how to clean crinkle paint?

[newhallone]

I picked up an old Hallicrafters and the one side has white splotches. I believe it may be mold. Lots of pine trees around the house/shed it was in and lot's of mold in the area. So I'm pretty sure that's what it is. I tried a white scotch bright. It helped a little. I also tried a nylon brush. It didn't work. Any ideas? I would hesitate to sand it. Perhaps 1000 grit???

[similost]

I'd try one part ammonia to 4 parts water, or a little TSP mixed in some water..

HOWEVER, I would try it in a very small hidden place first.

[Fisherdude]

I collect, among other things, old shortwave radios.

It's not at all uncommon for that old wrinkle finish to be permanently discolored by exposure to sunlight, who-knows-what under a bench in a garage for 40 years, cleaning agents, etc., etc..

The first suggestion is a good scrubbing with a NON-abrasive cleaner, such as Windex, simple soap and warm water, etc.. This will remove grime, cigarette smoke residue, and anything else that hasn't penetrated the paint. The use of any sanding paper, even 1000 grit, will destroy the finish.

After it dries you'll know what you've got. If it's still discolored, then it's permanent. Then you've got a choice between something a bit risky, or refinishing the cabinet. If you're talking about a section that has lettering, it's going to get very difficult.

Assuming you're talking about the cabinet, and not the front panel where the lettering is, here's something you can try. After you've scrubbed it with a cleaner, rinsed it, and let it dry, if it's still discolored you can get some color-matched enamel, thin it as far as the label says you can thin it, and then using a spray gun mist on the lightest coat you can make. That will cover the discoloration without filling in the wrinkle finish and making it smooth.

If you don't want to try repainting, you can try Armor-All. The purists will scream, but it will make the existing paint look pretty good. You do need to keep in mind that Armor-All contains silicones, which means that once you put it on, new paint won't stick to the old finish. So if you ever do decide to repaint the cabinet, you'll need to do some pretty aggressive cleaning to remove any traces of the Armor-All.

[newhallone]

Thanks for the tips. I was pretty sure that sandpaper would ruin the finish even at 1000 grit. I will try the chemical approach. I think I should be able to get it good enough so it's not noticeable. Lucky it's mostly on the side. I think there are two little spots on the edge on the front. Otherwise it's really clean.

[marty59]

Don't laugh at what I suggest...I would try some black shoe polish! If the imperfections are still there after the cleaning, the polish will absorb itself into the pores of the finish, plus it will buff out without being too shiny. Try a small spot first to see if you like the results!

[Fisherdude]

Originally Posted by marty59

Don't laugh at what I suggest...I would try some black shoe polish! If the imperfections are still there after the cleaning, the polish will absorb itself into the pores of the finish, plus it will buff out without being too shiny. Try a small spot first to see if you like the results!

Actually, that's not crazy at all! In fact, that's the "fix of choice" for Zenith Trans-Oceanics with the faux leatherette "Stagg" covering.

Certainly worth a try.

[newhallone]

I used some Windex clone with my white scotchbrite and it worked good. It is a Skyrider Jr. by the way.

[sprman55]

Hi i use amonia and water mix.Two parts water one part amonia.After its dry i spray on Pledge,makes it shine real nice.Works good on black crinkel finish.SX-17 ,Meissner too.Sprman