The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Thanks for all the info. Have the cabinet stripped of the poly finish and letting it dry up. Still have the motor deck piece of wood to do but will get that tomorrow. Next it the sanding and cleaning to get a consistent stain color. Here are a couple of pics of the stripped cabinet.

Perhaps it's been mentioned already but, in case not, I'll add to be careful to recreate the original toning that these cabinets had. Most refinishers of Orthophonic era machines ignore the darker toned areas around edges and moldings. Nothing sticks out worse than pale looking edges and carvings on a poorly refinished Ortho.

Thanks for the info on the finish around the moldings and edges, havent picked out the stain color as of yet but the main sanding has been completed. Hopefully select and color the cabinet next week or so after I finish all the little sanding bits, here are a couple of picks of the sanded cabinet

Wow !


I'm surprised at how light the veneer is !

Should be a lovely machine when it's done !

Yeah, I was surprised as well. Notice that the backside trim is much lighter than the rest of the cabinet. I think the type of wood used there is not the same as the rest of the cabinet. Even the back deck lid molding piece is different from the rest of the deck lid.

Hi all,
Got most of the refinish work done on the cabinet as well as the motor rebuilt, tone arm refinished and the new decal placed. All thats left is the grill cloth which is on order and looking for one more door knob for the right little door. I think for a first time to refinish a cabinet it isnt too bad and my girlfriend wants it in her room. hmmm, we will see. Any ways, i have posted more pics of the unit on the photobucket site and appreciate all of the input from every one here on this project. here are a few pics (the flash seems to make the color look orange ). When the grill cloth arrives, ill show it running.

By the way, anything I should be wary of on rebuilding the reproducer. I have heard that they can be difficult on the orthophonics.

I'll probably get banned for this, but daaaaaayyyyyyyyuuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmm! That looks wonderful!

SWEEET!

Wowee----what a transformation! I have the same model, where the original finish is that super dark color that Victor used in the later 1920s. I just assumed they did it to cover up veneers of a lesser quality, but then look at your machine. Such beautiful striped grain, on almost all of it. Looks like a very sharp, neat job all around---well done!

My Victor 10-50 was refinished extremely well but in a little lighter tone and what kind of coating I have no idea. Is there a way to determine what kind of coating it is without damaging anything, or in a sort of unseen area?

Anyway, he at least left the instructions decal inside the door intact and masked it off as a rectangle and left it as is. So it's a little darker but at least the decal is still there. How does that decal guy do custom jobs, do you have to scan what you have and he creates a copy or (?) Would be great to have the inside door all one color. : )