Recent Restoration with Gregg Cline's Decals-Look!

[Jerry B.]

Here are a few photos of a Edison Home and Standard that I recently refinished using Gregg Cline's decals. I followed his instructions to the letter and the results are very pleasing. When I started collecting in the olden days of the seventies, it was next to impossible to buy good decals. The banner ones were horrible and you could spot a new decal from across the room. Even the little "Edison" decals had problems with color and the dot on the "i" gave the reproductions away. Tell me what you think. Thanks, Jerry

[Jerry B.]

The decals are not cheap but they are worth it. The Home decal was $35 and the Standard was $25. Jerry

[alang]

Both machines look great. Congratulations!
The price for the decals may be higher than from other sources, but the quality makes up for it. Considering that these machines may be around for another hundred or more years, it would always hurt to look at incorrect decals. So it's really an investment for generations to come.
Andreas

[Phonofreak]

Nice job, Jerry. I agree that Greg's decal are expensive, but they make machines look great. I have used his decals also.
Harvey Kravitz

[Henry]

I agree, the machines and decals look terrific! Just curious: can you summarize the instructions that you followed "to the letter"? I've done lots of decals on plastic models, but never anything on wood. Thanks.

[Jerry B.]

These are Gregg Cline's abbreviated instructions:

The decals are on decal paper and must be cut before installation. Gregg suggests not cutting at the edge of the decal but slightly away but in a general sense. If you think of the small "Edison" decal, he suggests cutting it out in an oval or maybe an ameba around the word.
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The decal should be applied over an already finished cabinet.
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He suggests using two products to aid in the application of the decal. You should apply "Micro Set" to the cabinet just prior to applying the decal. Dip the decal in warm water for 10 to 15 seconds. Very carefully slide the decal off the paper to the cabinet. More Micro Set can be used to ease moving the decal to the desired position and to increase the working time. Use a small brush to work out the air bubbles.
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Allow this to dry completely. (I let it sit overnight)
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Next apply a coat of "Micro Sol" over the decal. This product helps the decal flow into the finish.
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Greg then suggests a coat of lacquer (optional) and coats of shellac to tint as desired.
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I use the two solutions whenever I apply decals to my bikes or phonographs and it really helps. Jerry Blais

[Tinkerbell]

Beautiful results, Jerry.

[Henry]

You should apply "Micro Set" to the cabinet just prior to applying the decal. Dip the decal in warm water for 10 to 15 seconds. Very carefully slide the decal off the paper to the cabinet. More Micro Set can be used to ease moving the decal to the desired position and to increase the working time. Use a small brush to work out the air bubbles.
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Allow this to dry completely. (I let it sit overnight)
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Next apply a coat of "Micro Sol" over the decal. This product helps the decal flow into the finish.
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Greg then suggests a coat of lacquer (optional) and coats of shellac to tint as desired.
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I use the two solutions whenever I apply decals to my bikes or phonographs and it really helps. Jerry Blais

These products sound an awful lot like one that model hobbyists, especially railroaders, have used for years. It's called Solvaset, and it's marketed by W.K. Walthers, a very large distributor of model railroad products in the US. After cutting and applying a decal to the painted surface, using water only to position it, apply the Solvaset, which is a clear liquid, with a brush to the decal, which softens so the film will flow around and into surface features (rivets, cracks, small irregularities, etc.). After everything settles down dry, the model is best air-brushed with a compatible clear-coat of some kind---glossy, semi-matte, or matte, depending on preference.

Thanks for posting the instructions.

[Couch Potato]

Nice decals. What is the finish on the wood? Was it stained first and if so with what kind? What is finish? Shellac? How many coats. Is decal directly on wood or sandwiched between finish coats. Too many question right?

[Jerry B.]

Both machines were stripped, stained with Watco walnut stain, and finished with with Deft lacquer. I sprayed several coats of Deft and rubbed down the cabinets with 0000 steel wool. Then I applied the decals. After the decals were set, I applied several more coats of Deft and one final gentle rub with the 0000 steel wool. I love the finish because it looks great and it feels good to the touch.
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When I refinish a machine, I apply the stripper directly to the object. I don't think I've every used sandpaper because it spoils the patina of the cabinet because the sandpaper is likely to have a greater affect on raised or curved surfaces. Imagine sanding a Victrola XVI cabinet that has fancy carving on the corners. The high parts of the carving are too easy to sand and the valleys are nearly impossible to sand. You'll end up sanding out the original coloring on the high spots and very little on the valleys. Then you'll apply stain and you'll still have a discrepancy of color. Stripper may remove some original coloring but it does it evenly. When I apply stain to a stripped cabinet, it takes it evenly.
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I hope this answers some of your questions and I'm happy to answer more. Happy collecting, Jerry