General Electric RP-1590 stereo cabinet restoration

[electra225]

I have the covering mostly removed from the lower cabinet. I can't really do much to the lid until I get it in to the decal guy to have the decals made. I will inquire about increasing the size of the "General Electric" decals along with the "Stereo High Fidelity" decals. Rather than making one huge decal for the inside of the lid, I'll have it made in several pieces and use a piece of pinstriping. The decal for the lid will be red, the one on the tube cover will be white, the one on the lid will be either red or silver, I haven't decided yet.

The split rivets they used to attach hardware were really buried. I had to do considerable damage to the plywood cabinet when I dug them out. The rivets on a couple pieces of hardware are behind a wooden block that is glued in and is happy where it is. I haven't decided what to do there yet. This cabinet has been wet at some point in its history. It is almost 75% covered with black mold, like the Magnavox cabinet was. I'll scrape and sand it, then see what I have. I don't want to paint the cabinet. We'll have to take that as it comes. I don't see why this cabinet won't turn out just fine, providing I set the Tolex up properly.

The next task is to finish removing hardware. Then wet and scrape with a single edge blade to remove glue, then sand, than fill the imperfections, then sand, then figure out where I am from there. I have some gluing and clamping to do. One corner of the lower cabinet has been wet, so the glue has been damaged.

[William]

Why does everything seem to get wet, pipe organs are the same way. If water can find one, it does.

Bill

[electra225]

This stereo was actually in better shape electronically than Don's was, but his was the family heirloom and this one was just a parts set. We used the tone board and a couple other parts. This stereo has been poorly stored in its past. I wasn't sure it was actually worth putting time into until I got it running and found out how well it actually worked. The covering on the cabinet is not Tolex. It is that horrible wallpaper-like stuff that absorbs water like a sponge. If the cabinet gets wet, not only does it destroy the covering, it holds the moisture in and then the wood absorbs it. Air doesn't get to the moisture, so it just lays there then molds. I don't know why or how stereos and organs are frequently found to have been subjected to a lot of moisture in the past.

[electra225]

I have the cabinet cleaned and much of the damage done removing the rivets has been repaired with Bondo. Next task is to sand, then use glazing putty to fill small imperfections in the wood. I'm considering painting the inside of the cabinet with flat black paint to make it look a little better.

[TC Chris]

What's with the cardboard tube--speaker-wire storage?

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

The cardboard tube is for storage for the legs. It actually has a divider in it so the legs won't rattle. I haven't found out how it's attached to the cabinet. I think the entire end is glued into the cabinet and will self-destruct if I force it. It's not in the way and won't affect the Tolex installation in any way. I'll leave it unless I can remove it safely.

[electra225]

I have the cabinet sanded and also have the glazing putty on. This may be a first coat. When the cabinet got wet, some of the plywood delaminated, so there are small chunks on the edges that have fallen out. This will show under the Tolex.

[electra225]

The main cabinet is ready for Tolex. I may paint the inside flat black to make it look better. The speaker enclosures have been wet where they attach to the main cabinet. The plywood is simply rotten on the upper corners of both speaker enclosures. Removing the hardware destroys the integrity of the plywood. I'm too far into the project to turn back now. I knew there was some swelling, but, after I got the old covering off, I knew it was going to be a challenge. I haven't decided the best avenue to repair them.

The speakers in the wing speaker enclosures have dust caps on them. The factory has also put red spots to indicate the positive terminal on each speaker. There is room for another six inch speaker in the wing speaker enclosures.

The wing speakers aren't in very good shape structurally. There are little gaskets in the enclosures to keep the speaker boards from rattling.

[TC Chris]

The plywood is simply rotten on the upper corners of both speaker enclosures. Removing the hardware destroys the integrity of the plywood. I'm too far into the project to turn back now.

For delaminated plywood, I generally work yellow glue in among the plies with a thin tool and clamp it up. If it's really rotted--eaten up by fungus--then epoxy with filler works if strength is needed, or just Bondo if all you need is shape.

I just bought a new quart of hardener for my epoxy. Whoa!! Re-mortgage the house!!

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

The plywood on the speaker cabinets is not delaminated, it's gone, turned to mush. What I did was to use some of that aluminum tape used on ductwork, to "make" the shape of the plywood. Then I scratched it with 80 grit paper, then put Bondo over that. Once I get a basic form, I can fill it with filler or Bondo. It needs to be strong enough it will hold the speaker. It would be more serious if it was the lower side, though. I should have painted over the covering on the front of the speaker box, then put new Tolex on the rear part, then blended those two materials. Once I removed the covering, I realized I was in trouble. On the top inside corner, an area about 3" long on two sides. I didn't give a thought that the wing speaker boxes would be more rotten than the main cabinet. The material they used on this stereo cabinet disintegrates almost immediately when you spray Windex on it. The glue remnants come right off with Windex. I am for sure going to use Elmer's white glue on the Tolex. If you look in the pictures I posted, you'll see where I used glazing putty on the edges of the plywood everyplace I could. I'll take more time digging the rivets out of the other speaker box, to minimize damage. Tentative inspection leads me to believe that one, the LH one, might not be quite as bad.

Bondo used to be cheap. The hardener, as you just found, is the most expensive part. Even glazing putty is $8 for a small tube.

This stereo is in bad enough shape that it really isn't worth messing with. I knew it was a parts set for a reason. I wanted the challenge of doing a more complex Tolex job, plus Don has his original one that is almost as ratty as this one, although it hasn't been abused and neglected like this one has. His is a 1961 model and needs to be recovered. I thought I'd do this one as a "dry run" for doing his. I'll have a fortune in this thing, my time not included.

For the record, I believe AES has the large piping and I can paint and re-use the smaller piping on the wing speakers. I found some nice red grille cloth on Amazon. I have an appointment with Tres to make the decals I need. I will order the black Tolex from AES and go get it next week when I take the Tahoe in for an emissions test. I have the parts for this stereo all over the shop, so I have to get it done and back together before I can do much else.

[TC Chris]

Bondo used to be cheap. The hardener, as you just found, is the most expensive part. Even glazing putty is $8 for a small tube.

Not polyester hardener--epoxy "fast"hardener, WEST # 105,wild crazy expensive. But very good stuff.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

I only got about an hour in the shop today. I worked on the left wing speaker. It's not in nearly as bad of condition as the right one was. I got one hinge and the latch removed with minimal damage to the wood. This whole outfit has really bad quality plywood on it, very delicate. I had intended to get the decals to Tres so he could do his thing, but life got in the way. Maybe tomorrow.....

[electra225]

Tres was unavailable today, so we'll try again next week. I have the wing speaker boxes ready for Tolex. I have most of the hardware off the lid, just have the bumpers to do. I can get the replacement fasteners, then mock up the hardware. I may get the black Tolex for the bottom of the cabinet and can get started on that.

[electra225]

I have done all I can do until I get the decals in to Tres, then I can finish prepping the lid. I have to make a hardware list and order the black Tolex. The project has gone very well up to this point. My repair on the wing speaker appears to have been a success. I'm going to have to use different hardware to attach the hinges, but I can live with that. I can also order the grille cloth.

[TC Chris]

Just looking at previous pix. What's that little gray PA-looking amplifier in the background on your bench?

Chris Campbell

[Hi-Fi-Mogul]

I have done all I can do until I get the decals in to Tres, then I can finish prepping the lid. I have to make a hardware list and order the black Tolex. The project has gone very well up to this point. My repair on the wing speaker appears to have been a success. I'm going to have to use different hardware to attach the hinges, but I can live with that. I can also order the grille cloth.

Looking forward to see your nice work, Greg !

[electra225]

Chris, I think what you are referring to is the B&K 1077B TV analyzer. It looks a little like an amp.....

Mr. Mogul, thanks for the kind words. There won't be any middle ground on this one. It will either look like a million bucks or will be a total mess.

[TC Chris]

Chris, I think what you are referring to is the B&K 1077B TV analyzer. It looks a little like an amp.....

The gray box with 4 knobs across the bottom? I figured that the fabled Analyzer was a lot more complex.

Chris Campbell

[William]

It kind of looks like a PA amp of some kind.

Bill

[electra225]

The only other gray box sitting on my workbench is a Radio Shack digital VOM. The four "knobs" on the bottom are banana plugs. One for voltage, one for current/amps, one for ohms, one for common. The screen on the left is the digital readings output. There are several switches above the "knobs" for the various modes of the instrument. I am not a fan of digital meters, but I like this one for measuring ohms.