocellulose lacquer you might consider using polyurethane or in lacquer, a cab-acrylic lacquer. Either would be more durable than the nitrocellulose lacquer, poly being the best.

The Philco decal is what made me apprehensive about the project. If it were mine I would take the finish off then and go back new. The old finish is failing and it can be recoated however in a couple years more might flake off taking off anything you would put on it. If you go back new you could depend on it looking nice for many years. Just wait until warm weather. Paint strippers don't do well below 70 degrees.


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## ejp (Feb 25, 2013)

OK, now I'm leaning toward the full restore. One benefit of that approach is I can make a "science project" out of experimenting with other methods first like rubbing in Watco and/or Howard's restore product just see how it turns out since it will all come off with the Jasco anyway.

Thanks to all for the sage advice. While I have some experience in this area, it's great to find major gurus who are really into wood.


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

This site could be of interest.

Look here For the reproduction decal.

For the finish since you don't have a spray gun I would recommend Mohawk pre-catalyzed sealer and a pre-catalyzed topcoat in whatever sheen you desire. Like Steve says the rattle cans are thinner than the lacquer you spray out of a gun but that just means you have to apply more coats. Also an aerosol can of shellac would work very well.


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