Greetings!

I just got an updated picture of my Grandfather's radio cabinet being restored at a local antique furniture restore business and wanted to share. So far, I think it looks great!

BEFORE

AFTER


I cleaned up the glass as it had some paint spills on it. The glass also had this brown/black hardened goop on the far left and right. That hardened goop is also on the inside of the cabinet. I presume this was some putty that was used to hold the glass in place originally that hardened over time. There was also a metal arm (with some folded cardboard) that was affixed to two pieces of wood inside the cabinet at the corners of the glass. The lower part was held by a screw and the upper part went under a notch. The cabinet was missing the metal arm from one side and someone had substituted a piece of balsa wood and wood glue at some point.

What are some options to remount the glass in the cabinet?

I believe that if you look you will see that when you put the chassis back in the cabinet the dial lights will be near the edge of the glass ..,, that would be why there was a piece of cardboard sort of folded over.. It was to direct the light to the edge of the glass..If there were two dial lights then there would have been cardboard on each side.. As far as that hard black crud is cencerned,,it would have been soft when it was put in there and it was to keep the metal you mentioned from coming in contact with the glass. I usually scrape it off [maybe try some acetone to soften the black stuff[. Be carefull not to break the glass.... Just take your time..... I cut a piece of old inner-tube and use it as a cusion.. Probably the metal strip is a bit springy so as to hold the glass with a little pressure.
With out seeing any photos ,this is the best I can tell you. Probably the metal strip fits under the block of wood and was attached at the other end with the screw,to hold the glass in.. Just made a new block of wood and glue it in where the old one was. You may have to fabricate a new piece of metal for the other side..

Once again with out a photo I can't tell exactly how it looks..I do hope this helps Dan

Hi Dan,

Yes, the metal piece is curved to be springy. Apologies for the lack of pictures, all the parts are at the furniture repair place. Inside, there were four blocks of wood in the four corners. Each block was cut in an "L" pattern to support the glass.

Great idea on the old inner tube!

The cabinet is back! I will take some after pictures later but wanted to post these up to get an idea on how to mount this glass! The inside looks like this:



The glass will go in the center (yellow line) and it is outlined by blocks of thicker wood (red).



I only found one "mounting bracket" with the radio. A side view is below in the corner. Basically, the top portion tucks under the upper block of wood and the bottom is connected the lower block of wood with a screw. I am worried about the tension cracking the glass. I have no idea what material was used previously to "cushion" the glass in place.



I am mostly concerned with getting the glass in place, securely, so that it will not fall or get damaged rather than trying to go for originality. What are some options others have used?

When needed I cushion the glass with strips I cut from bike inner tubes. Make your own wood blocks.

Thanks hoffies. I don't follow on the "make your own wood blocks".

The wood blocks are there (just hard to see in the picture). Should I reuse the existing metal spring (and fabricate a second) or are there other options to holding the glass in place?

This is what the fastener/spring looks like:

The cabinet returned from the cabinet restorer this week.

I wound up having two more "straps" made from stainless steel (no tension). I then used a small piece of cardboard, from an Amazon box, on either side of the glass to brace it between the strap and the cabinet. I think it came out really well.

It looks very good. Now all you need is the radio inside..
I does.t take too much to hold the glass in there,in fack sometimes i use four little screws and a large flat washer with felt under it to hols the glass in
Nice job,,NOW YOUR HOOKED