Braemer Cabinet

[Dave]

Thought I'd run this by everyone again. Ready to redo Masterpiece finish. Appears to have been relacquered at one point. Dark highlights to top, plinth, columns, and grill, seem consistent with the Phantom photo. Any thoughts ?

[Dave]

Masterpiece

[David C. Poland]

Dave,  Your Braemer is cut for a Scott Masterpiece 14 tube, or a really late version of the Scott 12 tube Scott Super XII with the 2 extra controls.

There were variations in the use of dark accents on the Braemer. Mine is a uniform medium brown tone except the very bottom one inch "legs" at the front corners are just a little darker.  I have seen others with darker accents like the Phantom example you referenced (darker base, darker toned edges of top), but your Phantom example looks to me much darker than any I have seen with original finish and, so, I suspect an exaggerated refinish.

As for yours, I would try touching up the chips and scratches and see what you think before trying to refinish it.

See attached photo of my Braemer cabinet with a Super XII. And another with someone's Phantom from my image filein my 

[Dave]

Thanks Dave. If I follow, any darker (highlighted) areas were limited to the top's rim, not the entire top as seen on some Phillys ? Other highlights limited to the plinth (base molding) but not to the fluted front corners or grill ? Sorry I know this is entirely subjective, but wonder if original owners might have had some finish options.
Someone was fast and loose with lacquer or varnish while "refinishing." The top bleeds thru what was obviously "flower pot city" at some point. Sad state by my standards.

[David C. Poland]

Never seen an original  Braemer with a dark top, Only differences among examples I believe are original finish were whether the whole base, top edge and the reeded corner were moderately darker, but nowhere as dark as van dyke brown would be. .  

Comparing finish of one model Scott cabinet not a reliable guide to how another model cabinet is stained. There were about 70 different Scott cabinet designs offered from 1928 to 1941 each available for 2 or 3 years. Some woods were naturally darker. Scott cabinet's degree of stain (if any) did vary with the cabinet model.   Scott documents say - water dyes, filler, fine sanded, 3 coats of white shellac  and 4 of lacquer  - rubbed out between coats. The resulting original finish was a high quality rubbed out and polished fine furniture finish.

With what you are evidently facing, you might try the approach I have used - dissolve & wipe away much of the finish:

Outdoors, make a mix of about 2/3 rds acetone or lacquer thinner and 1/3 rd alcohol (shellac thinner). Brush liberally on the surface. Work the mix with the brush or 000 steel wool pad into the old finish to dissolve much of it. Wipe glop away with paper towel. Maybe save some of the glop in a small jar as a stain for any veneer patches you make. May need to repeat.   Then do a final wipe down with old towel with this mix to even out the cabinet color,  leaving a residual to act as a sealer coat. This process leaves most of the original stain and filler. Deal with any veneer problems and color to match the cabinet before applying a new finish.

I have rebuilt the finish using thinned coats of shellac because it is a perfectly good furniture finish, drys fast (do not use in higher humidity) and after thoroughly dried can be rubbed out to a high luster finish, ...  and is reversible with shellac thinner if you have a problem. Then paste wax. If you are experienced with with spray equipment you have one up on me.

 

[Dave]

I normally do veneer and piece replacement before stripping. This way the solvents wash the "replaced" surfaces with existing colors. I often find acetone and strippers have a grain lifting affect no matter how subtle. That said, I normally strip the veneered sections all the way, then apply wood paste and sand down to 600. Agreed, Shellac is universal as undercoat or topcoat, because it plays "nice" under or over oils, stains, lacquer and urethane. Solvents tend to dry the the already dry fibers. I always use a varnish/shellac/oil mix (Formby makes similar), as a way to congeal veneer. Followed by thinned Dewaxed Shellac, one can buff as finish coat, or choose a top coat. This method yields a near glass surface, and properly executed, "experts" can't tell lacquer from urethane finishes. In a dry Northern home, I stand by modem urethanes, lacquers and shellac don't do well in temperature/moisture extremes.