The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

When I had one of my exhibition reproducers rebuilt last year it came back with the lettering removed. I would like to paint the letters back on. Has anyone done this? Any pointers on what paint to use/not use? How to proceed?
Thanks

I have also suffered this problem due to My imprudence in polishing the backplate too much. I painted in Black mate the backplate and I tried to draw the letters with tippex, they came out very irregular and so bad but it seems really old! I also need advice on how to draw letters in white properly over read to apply white paint on them, then very fast pass a cloth to remove the excess, but this didn't work with the tippex... I used that because it tends to an ivory white with time, so it would seem old in a few months... poor me

I answered you in your other, identical posting....

You don't to start a new thread to bring your posting to the top. Just reply to your original thread.

Thank you Inigo and jerry (I read your post on my other thread of this same question-thanks for the advice on that also).

The fellow who rebuilt the exhibition reproducer and returned it with all the beautiful lettering removed also soaked the whole thing with that awful smelling rubber softener, which I couldn’t get out. Ugh. When I enquired about both these problems he was non-plused (aka: he didn’t care) and therefore I knew it would be unwise to let him touch my beautiful little exhibition or anything else I owned much less send it back to him. I believe (hope) he has retired now. He is a person who everybody who uses this site knows. Really bad tempered. Cranky as all get-out. Bummer. With my limited experience at the time (I at least have a little more now!) I couldn’t fix either of the problems so I gave it away to somebody who could, and who was very happy to get it for free. Live and learn.

An alternative would be to print the lettering on a thin disc of paper, and paste it inside the backplate. Mica is semi-transparent so it shouldn't be too obvious that there is a printed card inside. Actually, many soundboxes never had engraved and painted letters originally, but just some printed paper instead.

Really good to know! Thanks! I always learn something when I am here!