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Old 29th Feb 2020, 1:00 pm   #328
stevehertz
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
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Default Re: Baird T5 restoration project.

Quote:
Originally Posted by FERNSEH View Post
Panrock wrote:
"There are probably as many opinions on the subject of finishing as there are people here. As I've said before, I personally am opposed to the use of stains for tinting purposes. By the thirties and forties, coloured toning lacquers were the order of the day for the mass marketed radio industry, and using these again will be good for originality. Moreover, when using a spray gun, their density can be controlled by mixing with the filler/base coat. One advantage here is that you gain more grain pit filling, and another from using toner is that the colours of adjacent (different) sprayed panels will tend to converge."
I think David said he is going the French Polish route here, however. I'm sure the final result will be most impressive.

Hi Steve,
rather than French polishing the completed cabinet I'm considering passing the final finishing to a local firm to have it spray painted just as it was done in 1937 when the set was made. A very dark lacquer was used for the original finish, the norm for those times.
It's something to be discussed with the owner of the set.

DFWB.
Definitely the way to go. Nonetheless, a lacquer - even a dark one - can only 'equalise' the colour of woods underneath to some extent. Personally I would consider using stains on the bare wood to 'help' the process prior to spraying, and that would also mean that you would not have to use such a dark lacquer. As I recall, the T5 was not finished in a dark colour, more of a medium brown.

The original lacquer would have been cellulose. Not sure if you're able to get someone to use that, but that's what it was.
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