FOLLOW THE RESTORATION: one-of-a-kind Higham Graphophone

[MicaMonster]

Steps:

1. analine dye stain base color: golden oak
2. rub in some acrylic pigment to flat out the color, and allow to dry, then rub it down with more dye.
3. apply satin lacquer, and before the lacquer is completely dry...
4. take some 80 grit sandpaper and rub the pebbling into the lacquer with a popsicle stick, creating a texture in the lacquer, and this also reduces the gloss more.

I am considering melting some shellac flake and aging it to make it as pebbled as the rest of the cabinet. The cabinets finish was a colored varnish that was quickly brushed on. And where it chipped off.....bare wood.

Next: get beaded wood trim made.

[Dave D]

Thanks for taking the time to share this! I am fascinated...
Dave D

[MicaMonster]

In the previous pic I hadn't pebbled the finish with sand paper. Here is the result.

[martinola]

Wyatt -
That's a great match! Thanks again for sharing!
-Martin

[fran604g]

^^^ "Looks like it grew there" as we used to say in the metal fab shop...

Fran

[MicaMonster]

Very excited, just got some oak turned and quartered! Need to figure out how exactly to treat this. The cabinet is so aged, with pebbled honey drips of varnish here and there. I don't want to do a compleat strip and re-finish. I might just put the trim on and sit on it for a while. Staring at it until inspiration comes.

[MicaMonster]

Well, I've decided to keep the "virgin" look, and have applied the new trims, and colored them with acrylic, to give a matted effect. It is all reversible.

[winsleydale]

Looks fantastic! I am not normally a huge fan of kepping things in 'survivor' condition, but the work you're doing here is phenomenal. I feel like it's much more skill and labor intensive to match a hundred years of wear than to refinish in full.