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Cabinet and Chassis Restoration and Refinishing For help with cabinet or chassis restoration (non-electrical), please leave a message here. |
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9th Feb 2017, 11:29 am | #1 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Chesterfield, Derbyshire, UK.
Posts: 3,767
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Replicating the gold finish on grilles and trims
I was wondering is it possible to restore the finish on the gold looking parts on the small 1960 transistor radio's . Mick.
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9th Feb 2017, 1:54 pm | #2 |
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Middlewich, Cheshire, UK. & Winter in the Philippines.
Posts: 3,897
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Re: Replicating the gold finish on grilles and trims
Gold acrylic paint and clear lacquer is the best I have achieved.
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9th Feb 2017, 4:12 pm | #3 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Cottingham, East Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 5,768
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Re: Replicating the gold finish on grilles and trims
I'd agree that gold aerosol spray and clear lacquer are about as good as it gets without going to a lot of time, trouble expense to anodise the parts, assuming that they're aluminium.
If you were deprived of a chemistry set as a child, you could always have a go at DIY anodising, provided the parts that you wish to be gold (or any other colour come to that, depending on the dye chosen), are aluminium. It's quite a fiddly time-consuming process, but doesn't need anything more complex than a battery charge and easily obtained chemicals. There are lots of youtube videos on home anodising, but the well made three-part video below is as good as any. It's by a chap who is a member of the International Pen Turners Association, who turns rather nice aluminium pens and anodises them. The end result speaks for itself. He must have a rather accommodating wife as he does it in the kitchen on the cooker. If I do anything like that, I have a small electric hotplate for use in the garage: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...=0&FORM=VDFSRV https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...=0&FORM=VDQVAP https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...=0&FORM=VDFSRV On vintage radios, the worst example I can think of for losing their original plating are the plastic 'B U S H' letter on Bush TR82s, which lose their silvering. Can't be re-plated at home due to them being plastic, and I've found nothing which comes close to the original finish. Despite having a bright chrome lid on the aerosol can inferring that's the finish that you'll get, so called 'Chrome' paint is just nafola - no better than 'silver wheels' spray. Dire, in fact.
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David. BVWS Member. G-QRP Club member 1339. |
10th Feb 2017, 11:55 am | #4 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Whittlesey, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 3,763
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Re: Replicating the gold finish on grilles and trims
The problem with the gold spray and clear lacquer method is that the gold spray on it's own looks good, but is not durable. Spraying it with clear lacquer turns it into a muddy brown colour.
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10th Feb 2017, 2:08 pm | #5 |
Guest
Posts: n/a
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Re: Replicating the gold finish on grilles and trims
If it is aluminium alochrome is a good gold finish, needs laquering, this doesn't dim the finish.
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11th Feb 2017, 5:43 am | #6 | |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Posts: 631
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Re: Replicating the gold finish on grilles and trims
Quote:
It is false advertising really, they should spray the lid with the same product as the stuff they put in the can! There is a caveat on the can of course, which is probably what they rely on to keep them oout of Court Billy |
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11th Feb 2017, 7:20 pm | #7 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,835
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Re: Replicating the gold finish on grilles and trims
I have to agree with that sentiment, particularly as I have a can of such 'chrome capped' spray paint that I was intending to use to refresh/restore the worn finish on a 70's hifi receiver facia tuning dial frame. Oh well, I'll have to give it a trial spray before using it. On the subject of whether they are pulling the wool over peoples' eyes with that caveat, my opinion is that if the finish on the can lid is appreciably different to what you can achieve when using it, that is to say if you spray another can lid does it look the same?, if not then there is a valid reason to complain about a misleading description. If you can't spray a plastic can lid to look the same, then there's clearly porkies in the air.
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A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever.. |
11th Feb 2017, 9:56 pm | #8 |
Hexode
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Blackburn, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 282
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Re: Replicating the gold finish on grilles and trims
Re, "Chrome Bush Letters" , I`ve purchased some `Bare Metal Foil ` used by model makers for replicating Chrome on bumpers/trims /door handles etc for plastic and die cast models , there`s quite a lot of info on how to apply it ,plus videos on you tube. Haven`t had time to try it yet but i live in hope , hope this is of help , Regards, Tim.
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12th Feb 2017, 7:36 pm | #9 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,835
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Re: Replicating the gold finish on grilles and trims
It will be interesting to hear how you get on with that foil Tim. Please let us know and include some links to products.
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A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever.. |