The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Welcome to both the hobby, AND our wonderful forum! It looks as if you've bugun with a very worthy machine, congratulations. I don't think it'll take very long to locate other collectors in your general area, we have several northwesterners here I think.

Best,
Fran

Great job with your research into fixing up your Victrola. They do sound incredible when rebuilt and your family will get a lot of good fun out of it. (Also, that XVII is a feather in the cap of many experienced collectors--very pretty machine!)

Hello, i own New England Victrola & Clock & have done a lot of restorations. Here are my recommendations for fully restoring the cabinet:

-Remove motor board and set aside
-Completely strip all the hardware and put screws and small parts in disposable plastic cups, keep in groups that go with each item like; door hinges, lid hinge, knobs, etc. This will make reassembly much easier.
Once it is stripped down, you should have the doors, top, main body, etc.
-Next, take lots of photos of the motor as mounted on the motor board to help with reassembly if needed. Then lift off the turntable if not already done. Remove the brake and speed control and put parts in separate cups. The goal is to have the motor board stripped down and bare.
-Next: use Jasco brand stripper (avail home depot) and strip all finish off all the wood except; back, record rack, bottom of motor board and any other areas not originally clear coated. Do your research on chemical stripping, it is not hard but be safe.
-Next, after stripping, use 3M sand paper 120 grit to sand all stripped wood. I use an electric sander for the flat parts but if you aren't good with an electric sander, hand sand with a hand sander (i did my first one this way, hard work but not too bad). The 120 grit sands quick so be careful with edges etc.
The complete sanding is the most time consuming but worth it to remove the old finish. The wood will be light color once sanded. The veneer is thick so sanding thru shouldn't be a problem, i have never sanded thru.
-After sanding, check for loose veneer, if found use wood glue on a putty knife to get under and clamp. Research that first to make sure you do it right.
Use natural color wood putty mixed with a little of the stain to fill any dings that didn't come out with sanding.
-As for the stain, i use Old Master brand Rich Mahogany Wiping or penetrating Stain, you can find it on on eBay or Amazon for around $15. This is the closest match to the original color i have found. The Minwax brands were too brown.
-Make sure all wood is prepped good before staining cause there is no going back, stain all the sanded wood. I wipe off right after applying since it soaks up quick.
-After letting the stain dry for a week, use Minwax semi gloss polyurethane to clear coat. I lay everything flat and apply with a foam brush. After the first coat dries for a 3 days, sand everything with 3M 400 grit and re-clearcoat. Add 3 coats total. If anything doesn't look good, sand and add anther coat but typically 3 coats works. the semigloss is close to what they had back then but I have done some in full gloss, it is stunning but doesn't look as authentic. I prefer Minwax and have had great luck with it. Applying to flat surfaces is the key. lay the unit down and do one side at a time letting them dry for a day before turning to do the next side.
-After dry for a week, clean and polish all metal (including screw heads)before reassembling.
*The only thing left is the motor rebuild. It is really not that hard, a great video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R9i7zp-v9s and the second part is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEkUpM-yykM. I used this when I did my first rebuild years ago.
Just make sure you note which way the springs go before taking them out.
**Some people like to mix their own grease using vaseline and graphite and other methods they used 100 years ago. I believe in using modern materials to outlast the original. I use mobile 1 synthetic grease & oil for the motor so it will outlast the original by many years. I also use polyurethane because it is also superior to anything they had when originally built. Just look at the clear finish on most Victrolas out there to see how poor the original clear coat they used lasted. Poly will last much longer and is much more durable.
**it might seem like a lot but if you dont rush and take your time, it can actually be enjoyable especially after you finish and did it all yourself. very rewarding and you model 17 is well worth the effort.
-good luck and feel free to contact me if you need any additional help.

Here are some pictures below showing the different stages of restoring the cabinet..

Hello Jonsheff--

While the machinery of your Victrola is immaculate (I bet it sounds wonderful!) polyurethane is...unwelcome here, to put it mildly, mainly because it looks different than the original finishes would have and is nearly impossible to reverse.

Hate to have to put it like that, but that's the fact...it really devalues the machines. A good restoration with period-style finish like shellac (or varnish post 1920ish) is a big attraction IMHO but poly...I have wrangled with other peoples' uses of that infernal stuff and have nothing kind to say for the first person who used it on phonographs.

But hey, the machinery looks fabulous on your machine. My motors have a film of oil on them and heavy grease on winding gears...yours looks surgically precise!

VanEpsFan1914 wrote:Hello Jonsheff--

While the machinery of your Victrola is immaculate (I bet it sounds wonderful!) polyurethane is...unwelcome here, to put it mildly, mainly because it looks different than the original finishes would have and is nearly impossible to reverse.

Hate to have to put it like that, but that's the fact...it really devalues the machines. A good restoration with period-style finish like shellac (or varnish post 1920ish) is a big attraction IMHO but poly...I have wrangled with other peoples' uses of that infernal stuff and have nothing kind to say for the first person who used it on phonographs.

But hey, the machinery looks fabulous on your machine. My motors have a film of oil on them and heavy grease on winding gears...yours looks surgically precise!

The first thing to do with the original cabinet would be to give it a good cleaning, and it may not requite a refinishing

estott wrote: The first thing to do with the original cabinet would be to give it a good cleaning, and it may not requite a refinishing

I agree. It's only original once. A cleaning with non-pumice Go-Jo will be a good start.

-Martin

martinola wrote:

estott wrote: The first thing to do with the original cabinet would be to give it a good cleaning, and it may not requite a refinishing

I agree. It's only original once. A cleaning with non-pumice Go-Jo will be a good start.

-Martin

I agree. the finish is part of the history.
That cabinet does not need refinishing.
If refinished I would not even look at it.

victor 15-1 wrote:

martinola wrote:

estott wrote: The first thing to do with the original cabinet would be to give it a good cleaning, and it may not requite a refinishing

I agree. It's only original once. A cleaning with non-pumice Go-Jo will be a good start.

-Martin

I agree. the finish is part of the history.
That cabinet does not need refinishing.
If refinished I would not even look at it.

Agreed! Do not refinish!

jayelpiplou0613 wrote:Thanks everyone for your guidance and support. You have certainly helped validate my thinking that it is totally doable to complete myself. Great to have an excellent resource like this to help me out along the way with questions I have.

I live in Seattle, WA. I have done some looking locally, but have primarily been on Ebay. Great recommendation for how to look at Ebay and to look into what 'rebuilt' means.

I do have the casters, the crank, needle tins and bags of needles. Not sure if they are good or not though.

Have you made any progress??