Walt: Do you happen to know the actual wax formula that Victor used? Rich
On Wed, 27 Dec 2006 19:05:13 -0500, Walt wrote: >For those machines that I refer to by personal experience, it is clearly the >case that the finish came as Golden Oak Waxed directly from the factory. The >data in "Look for the Dog" is referring to factory finishes (that is, how >they left the factory) and is an objective account based on actual >production records. >I don't know what you mean by "previously stripped." Are you asking if the >cabinet was originally finished with shellac which was then removed while it >was still in the factory (and before it was ever shipped)? If so, the answer >is, "definitely not." Aside from the technical impossibilities, I do not >believe that Victor's manufacturing process would have accommodated such an >expensive process for producing what is intended to be an economical finish. >The idea of stripping a cabinet at the factory only to then wax the stained >finish is radically counterproductive as I estimate it. >An old shellac/varnish finish can be removed, but it is impossible to remove >every trace of it - totally impossible. This is one of the ways I am able to >tell if a finish is original and even what the finish originally was if it >has been redone or coated at some later point. A minuscule amount of shellac >will always remain in some crease, open pore, nail hole, seam, etc. Once the >raw oak grain absorbs any of the shellac's resin by way of the denatured >alcohol, it leaves a fingerprint forever. Short of total cabinet disassembly >and sanding maybe 10% of every surface away, those forensic pieces of >Victrola DNA are there for good. >I guess I am a little stumped as to why people think it so odd for wood to >be merely finished with wax, because such a finish is often seen in >furniture of the period, generally. It is, in the bigger picture of >furniture finishes (which I am sure Eldridge Johnson's boys were plenty >skilled at - at least until about 1917 or so), not at all unusual. >I am well aware of the many "magical" chemical finishes like "Howard's >Destroy-A-Finish" and tinted waxes mentioned by Rich that are available on >the market, and it may well be the case that such an product was applied to >the machine you mentioned initially, but without at least seeing pictures of >the machine or preferably asking the seller some questions I couldn't be so >quick to suspect it as a boogered-finish. Knowing eBay? It might be ten >times worse than you think. But it may be legit. (Any luck finding that >auction number?) >Walt >-----Original Message----- >From: phono-l-boun...@oldcrank.org [mailto:phono-l-boun...@oldcrank.org] On >Behalf Of bkasindorf >Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2006 12:52 PM >To: Antique Phonograph List >Subject: Re: [Phono-L] GOW finish >Thanks, >But does this mean it was previously stripped and this kind of finish added >later? Did Victor ever ship a phono with this kind of finish from the >factory? >-Barry >On Wed, 27 Dec 2006 09:22:18 -0600, "Rich" <rich-m...@octoxol.com> wrote: >> Google is a wonderful invention. >> >> Try this, >> URL: >> >http://www.architecturals.net/restore/home.cfm?page=productdisplay&CategoryI >D=36&SubcategoryID=112&ProductID=2662&Start=1 >> >> Cut and paste back together as required. >> >> This is nothing more than colored wax... Your basic CRAPA-FINISH >> >> >> On Wed, 27 Dec 2006 6:41:52 -0800, bkasindorf wrote: >> >> >_______________________________________________ >Phono-L mailing list >Phono-L@oldcrank.org >Phono-L Archive >http://phono-l.oldcrank.org/archive/ >Phono-L RSS Feed >http://phono-l.oldcrank.org/feed/index.rss >Support Phono-L >http://www.cafepress.com/oldcrank >-- >No virus found in this incoming message. >Checked by AVG Free Edition. >Version: 7.1.409 / Virus Database: 268.15.28/604 - Release Date: 12/26/2006 > >_______________________________________________ >Phono-L mailing list >Phono-L@oldcrank.org >Phono-L Archive >http://phono-l.oldcrank.org/archive/ >Phono-L RSS Feed >http://phono-l.oldcrank.org/feed/index.rss >Support Phono-L >http://www.cafepress.com/oldcrank
