First, the front panel must be repainted. In an earlier post, Norm Leal said he had details regarding paint for the front panel. Could Norm or someone post or email me that information?
Next, I am running the set with 5 CX301A tubes. It works, but other posts suggest that these may be the wrong tubes. Does the 20C work well with these tubes? If not, what type of tube should I use for each stage to get the best performance?
Finally, the wood cabinet has a lot of scratches. Its bad enough that I want to repair or replace the existing finish. I am uncertain if it is the original finish, but I want to try and save whats there if possible. My question is: what was used for the original finish on these battery sets? Shellac? Laquer?, something else?
Thanks for your help
Good to hear your radio is coming along.. Cunningham CX301A tubes are the right ones for your Atwater Kent. They are exactly the same as RCA UX201A's just with Cunningham name.
Following is what I do for the AK front panel. I first remove everything from the panel. Mix flat, water based dark brown paint with enough lamp black to get the right color. Add a little water so it's more like dye. Remove any rust but do not sand the panel smooth. A little rust is better than bare metal for holding paint and it will help keep the texture. Paint the entire panel with the mixture. After it's dry coat with lacquer. I use Crystal Clear Krylon. This will protect the paint and you can control the amount of gloss. Others will have different ideas but this works for me. I'll send you a picture.
Use paint remover to take off the finish from the cabinet. If you are careful the mahogany stain will remain. Most of the scratches should only be in the original finish. I use Crystal Clear Krylon but others like Deft as a finish.
Norm
: The restoration of my 20C is coming along nicely. It's assembled and working. Now I am sorting out the finer details like cosmetics. I have 3 questions:
: First, the front panel must be repainted. In an earlier post, Norm Leal said he had details regarding paint for the front panel. Could Norm or someone post or email me that information?
: Next, I am running the set with 5 CX301A tubes. It works, but other posts suggest that these may be the wrong tubes. Does the 20C work well with these tubes? If not, what type of tube should I use for each stage to get the best performance?
: Finally, the wood cabinet has a lot of scratches. Its bad enough that I want to repair or replace the existing finish. I am uncertain if it is the original finish, but I want to try and save whats there if possible. My question is: what was used for the original finish on these battery sets? Shellac? Laquer?, something else?
: Thanks for your help