American Clock Company case finish.

[TQ60]

Started a separate thread for the case work.

Outs is in decent shape for its age, but the finish needs work.

Under the dial it looks like it could have had some shellac or other clear coat.

The glue has released on the trim parts so we will need to reglue everything.

The bezel may have been plated, not sue.

We already repaired the leveling feet.

The back cover was removed but present, was nailed on originally, we will use time wood screws to replace the feet and back cover.

Looking for information regarding the finish, looks like it may be stained or painted.

Thinking of simple wax but what have other folks done?

 

[Jmeechie]

These cases were shellaced, the dial bezels were guilded and the back case cover should have been originally screwed on vs nailed? The black mantle versions were black painted. Every case I’ve had or seen were very well made and screwed together. The square leveling feet are correct and an unusual wrench was supplied to slip under the foot so you could fine adjust the level in place. Yours is a later model with a name plate under the access lid which is where the wrench was originally held by a clip.
Cheers,
James

 

[TQ60]

Thanks for the information.

The back and feet all were nailed on, not trace of screws.

We have some very old boxes of tiny woodscrews that we will use to put it back together.

The dial was dirty. Used never-dull to clean it up, some of the gilt is missing as to be expected.

The wrench sounds interesting, easy to make, may have something close, of find an extra of something close to modify.

Never done shellac before, if I recall correctly, you mix flakes with alcohol to make the liquid that is brushed on.

 

[TQ60]

We removed the clock and the columns.

Separated the lid from the supports and started with the denatured alcohol to strip off the shellac, first plan was to re-flow it, but it was discovered and looked like cheap paint.

Some came off fairly well while other spots were quite hard.

What a mess...

It is made of mahogany which is nice, the surface is typical of this wood, the finish willfully and level it.

Just need to get some and learn how o apply it.

 

[Jmeechie]

You can buy premixed shellac (I like Zinnser) at the hardware store and I’ve had good results using it. The trick is to use a cotton cloth (I use old cut up tee shirts) balled up about the size of a golf ball. Dip soak in shellac and working fairly quickly wipe on a thin coat working from one side to the other. Don’t try going back over a spot you missed as it dries quickly and your next coat will resolve. I generally try for around 6 to 8 coats over about a day and walk away from for a couple days to let harden. Then I inspect my work and decide if I need to spot sand or fix something (easily light sand or buff with fine sandpaper or steel wool) then a quick wipe with another coat. Finally after about a week of drying I polish with a paste furniture wax. And good as new!
Oh, and when you start applying the coats of shellac it’ll look pretty streaky and you’ll think your doing a lousy job, but don’t worry more coats and as it dries it tightens up and levels down. They recommend sanding between coats and it’s up to you if your looking for a glass smooth finish or a more natural (what came from the factory) look with a somewhat grain texture.
Cheers,
James

 

[TQ60]

Thanks for the tips.

We did plenty of wood finish before, but oils and poly.

Our favorite is Danish oil, instructions state to just wipe on the wipe off later.

We use the oil as the wet part of wet sanding with 600 paper.

The wood soaks in deep as well as fibers that swell upwards.

Te paper cuts anything that rises and keeping it wet until it stops soaking in can take some time.

That is when you stop and buff with rag, smooth as glass with a soft feel.

We found several videos o the rag application listed as French polish.

We like the process, if you mess up just apply some alcohol and clean it up.

Ordered the flakes yesterday, will start with a thin mix so we can rub it into all of the pores and learn from there.

 

[TQ60]

Been working on stripping the case.

Denatured alcohol works well for most, there are some spots where it does not seem to work, acetone to the rescue.

The wood is mahogany, but it seems like they stained it with a brown stain.

The shellac is coming off redish brown, ugly.

Here are some photos from yesterday, we have the box cleaned up, columns almost done.

The shellac flakes are in the alcohol getting ready.

 

[Jmeechie]

Generally speaking, they tended to stain the wood to darken it and shellac darkens with age, let alone the dirt, grime and old polishes over the last 100 years embedded in the surface.
Looks like it’s coming along nicely.
Cheers,
James

 

[TQ60]

No photos here...

We used the acetone to get some harder spots then went over most of the case.

The columns needed acetone, the alcohol just too part off and looked ugly.

After this, we got a piece of 500 grit wet dry on a sanding sponge with just isopropyl 70% as the wet and it cleaned off a lot more,, brown stuff while cleaning up the wood surface.

Did wonders on the columns.

Still need to do the lid and the top frame.

The inside was very dirty, cleaned up some, needs more.

The shellac we mixed up looks Tobe ready to go.

 

[TQ60]

Lots more work done.

It seems someone may have added finish in the almost 120 year life of the clock.

There was shellac on top of the hinges and filling the screw slots.

I would not think they did that when they made it.

The back cover was nailed on, will remove and replace with screws.

The bottom of the back has some damage, maybe battery leaked, or it coukd have been standing on a wet spot.

The clock was apart and in a box of other assorted stuff in a crowded outbuilding, looked like it had been there for many years, so lucky to get it all.

It had some fancy knurled brass knob like nuts in the bottom, likely from old batteries.

Almost ready to finish.

We re-glued 2 of the 3 top trim back, used a machinist square to clamp true.

Will glue other part when placed back on case.

We will assemble with columns in place so it will be in correct place, then remove columns and finish.

The shellac looks to be ready to go, will do the French polish style, shellac only.

Never used shellac before, expect it to go well, worst case is we can re-flow it.

 

[ridaco]

Started a separate thread for the case work.

Outs is in decent shape for its age, but the finish needs work.

Under the dial it looks like it could have had some shellac or other clear coat.

The glue has released on the trim parts so we will need to reglue everything.

The bezel may have been plated, not sue.

We already repaired the leveling feet.

The back cover was removed but present, was nailed on originally, we will use time wood screws to replace the feet and back cover.

Looking for information regarding the finished AV installation Parker Colorado, looks like it may be stained or painted.

Thinking of simple wax but what have other folks done?

View attachment 756360 View attachment 756361

Based on the photos you provided, it appears that the clock case is made of wood and has a stained finish. To restore the finish, you may want to start by cleaning the case with a gentle soap and water solution to remove any dirt or grime. Then, you could apply a wood conditioner or restorer to bring out the natural beauty of the wood.

If the finish is in poor condition, you may need to sand the surface lightly to remove any rough spots or discoloration. Then, you can apply a new stain or paint to match the original finish.

As for the bezel, if it is indeed plated, you may want to use a metal polish to clean and restore the finish. Be sure to handle the bezel carefully to avoid scratching or damaging it.

For a final protective finish, you could consider using a clear coat of shellac or varnish to help preserve the restored finish. Applying a coat of wax can also provide a protective layer and add a nice shine to the wood.