How do you put the black and gold stripes on the front of the philcos or do you refinish the cabinets without the stripes? They do add something to the looks, but don't see an easy way of doing it, and make it look good.

Frank

I've wondered if Pin Striping from an automotive shop would be adequate for the job. I have a Zenith cabinet on which I need to replace three gold stripes.

Are you talking about stripes like the ones on this radio:

http://www.radioatticarchives.com/radio.htm?radio=1942

If so, the whole front of that is photo finish....if you strip it, underneath you will find a cheap wood that has no grain and looks horrible....the stripes will be the least of your worries!

Peter

Peter,

Frank's stripes sound as if they may be what you have illustrated since he has a Philco cathedral. In the case of my Zenith console, they appear to be applied to the surface since you can see the wood grain where the stripes have worn through. My intent isn't to hijack the thread but to discuss striping and restoration in general.

Pat

Yes, if so, the stripes can be painted on, but, the rest is more involved:

Before



After

If it's straight lines it should be trivial. Get some automotive striping tape the width of the desired stripe. Lay it down straight on top of there you want the stripe. Then lay 3/8 or 1/2" striping tape right up against it on either side. Remove the middle strip of tape. If you are adept, just forget step one and lay the masking right along the edges. Then mask the rest of the radio from overspray, and spray the stripe. Remove the tape, GENTLY knock down the edges, and you are set. I would probably use gold lacquer, then remove the tape almost immediately, then clear over the stripes, let it dry hard, then sand off the edges with maybe 1000 grit a few days later. You want to knock off the ridges but not touch the gold surface of the stripe.

If it's not straight lines, it's still pretty easy, but you have to have more skill and either piece together the mask, or use frisket paper and cut it in place. If you have to piece together the the masking, spray a coat of clear over it BEFORE the gold to seal the edges. If some leaks through anyway, let it dry and then gently scrape it off with a single-edge razor blade.

Obviously fix any underlying photo-finish problems before the stripe is applied.

Brett

Forum member badrestorer (John) did a pretty decent job on a Philco 37-610 that included repainting the stripes in the following thread:

viewtopic.php?t=128212&highlight

It sounds like Brett has a pretty good method too! I'd look at the thread to see how John did it (pictures), then re-read Brett's post and modify accordingly.

Thanks! I paint things with extensive masking (the masking takes 3 days and the painting takes 15 seconds) and have learned from some masters.

On the other thread, badrestorer couldn't clear-coat the gold because it was enamel (he's exactly right, it would wrinkle up and make a big mess). Gold butyrate model airplane dope would be lacquer-compatible so you can spray over it, which I highly recommend.

Brett

There are tons of ways to do 'pin striping' and lots of opinions on exactly what it is. Back in the old days, it was all hand-applied with tiny #000 brushes and high-quality leaded gold paint.

At the other end of the scale, you can use strips of yellow electrician's tape.

Some pinstriping done these days is an insult to the art.

Pictured.... how it was done ~100 years ago.

It was book-matched Photofinish.

Hi,
Thanks everyone for the replies.
Peter it is a 37-60, with the non-descript front. I am planning on using toner on the front, the rest can be refinished normally, the wood is ok.
Brett, I will attempt to use your suggestions using the automotive stripping tape, and lacquer spray. I assume that the stripping tape does come in the small widths I will need, never used it, actually never put stipes on a radio before. Will give a try, but trivial I doubt.
Phlog, great looking refinishing job, did you use a toner on it?

Frank

Yes, but the Photofinish was replaced by real walnut veneer also. The lines are toned laquer.

Thanks Phlog, also going to reveneer, hope it comes out as good as yours.

Frank

Here's a link to the link of striping tape I would suggest:

http://www.amazon.com/3M-Scotch-Fine-MM ... B003WHF27O

This is the 1/16 wide type but I think it comes in up to about 1/2". The 1/2" is stiff enough to lay down in nearly perfect straight lines. In fact, I would alter my previous suggestion - lay the wide stiff tape on one side of the desired stripe, then use the "stripe width" tape (1/8 or 3/16, say) right up next to it, then the other side with wide stiff tape right up against that. Then peel off the middle one. That way you don't have to get the middle one straight all by itself.

You can find model airplane dope at most good hobby shops. Not plastic model paint, that's enamel (which for sure won't like having clear lacquer over it) or acrylic (results, I don't know, but I would sure try it out on a test piece first!). Model airplane dope is a butyrate (SIG, Brodak, or Randolphs brand) which is close enough to lacquer to work, or acrylic lacquer (Aerogloss). You'd do well to find someone that already has some, it will take about a half a teaspoon to do the whole thing, but if not you can order it in a 4 oz jar.

Those are the products I am familiar with but if someone knows where to get some gold lacquer or where to get a tiny bit of gold toner/pigment (to be mixed with clear to make gold lacquer) then use that. Gold ink might work, too and be easier to find.

If you mess up the taping, just pull it off and try again. I promise it will be pretty easy. Just make sure the underlying lacquer is well-dried (at least a few days but preferably longer) and don't leave the tape on any longer than you need to, or you may have a bigger problem later.

I saw on the other thread something about a black stripe down the middle, which looked pretty cool. I would do that with the largest Rapidograph drafting pen and black ink for plastic vellum.

Brett

Thanks Brett,
using the stiffer tape for the line will make it easier to get a straight line, will give it try after I replace the veneer, also thanks for the tape link. Will be a long process, will not rush it.

Frank

Using Automotive pin stripe tape as masking tape is a very bad idea if you're using it on or near lacquer. I had spent a week refinishing a radio, and the last steps were to apply some 1/16" stripes on it, and then 2 coats more lacquer. I bought the 3 stripe tape, applied it, then peeled out the center stripe and sprayed the stripe color. It looked pretty good after I sprayed it, but within an hour, the tape had turned to jelly, and had re liqufied the lacquer beneath and all around it. I wound up sanding it all down, and used normal masking tape, and it came out great.. The tape probably used something in the adhesive that the lacquer didn't like...

Rich...

I would not (did not) use any kind of tape stripe. The amount of "feathering" required to blend it into the finish, even if it does no other harm, would be prohibitive. Or you will have 2 nice bumps.

[quote="phlogiston"
Using Automotive pin stripe tape as masking tape is a very bad idea if you're using it on or near lacquer. .[/quote]

I would not (did not) use any kind of tape stripe. The amount of "feathering" required to blend it into the finish, even if it does no other harm, would be prohibitive. Or you will have 2 nice bumps.[/quote]

Just to be entirely clear about my previous posts, I mean use plastic automotive masking tape and paint it in, not to use the pre-colored automotive pinstripes. I agree with everyone else, that will not be very satisfactory in this application. Truth be told, it doesn't look too good on cars, either.

Brett