Victor Credenza Barn Find Rescue And Info On The Restore

[Inigo]

It's magnificent! Wonderful!

[Herderz]

Just a update on where I am at on the rescue. I have been working on the lid restore. I started with the inside of the lid first. I wanted to try to save the lid label as it was in really good shape. I hand sanded the lids interior up to about a quarter inch of the label, then tried to feather the edge to soften the transition from new stained finish to old finish with a fresh overcoat of lacquer.

After staining the fresh sanding and trying to carefully feather the stain to the old label finish, I thought that it would be close to a match. It looked like the fresh stain could be maybe a tad redder and the old stain a little yellower. could be the shellac or varnish yellowed by age. I will not know until I apply the lacquer. In the end it is still close but depends on what angle you look at it. One direction the label is darker and the other angle it looks lighter. Still I am satisfied with the result being able to keep the label.

Next I started on the outside. I sanded the surface for the new veneer to get it clean and flat. After applying the new veneer I finish sanded the edges of the veneer and edges of the lid for staining and lacquer finish. I put 4 coats on the outside then block sanded the flat lid. Next 2 coats for the final finish. For the veneer I was able to pick out a nice open, book matched grain that matches the look of the inside of the lid at a local veneer shop. It looks quite nice and after it ages for a bit I wil give the finish a light wooling with #0000.

A couple before and after to this point.

Now the last part of the cabinet is to make new back panels. What I have is not repairable. I have already got the veneer, it is a long grain veneer that will match the grain pattern of the front and sides. I just got to decide what base wood to use, It needs to be ⅜". I don't know if high end plywood or some other composite woods would be best. I still have some missing hardware issues but I have been putting that off being consumed be the cabinet pieces.

[Phono-Phan]

Absolutely fabulous!!! Thanks for taking the effort to save this Credenza. Great job!!!

[audiophile102]

Fantastic results. Saving a banged-up credenza is a worthy effort.

[Herderz]

Thanks, Phono Phan and audiophile. The rescue has been challenging and the more I dug into it the more I found problems. It has been 6 months from the start but has kept me occupied. It is nice to see what is under one in so bad of a condition. The veneer look that was not damaged is so nice after restoring the finish. This machine also sounds incredible compared to pre-orthophonic.

[travisgreyfox]

Great job. I'm sure it was a painstaking process, but it looks like it came out looking wonderful.

[Roaring20s]

Wow ...

[Inigo]

No words except... MASTER!!!
And thanks for this juicy entertainment watching your progress...

[Herderz]

Guys, thank for the input. I still have a little to go but it is looking great. I played several VE disc's on it today and it sounds great. I will try to record a couple disc's on u-tube here shortly. I did play some Margaret Whting Disc's from the 40's and they are crystal clear with a wide tonal range. i am loving this machine.

[BillH_NJ]

Congratulations on the rescue! It is looking great.

Bill