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Old 2nd Mar 2023, 11:46 am   #1
Nickthedentist
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Default "Tramlines" on a Bakelite Major Maestro

Hello everyone.

Continuing work on my birthday present (from November!), a c. 1947 Pilot T16 Major Maestro, I've now moved onto the cabinet.

This is a thinnish Bakelite affair in a classic, curvy, pre-War style. Mine is in fair condition with no cracks or chips, and has been tarted-up with Brasso or T-Cut by the shop where the radio was being sold as a display piece. The bottom is noticably more interesting than the rest of it, so I suspect it's seen quite a lot of sunlight over the years.

Here's a picture of one on RadioMuseum: https://www.radiomuseum.org/images/r...rly_197810.jpg

My question is this... Should the "tramlines" be infilled with off-white paint, like this example on Radiomuseum? Or is this a restorer's whim?
https://www.radiomuseum.org/images/r..._ac_699100.jpg

And if so, how would you go about it? I've successfully re-done the ones on a Philips 371A using masking tape, but the size and 3D curviness of the Pilot doesn't lend itself to reliable and neat masking.

Or should I just clean out all the crud from them with cocktail sticks etc. and leave it at that? I think this would be preferable to a rough-looking paint job.

All thoughts welcome.

Nick.

Last edited by Nickthedentist; 2nd Mar 2023 at 12:01 pm.
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Old 2nd Mar 2023, 3:12 pm   #2
Sideband
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Default Re: "Tramlines" on a Bakelite Major Maestro

Personally I think it looks better without the tramlines.....
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Old 2nd Mar 2023, 4:48 pm   #3
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Default Re: "Tramlines" on a Bakelite Major Maestro

I agree. There are several Major Maestros in photos on the web and aside from that one at Radiomuseum I've not spotted a trace of paint on any of them, so my guess would be there was none to begin with.

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Old 2nd Mar 2023, 5:49 pm   #4
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Default Re: "Tramlines" on a Bakelite Major Maestro

No Nick, I have seen many of those over the years and have never seen any with paint applied. If I do need to restore tramlines, I usually use white correction fluid. When dry, the surplus comes off with Brasso on a kitchen towel and buffs up leaving a perfect cream coloured line. This method works for AVO knobs as well.
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Old 2nd Mar 2023, 6:03 pm   #5
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Default Re: "Tramlines" on a Bakelite Major Maestro

Thanks guys, that’s a tremendous hello.

The paint’s going back on the shelf!
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Old 3rd Mar 2023, 11:02 am   #6
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Default Re: "Tramlines" on a Bakelite Major Maestro

"help", not "hello"! iPhone always thinks it knows best.

I polished it with the usual Greygate stuff and scraped out the grooves with cocktail sticks last night, and it looks lovely. JOB DONE as they say.
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