How bad does it have to be before its a scrapper set?

[boater sam]

Hi Sam,
I'm glad that you've got it going again - well done.
Is the woodwork really that bad that you want to cover it with paint ?
If it was mine, I think I'd stain it then varnish on top.

Andy

Thanks, Andy.
The polish has gone almost all over, sun damage possibly, and there is a bad black plant pot water stain on top.
I will try to get it back to a condition where it will be possible to just oil/varnish it but there has to be a plan B.

Colour?

[radioman]

OK, fair enough... for your plan 'B' how about dark red ?

Andy

[boater sam]

                                Finally some pictures.

[Crackle]

Black always looks smart if the wood is good.

Mike

[boater sam]

Matt or glossy? I can't do crackle!
I am considering an acrylic see-through back.

Gave the top a scrape where the stain is yesterday and dosed it with Bar Keepers Friend, its Oxalic acid, should bleach the stain if there is any iron in it.

[boater sam]

Left the acid to do its work for a day. When I cleaned it off, there is no sign of the black stain. So it will be a complete strip and refinishing job to the original wood. I claim that as a success.
I normally use Danish Oil but is there anything better?
 I shy away from varnish, it is too glossy and thick looking for an old cabinet in my opinion.

Now that it is going to be a back to original restoration, has anyone got a spare back or a really good close photograph straight on of the back that I can scale and use to make one please?
See_Mos from the UKVRRR forum kindly sent me the correct knobs, thank you if you are here, I can no longer thank you from that forum.

Boater Sam.

[boater sam]

                As most of this set is working out better than expected, the cabinet had to be restored to something close to original.
To this end all the old lacquer has been dry scraped of with a plane iron. A rub down with wire wool and white spirit showed the original colour but a little variable in places.
A light rub with a darker stain evened it out, and 3 coats of Danish oil have made it respectable.

The trim is still an unsolved problem.

Sam

[Refugee]

I wonder if a picture framer could help you with a replacement for that plastic surround?

[boater sam]

Its a thought.
The corners are round and the bottom longer than the top, its a trapezium with round corners.
I doubt a framer could cope with that.
Thanks for the idea though.
Sam.

[Refugee]

I have seen various types of frame out there and a compromise with square corners might have to be made.
French radios often have decorated cabinets that look a bit like picture frames anyway.