Well I took everyone's advice and went to my local Antique Radio Club in Dallas today. While there I seen a couple of beautiful refinished console radios, and I do mean beautiful.

So I was talking to the gentleman that did the work to get some pointers and he surprised me with some of his answers. He used acrylic urethane rather than lacquer. He said he gets it in spray cans but I cannot find it.

What are your thoughts about using acrylic urethane, where would I find it, and what brand name to look for?

No one can help or comment?

Hi,

I think a lot of us use lacquer, as that's what the sets originally had on them. So...there's a wealth of knowledge about lacquer here, and questions about lacquer finishes are usually answered pretty quickly.

I'm not familiar with the product you're referring to.

Peter

This is a discussion that can go on forever as it did in the automotive field for years. GM was lacquer and Ford & Chrysler were enamel a few years ago. They both have their good and not so good points. I lean towards lacquer especially on furniture. On a car the modern enamels certainly are tougher, more durable.

I think that most will agree that you can get a beautiful finish with the urethane and it is probably easier to apply. However if you need to refinish it is more difficult. I think that a lacquer finish has a depth that you don't see in urethane. Audiophile term. I think urethane is the absolute best for things like kitchen cabinets and even certain furniture that could be exposed to careless drink glasses for an example. Just my thoughts.

Before using urethane (any flavor), I would carefully research how difficult it is to get off, if you make a mistake while refinishing, or you don't like the color, etc.

The beauty of lacquer (apart from authenticity) is that it's so easily reversible. If you don't like the result the first time around, no problem, just remove it and try again.

Some kinds of polyurethane are what I'd consider irreversible. Once that stuff is on, you won't get it off without using a belt sander or harsh stripper.

Just my $0.02.

Phil Nelson

I understand that.

However it is my first project, on basically a cheap Delco 1107 with Mahogany wood which is dark and Tiger Striped that I want to keep light and bring out the grain. It will not be sold or appraised, just a house piece. In short a learning tool.

Well that is my main question. I am talking about an Acrylic Urethane, not a POLYurethane. I am very new but from what I understand there is a huge difference between an polyurethane and acrylic urethane.

What I think I have learned is the Acrylic Urethane is suppose to be very durable, but hard to repair.

So what I am having trouble with is finding spray cans of the stuff. What I find is gallon of liquid to be used by pros for floor and cars. Not hobby stuff in a spray can.

I would stick to lacquer. You will get practice using the finish that best resembles the original. And it should be the finish to use on any future project, IMHO. If you make a mistake or get a run, it's not too hard to fix.

As everyone is said, lacquer is best. It goes on easily, runs can be quickly repaired, and if you don't like what you have, it strips off without much of a fuss. The depth of the grain is indeed there with lacquer. you'll be amazed at the wood grain once you spray lacquer on it.

Chris

I understand that you're talking about acrylic, not poly. What I don't understand is the attraction of using something designed for boat hulls and hardwood floors:

http://www.ehow.com/about_6504500_polyu ... inish.html

Lacquer is as simple to spray on as anything else, and if your finish doesn't come out perfectly on the first attempt, you won't have to haul out a belt sander to try again. If you want a light finish, use a light toner or none at all.

Anyhow, it's your radio. Use whatever you like -- nobody can stop you.

Phil Nelson

No way I'd use a water based finish on any antique.
I remember my ex-wifes father did her waterbed with the stuff, & after 5 or so years, the finish started to revert back to a cloudy look, similar to how the stuff looks when you first apply it.
No doubt they've improved the formula since then, but I still have to wonder what such a finish will look like in 5, 10 or 15 yrs.
At least with lacquer you know it will last 40 or 50 yrs if you look after it, and shellac can last 100+ yrs. Who knows how long these new finishes will stay looking good?

If you're using this as a learning tool, then why not use lacquer, the finish you'll want to become most familiar with?

As others have stated, it's your radio so you can use what you want, but this isn't the best forum for advice on acrylic urethane finishes. Good luck and post pictures when completed.

OK lacquer it is guys.

Oh, dear. I don't necessarily want to use urethane-based products on old radios, either, but I certainly use them on other items. They are *much much* more durable, in general, than lacquer. And easier to apply. Most are designed for car paint use where they might relatively untrained operators paint 12 cars a day, and have them back to the customer in as little as hours. No dozens of coats, humidity checking, etc., and you can spill gasoline on it once a week for decades with no damage.

Lacquer is notorious for the sorts of checks, sun damage, flaking, etc. The reason there's a whole forum devoted to is here is because it's so fragile. I like the looks of it but to tout it as somehow durable is not too plausible. Its one redeeming feature (mentioned above) is that it is very forgiving for both application and repair, and can be easily redone. Precisely because its so chemically fragile. It also shrinks for essentially ever - if you want a really good job, and to rub it out, I would typically wait *a month or two* for it to shrink most of the way to its final dimensions. That's why people have so much trouble making a smooth finish and filling the grain with just lacquer, because you sand/rub it flat, then 6 months later, it has shrunk, and back comes out all the grain.

Don't get me wrong, I don't advocate using synthetic finishes over lacquer where lacquer is appropriate but to question modern finishes on the basis of durability is really not a good argument at all. There are very good reasons that lacquers are not generally used on woodworking aside from vintage applications.

Brett

Bret thanks for that, and I am not trying to spark any kind of debate. I got the idea from my local Vintage Radio and Phonograph Society club (vprs.org) meeting I went to in Arlington TX. It seems many of the members there use Acrylic Urethane and had finished radios there to show it off. They were drop dead, head turning, eye popping gorgeous. Had them right out there in the parking lot in full bright sun light.

To be honest there were a few members who insisted on using Lacquer, and when I pressed them for the reason is pretty much what I expected, authenticity because they did not have urethane back in the 30/40's. However they also admitted if the did have urethane back then, they would have used it because it is superior in many ways.

Only real down side I can see with it other than authenticity issue is easy repairs. It has to be sanded off. But for durability it is almost bullet proof.

But anyway I am going to use lacquer on my first project, and any other project if I want to preserve the antique value.

Thanks, Brett, for explaining this issue better than I have seen lately. The reason old radio cabinets need refinished is due to the poor durability of lacquer. It stretches, it shrinks, it flakes, it peels, it is easily damaged by moisture. It is easy to repair and to apply. Good thing, since it needs to be done often. If urethanes had been available when our old radios were built, we would likely not be needing to refinish them. The problem most peole make when using urethane finishes is using gloss material. It is too shiny for most furniture, so it gives the dreaded plastic look. The urethane/lacquer debate has raged for years in the automotive world. Urethane has won. The time is coming for furniture refinishing as well. Just because something has always been done the hard way, continuing to do it the hard way makes no sense. I have refinished and repaired urethane finishes. I found it no more difficult than any other finish. My.$02..............GREG