The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello, everybody.

I have decided to replace the covering on my VV 2-55, because the old fabrikoid was dried out, split and brittle. I bought a couple yards of nice, new leatherette only to realize that everything I would expect to be screwed on, is riveted (thanks, Camden). My question is, what is the best way to remove the rivets, and where can I find suitable replacements?

Also, has anyone had luck cleaning the brown crinkle paint? Mine is all grody, and neither GOOP nor ammonia have been able to touch it. Should I strip it and repaint it something less obnoxious?

UPDATE: I have given up on the crinkle paint. After trying bleach, ammonia (obviously not together and with rinsing between), dish soap and a Scotch-Brite pad, glass cooktop cleaner, rubbing alcohol, goop and a rag, and goop with 0000 steel wool, and seeing no visible improvement after all these things than before I had started, I have opted to just wire wheel all the nasty crinkle paint off. I hated it anyway, and only wanted to salvage it for the decal in the lid. I think I'll spray it gloss black inside.

Luckily, since all the gold is paint rather than plating, that's an easy step for little money.

I decided to just drill the rivets. I think I have found suitable replacements online. This is going to be one fine-looking machine when I'm done. Fresh new leatherette, new paint, cleaned up motor... Ooh yeah.

Back when I owned my VV 2-55, I painted mine with gold krinkle paint. But you have to be very careful you do not spray too close, or apply too much.

Stand back and lightly spray the paint, let dry and repeat one or two more times. Just enough to enhance the look. Three pit-falls that I had with these machines, the pot metal back bracket, ugly crinkle finish (from aging) and the fabrikoid.

Other than some of these issues, these are good solid players of Orthophonic records.

All the best,

Jerry P.

Where did you find the gold krinkle paint? I have had no luck online.

winsleydale wrote:Where did you find the gold krinkle paint? I have had no luck online.

My bad, I looked it up in my cabinet...its called Hammered Paint...a hammered finish.

Ah. Okay, well that's a little different.

Winsleydale,

For cleaning wrinkle finish, I use Fantastik and a scrub brush. When you're done, it will look bad, but it will be clean. Then, spray a light coating of clear enamel over it. Either gloss or flat. It brings it back to life and looks nice.

As to where to buy wrinkle finish, I would use the paint that's sold to repaint Kennedy tool boxes, or any of the black wrinkle finish paints available on Amazon, (they all seem to be black). It's the wrong color. Then overpaint with a light coat of gold, or whatever color you like. The texture should come through. For that matter, you could have just oversprayed the old ugly finish with gold.

There's a thought. I wish I would have seen it before I began taking the paint off the lower half!

Comrade Snifflypale!

I am certain there is likely to be much surplus wrinkle finish paint, stockpiled for this very sort of need, in Paint Collectives throughout the former Soviet Union and its satellites.

After all, military-spec wrinkle finish was used quite consistently for much of the last century to protect and beautify a wide variety of the products of Soviet might, including car dashboards, belt buckles, kitchen appliances (when available), bicycles (when available), ladies foundation garments (when available), and baby rattles.

Not to mention phonographs and their components (when available).

Shall I make discrete enquiries on your behalf, through channels?

-- Comrade X

Sure, if you feel you should.

Also, I have now added "Sniffleypale" to my running list of inventive names that you've given me.