Shellac finish - clear or amber?

[derik_olson]

Question:
I am about to refinish this Pathé cabinet, I plan to use "shellac finish and sealer". Should I buy the clear kind or the "amber" variety? Is Zinsser a good brand, or is there another recommendation? I will clean the whole cabinet with denatured alcohol first.

[52089]

Just my opinion, but I don't see a good reason to do a full refinish on that. I would Goop it to clean it, then try Howard Restor-a-Finish and Howard Feed-n-wax. Then if you're still not happy, refinishing may be in order. Good luck whatever you decide to do.

[drh]

Yet another example of Pathé's nearly universal design for upright phono cabinets. I have one very like it (a Model 100), which was my first spring-driven machine. I'd suggest before launching into all the work and possible expense of refurbishing it, you consider a couple of questions. First, do you have the grille? I've been looking for a replacement for mine, in a desultory sort of way, for years, and I've not seen one. They seem to be quite scarce on the ground. Second, do you have the internal horn element that is missing in your photo? That swoopy s-curve line on the floor of the interior chamber is the outline of a curved wall that forms the right side of the horn (as you face the machine).

If the answer to either question is "no," I'd think hard about putting much into the cabinet. They're nice machines, but for whatever reason they don't seem to have much of a market.

Oh, and apologies if you already know all the foregoing. Just trying to help!

[edit] I just noticed that the decorative applique over the horn chamber is missing, leaving behind just the outline. Do you have that? Another thing to consider.

[derik_olson]

Yet another example of Pathé's nearly universal design for upright phono cabinets. I have one very like it (a Model 100), which was my first spring-driven machine. I'd suggest before launching into all the work and possible expense of refurbishing it, you consider a couple of questions. First, do you have the grille? I've been looking for a replacement for mine, in a desultory sort of way, for years, and I've not seen one. They seem to be quite scarce on the ground. Second, do you have the internal horn element that is missing in your photo? That swoopy s-curve line on the floor of the interior chamber is the outline of a curved wall that forms the right side of the horn (as you face the machine).

If the answer to either question is "no," I'd think hard about putting much into the cabinet. They're nice machines, but for whatever reason they don't seem to have much of a market.

Oh, and apologies if you already know all the foregoing. Just trying to help!

[edit] I just noticed that the decorative applique over the horn chamber is missing, leaving behind just the outline. Do you have that? Another thing to consider.

Yes, I have all the pieces you mentioned. I had to remove the horn in order to re-mount the lid support bracket, which had broken away from the wood. Does anyone know which way it is mounted? I attached a photo here showing what I think may be the correct position. But I could be wrong. You have to click on the photo to show it correctly rotated.

The decorative trim, I had to order from George Vollema.

[derik_olson]

Just my opinion, but I don't see a good reason to do a full refinish on that. I would Goop it to clean it, then try Howard Restor-a-Finish and Howard Feed-n-wax. Then if you're still not happy, refinishing may be in order. Good luck whatever you decide to do.

Would that be the dark oak variety of Restor-A-Finish?

[52089]

Just my opinion, but I don't see a good reason to do a full refinish on that. I would Goop it to clean it, then try Howard Restor-a-Finish and Howard Feed-n-wax. Then if you're still not happy, refinishing may be in order. Good luck whatever you decide to do.

Would that be the dark oak variety of Restor-A-Finish?

You'd have to check colors in person, but I'm thinking mahogany is more likely.

[JohnM]

Amber shellac. Don’t use that Howard’s crap.

[derik_olson]

In my effort to remove aligatoring from the cabinet lid, I sanded away the stain down to the wood. I know, a big mess, but it's done.

Is there a recommended stain to use? At the hardware store, I managed to match the color, I just don't know what base to mix it with.

[JerryVan]

In my effort to remove aligatoring from the cabinet lid, I sanded away the stain down to the wood. I know, a big mess, but it's done.

Is there a recommended stain to use? At the hardware store, I managed to match the color, I just don't know what base to mix it with.

That's not the right way to remove alligatoring, but that doesn't matter now.

You'll need to strip & sand the entire cabinet to get everything essentially the same color. Next comes stain. A dark walnut or maybe brown mahogany. After that, your finish coat. It may take several applications, with light sanding in between, to get a nice finish. For a dark cabinet color such as this, I don't believe clear versus amber shellac would make much difference, but then I'm not experienced in shellac finishes.

I don't know what you mean by, "...what base to mix it with." Are you thinking of adding the stain to the final finish, (shellac?), or are you looking at a concentrated stain and wanting to know what to mix it with to reduce it?

[derik_olson]

Thanks Jerry. I guess I will save this project for spring when it is warm enough to do outside. I realize now that I could have used Danish Oil to remedy the aligatoring, but it's too late to go back.

When I went to the hardware store, I took the motor board from my phonograph. The woman examined it with her machine, matching the color as close as she could. This would then get mixed in with an acrylic base. I realize now this is not what I want, as it meant for outdoor decking, not phonographs. But she didn't know that.

What I need is a stain where you can see the wood grain after it's all done, not a paint.

The cabinet itself is fine and looks good after I put on two coats of amber shellac. It's just the motor board and the top of the lid that need re-staining. I was hoping I could strip those two piece down like you suggested and find that matching stain.