Hello..
I need some tips as to how and accomplish the following:

I am attempting to restore an antique radio which used an aluminum
chassis that has multiple punched holes. This Aluminum chassis has been
completely dissassembled so that I can througly clean it. The problem
is, there are two holes on the back of the chassis which are not
original (I suppose the previous owners were attempting to 'improve' the
design) and I would like to know how to properly patch these holes in
order to attempt and retain the original look. The two holes are
approximately 1/2" in dia. It should also me mentioned that the
aluminum is NOT painted and that there is some silkscreen printing near
the holes which I prefer to not disturb.

If I were to have someone 'weld' up the holes with Al, is it possible to
sand the area such as to make the hole reasonably invisible. I am sure
that the silkscreening would be ruined in this case, but I could
rescreen the area if necessary. I realize that there is probably no
perfect solution, but it would be appreciated if you guys would offer
any alternative solutions to this problem. I suppose the easiest thing
would to simply use some screws to cover the holes and get on with life...

Anyway, thanks for any help that you may offer...

Jim

Jim Flanagan wrote:
Hello..
I need some tips as to how and accomplish the following:

I am attempting to restore an antique radio which used an aluminum
chassis that has multiple punched holes. This Aluminum chassis has been
completely dissassembled so that I can througly clean it. The problem
is, there are two holes on the back of the chassis which are not
original (I suppose the previous owners were attempting to 'improve' the
design) and I would like to know how to properly patch these holes in
order to attempt and retain the original look. The two holes are
approximately 1/2" in dia. It should also me mentioned that the
aluminum is NOT painted and that there is some silkscreen printing near
the holes which I prefer to not disturb.

If I were to have someone 'weld' up the holes with Al, is it possible to
sand the area such as to make the hole reasonably invisible. I am sure
that the silkscreening would be ruined in this case, but I could
rescreen the area if necessary. I realize that there is probably no
perfect solution, but it would be appreciated if you guys would offer
any alternative solutions to this problem. I suppose the easiest thing
would to simply use some screws to cover the holes and get on with life...

Anyway, thanks for any help that you may offer...

Jim

1/2" snapin hole plugs. ?

--
Gary A. Gorgen | "From ideas to PRODUCTS"
| Tunxis Design Inc.
| Cupertino, Ca. 95014

On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 12:01:55 GMT, Jim Flanagan
wrote:

Hello..
I need some tips as to how and accomplish the following:

I am attempting to restore an antique radio which used an aluminum
chassis that has multiple punched holes. This Aluminum chassis has been
completely dissassembled so that I can througly clean it. The problem
is, there are two holes on the back of the chassis which are not
original (I suppose the previous owners were attempting to 'improve' the
design) and I would like to know how to properly patch these holes in
order to attempt and retain the original look. The two holes are
approximately 1/2" in dia. It should also me mentioned that the
aluminum is NOT painted and that there is some silkscreen printing near
the holes which I prefer to not disturb.

If I were to have someone 'weld' up the holes with Al, is it possible to
sand the area such as to make the hole reasonably invisible. I am sure
that the silkscreening would be ruined in this case, but I could
rescreen the area if necessary. I realize that there is probably no
perfect solution, but it would be appreciated if you guys would offer
any alternative solutions to this problem. I suppose the easiest thing
would to simply use some screws to cover the holes and get on with life...

Anyway, thanks for any help that you may offer...

Jim
Jim,
Since you are just trying to cosmetically repair the holes one thing
that might work is pressing in a plug. If possible get a piece of
sheet aluminum that is thicker than the chassis. 5000 series. Then,
turn to the right diameter to pressfit into the hole. After pressing
in you may want to peen the plug to expand it even more. This is why
the thicker sheet is used. After peening mill the plug so it is just
proud of the surface. .001 or so. Finally, use sand paper or a wire
brish to blen in the repair. Before you do anything to the chassis
practice on the sheet you bought so you know how to do it and what
grit paper works best. Or if the brush is better.
ERS

Hello..
I need some tips as to how and accomplish the following:

I am attempting to restore an antique radio which used an aluminum
chassis ........................

A very general rule which is applied to antique furniture restoration is this.
Accept the fact that an old piece which has been used will show some wear and
tear, the less the better. It is better to live with cosmetic damage than to
attempt refinishing. Never strip and refinish. If damage is so severe that
the piece cannot be used or displayed, as if a leg were broken off a chest of
drawers, then carefully replace the leg, with a similat part, but put emphasis
on doing a quality repair rather than concealing the fact that the piece was
damaged.

In your case, it would be more important to preserve the original surface
condition and the silk-screen lettering than to disguise the fact that holes
were made by someone in the past. As another lister has suggested, go to Radio
Shack and buy a couple of plastic plugs for the holes.

A few scars are witness to a useful life. A refinished antique is like an
80-year-old floozy with a brand new boob job.

They do make snap-in metal hole plugs that small, one local Lowe's has
them. Anything that uses heat will be sure to fry your silkscreening.
Alternatively, you could find some sort of vintage fitting to fit the
hole, an earphone jack or outside antenna terminal comes to mind. Or,
just accept that you aren't ever going to make it look like new again
and live with the extra ventilation.

Stan

On 10 Dec 2004 11:17:43 -0800, wrote:

They do make snap-in metal hole plugs that small, one local Lowe's has
them. Anything that uses heat will be sure to fry your silkscreening.
Alternatively, you could find some sort of vintage fitting to fit the
hole, an earphone jack or outside antenna terminal comes to mind. Or,
just accept that you aren't ever going to make it look like new again
and live with the extra ventilation.

Stan
Or get some Devon Aluminum, Labmetal, or alumaplex filler and fill the
hole from the inside and gently sand the exterior to match.

In article .com,
wrote:
They do make snap-in metal hole plugs that small, one local Lowe's has
them.

That is what I was thinking of as I read the problem. I call
them "goof plugs", but I think that the official term is "chassis
plugs".

Anything that uses heat will be sure to fry your silkscreening.
Alternatively, you could find some sort of vintage fitting to fit the
hole, an earphone jack or outside antenna terminal comes to mind. Or,
just accept that you aren't ever going to make it look like new again
and live with the extra ventilation.

The mention of ventilation reminds me that I used to see chasis
plugs with a wire mesh screen in them -- for the purpose of ventilation.
If you could find those, they might look more natural there than the
goof plugs, which are bright nickel plated.

If it were not for the need to preserve the silkscreening (or
perhaps decals, depending on when it was done), I would suggest that you
try some of the stuff sold for aluminum "welding", perhaps with an
aluminum plug to keep the amount added to a minimum. But that might
discolor with age in a different way than the aluminum, so perhaps it is
not that good an idea.

If this is in the back, where it is normally not seen, just
about any of those might work well -- as well as the suggestion of
putting connectors for headphones and such in the holes. (That may well
be what the holes were made for in the first place.

Good Luck,
DoN.
--
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

In article , JWDoyleJr says...

A few scars are witness to a useful life. A refinished antique is like an
80-year-old floozy with a brand new boob job.

What's wrong with an 18 year old....

Oh.

Nevermind. :^)

Like the man says, a decent cosmetic repair that is *reversible*
would be the best. You don't know how the next owner of the
machine is going to feel about an epoxy or lumiweld repair
once it becomes an irreplaceable piece of vintage technology.

I do think this when I restore stuff - is anything I do going
to prompt the exclaimation "my god, what was he *thinking*?"
when viewed in the next century.

Jim


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