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Vintage threads from the first ten years

finishing 5E3 cabinet - what do YOU use

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4/22/2002 12:51 AM
frankenstein	finishing 5E3 cabinet - what do YOU use Hey you guys: I'm wondering what all everyone is using to tint/finish tweed cabinets. I like what Gregg is doing over at Amp Restoration in St. Louis - but his formula is propriatary. I've heard a 50 percent dilution of Bullseye Orange Shellac works well. What do you guys like best ? / frankenstein

4/22/2002 12:21 AM

Per Bruce, et al's recommendations I used the famed Bullseye amber shellac cut 50:50 with denatured alcohol. I tried tinting the the mixture with umber tint but liked the untinted mix better. I applied several coats and finished with several coats of Johnson's paste wax-buffed with super fine steel wool and a rag. Mine has a slight sheen quite unlike the high gloss finishes I've seen on Clark cabs, etc. You can see the result on my 5e3 page: http://www.firebottle.org/~deluxe/.

Others have recommended Minwax polyurethane, honey-pine, IIRC.

tom S.

4/22/2002 11:15 PM
frankenstein	Tom: Thanks brotherman ! Even I can do THAT. Ha ! / frankenstein

8/6/2002 6:33 PM

Per Bruce's recommendations I used 4 parts(clear/white)Bullseye Shellac to 1 part Bullseye Orange. I did NOT thin the mix at all. I bought a completed cabinet from Bruce, so it had a coat of laquer. I carefully sanded it down then applied 1 coat of shellac. This first coat took a while to apply--painting cloth is a whole new experience. I let it dry for two days--sanded it down with fine sandpaper, wiped it down with a damp rag, let it dry then applied another coat. It looked great after another two days. I sanded it down and almost left it like that--but I kind of had a feel for what the shellac would look like with one more coat. One more coat was applied. Sure enough, it looks amazing. I lightly sanded it with steel wool to give it a more "satin-y" finish. It looks like an old amp. I think the shellac is the only way to fly. I tried Minwax on a smallbit of the tolex and it looked less vintage IMHO.

It's a bit of work, but well worth it! Make sure to have a can of denatured alcohol around to clean up.

8/11/2002 3:35 PM
Mike	I use 2-3 coats of Bullseye amber shellac cut 50/50 w/denatured alcohol, then 2-3 coats of laquer, lightly sanding between each coat w/a scotchbrite pad. This is as close to a Victoria that I was trying to match, the only example I had around. Mike

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