Hya, I enjoyed the Airzone article very much & was wondering if I could use the same cabinet tricks on a Radiolette cabinet. I have some Shellac pieces which , I guess, need to be mixed with methylated spirit prior to being brushed onto the wood. What proportions work best, & is it necessary to rub the surface down with steel wool between coats? Not sure if I'll do as many as 30 coats however

John.

I was a bit sparing with the shellac flakes pretty much because back when I mixed it for that job I was a bit impatient and wanted the shellac to dissolve into the metho as quickly as possible. I think I added half of what the shellac packet's instructions recommended. If you are looking for a smoother finish, closer to what the original would have been I would stick to the manufacturer's ratio.

One thing though, even though the Airzone did turn out well and still looks great today, I'm no expert on mixing chemicals and tend to be a little unorthodox about what I end up doing.

One other thing about the Airzone - as far as I am aware the dark edges of the timber on old valve radios were painted with black japan, rather than the enamel that I used. I have no idea where to obtain black japan despite being told it is still made in small quantities. Black japan would certainly be a more authentic finish if you are lucky enough to get hold of some.