Is the finish lacquer or oil based (poly)? I was assuming it's lacquer but if I'm wrong I will have the fuzzyest philco ever.plz give my a hola soon before I get the cup gun out!

Don't think they had poly finishes back in 1939-40. -Sandy G.

All Philcos are bare walnut sprayed with orange shellac :)

I'd better use poly then. Thanks guys

Nearly all (if not all) radios of that era had a lacquer finish. Check out this page for info on how to refinish a radio: http://antiqueradios.com/lacquer.shtml If the finish on your set is fairly well intact you might try to restore rather than refinish. Whatever you do *please do not use polyurethane*.

haha what am I to do!

Simple.....go over to your local woodworkers store and get some orange shellac! :)

Strip it down to bare wood, hang it, and spray it with the orange shellac. It'll look like the day it was made :)

I already hit it with some lacquer (I was trigger happy) It turned out well :) I'll post pics of it once I do some soldering and put it back together.