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 FEE-FI-FAUX-FROM 1948                        RCA 66X3 RE-FAUXED

10/19/2014

4 Comments

 
Well PhotoFhinish is always a problem, especially if you are the 2nd or 3rd "restorer" to own a radio. Seems someone has usually managed to strip off the fake finish leaving a pretty much worthless cabinet.

 A week ago I was reaching the bottom of a pile of radios I acquired from an accumulator. Most had just been piled, but unfortunately, this one had been stripped. I was just about to make firewood of the cabinet and use the chassis for parts. But, at the last moment I decided to re-faux instead. I have done this quite a few times. Mostly, the results seem to be OK, but I usually just pass since "custom" radios are not my thing.

Well anyway, here it is. After going to the work of fauxing the dial area I didn't feel like painting it black. So that is a little different than factory original.
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First I put down multiple layers of color allowing them to dry for a while. The colors used are mixed in a lacquer base and sprayed on. Then for the darkest 2 colors, I use one that is very viscous, not thinned at all and one that is much thinner than normal. The thick one is applied with brushes - painted on in patterns that I want. Then the whole mess is smeared with the 4th very thin color and a rag.

And when that is done it looks like a lumpy mess.

Then it must be filled and sanded, top coated and so on.

But it looks a lot better than bare plywood, which is how I received it.
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I had intended to sell this one  when it was finished, but I don't know if I can part with it now. It works pretty good too and has a Phono-port for use with my MP3 device (phone).

Yeah, I know that one of the knobs is brown. I like that one and would like to find 2 more to replace the black ones.

Also the back is missing. Fortunately the antenna was not attached to the back, so is intact. Anybody have a picture of the back for one of these so that I can make a replacement?
Russ


And for further grins, here is a picture of our Faux - Faux Philco, which is real Bird's Eye Maple and Walnut Burl veneer, so it is FAKE FAUX. Before and after.
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4 Comments
Harry Luginsky
10/19/2014 10:14:18 pm

Great job Russ!

Reply
Joe Squillace link
10/21/2014 02:56:32 am

Is radio for sale?

Reply
Russ
10/21/2014 06:10:47 am

Sue says hi. I have not decided. Truth is, I want to keep it, but if a 30s cathedral winks at me I might have to give it up for shelf space. Sue says she will let you know.

It is like the Faux-Faux Philco - which, of course, is real rather than fake, so it is fake - fake - - Oh well you get the idea. I'll add a picture of it too.

Reply
Arran
2/21/2020 01:22:41 am

Faux literally means false in French, so if a set has it's false wood grain replaced by real veneer then I guess it's no longer a fake. With regard to the RCA I think I have a Bakelite cabinet version of that set, Canadian market set called a Master X, it's a six tube Ac/Dc set and used to be my daily driver radio years ago. It's an odd cabinet, the chassis comes out the bottom like some Packard Bell models do. I painted it because the Bakelite was dull dark brown without much grain like some sets have, there was a white painted version so it was not exactly wrong. other then the colour I chose.
Speaking of faux finishes, and Packard Bell, I have a model 7R Am/Fm set that someone gave me, and it seems to have a faux finish over white wood. I'm debating whether to strip it and cover it with black walnut veneer, it's boring rectangular box.

Reply



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                         Russ Webb

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CUSTOM DESIGN BY SUE WEBB  06/2013       Redesigned by Russ Webb     Approved by Fuzzy   Updated:  Pretty much all the time, but I forget to change this date
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Photos used under Creative Commons from valart2008, rafeejewell