The case had clearly taken the abuse to protect this machine over a span of decades.  The man I bought it from said that it was purchased at an estate sale.  It was in a corner in the garage, the family didn’t remember what kind of machine it was, only that it “doesn’t work”.  The key had long since been lost, and no one could even recall what it looked like.  It was a mystery box, so they decided to find a screwdriver to unlock it.  To their dismay, it was an “ugly” one. LOL

The man bought it anyway, sensing it was “special” and needed a good home.  When I contacted him, he didn’t have photos, he just said that it was “kind of ugly, with a centennial badge and wood case”.  Naturally interested, I went to meet him.  The case was now held to the machine with twine.  He couldn’t figure how to lock it again.  I unknotted the twine and found a NEAR MINT black-side 128 inside! A 3/4 size shuttle machine, with no traces of use what-so-ever! I had never seen anything so well preserved!

I took it home and found that the needle was in backwards, the tension tightened all the way down, and the shuttle also overly tightened.  The screws had no signs of the machine ever being serviced.  There was no lint or oil build up.  It was immaculate … BUT THE CASE … that was another story.  I wanted a beautiful, immaculate case for this immaculate machine.

I could not find a bentwood case restoration tutorial anywhere on the Internet … so I would have to add one of my own to the community.  I researched the reproduction decals, finishes, lacquers, lacquer compatibility, and stared at stain samples for hours.  I figured out what I had on hand, and came up with a shopping list for Home Depot.

The real secret to this project is patience.  You must be willing to let everything dry/cure in stages.  Sanding is not optional.  You must frequently sand and then re-wipe the surfaces between coats/treatments.

1. The first step is to remove all the hardware from the case. Most of the hardware on this case is Black-Side, like the machine, and would also need restoral (more about that in a later post).  Use the screwdrivers and carefully remove ALL hardware, placing all the small pieces in a plastic bag for later.  Depending on how badly damaged the hardware is, you may need to use a small amount of penetrating oil to free up screws or nuts that have rusted.
2. Wipe down the surface of any dirt, grime or other contaminates as well as you can. You can use water and dish soap for this step.  Try not to get the wood too wet as it can cause the glue to loosen or wood grain to raise. Let dry.

3. So, here’s the “scary” step, you’re going to strip that old finish naked! This is the point of no return.  The stripper will take paint, lacquer, stain and decals off.  This is a serious commitment!  Put on some gloves and place your project on a tarp (optional really, but you don’t want to deal with dirt and other debris if you don’t have to.  I put my project on the dirt, and it really wasn’t a big deal because the next step is rinsing).  Generously coat all surfaces, lifting and manipulating to get into the tighter areas, then let the project sit the recommended time (about 30 mins).  You should see the old finish starting to “melt” and run down the sides.
4. Rinse the stripper off with a hose or in the shower. Do this briefly and sponge down until the stripper is gone.  Try not to let the water penetrate too deeply and wipe down excess as quickly as you can.  If there is still residual finish, repeat step 3. 

5. Let dry overnight. You want the wood grain to be even in its ability to absorb stain. 
   • HINT: Now is a good time to play with your stain mix. I took my two colors and mixed them in different parts in a Ziploc bag (placed inside a measuring cup), and swatched them at different times, wiping off with a rag every few minutes.  I settled on two parts Sedona red to one part English Chestnut, for the standard 30 mins.  Once I was happy with my color, I mixed enough for the entire case and set aside.  Use paint thinner to clean up your brush.
6. If you need to do repairs to the wood, now is the time.
   • I had a small wooden support piece that had become separated, I used Elmer’s wood glue and allowed it a few minutes to dry.
   • Similarly, if you are going to do a veneer repair, patch, or fill, do it at this step and allow to fully dry before proceeding

7. Now that the base is stripped and repaired, you need to prep it for the stain. It’s best to do the staining outside (oil based stain like MinWax is smelly) on a sunny, but not hot or humid day (to ensure proper and even penetration). 
   • Start by thoroughly sanding all surfaces to receive stain.
   • Now generously apply denatured alcohol to a lint-less t-shirt rag and evenly wipe all wood surface. You should see the wet part quickly evaporate. Once it’s sanded and clean, now is the time to stain!
8. This part isn’t that hard at all, assuming you didn’t skip any steps and that you can work quickly.
   • Place you project on a raised surface (I used the base from another machine that is also a future project) and make sure you’re not in an area where dust or pet hair is prone to blow (I have curious “helper” cats).
   • Using the stain brush, quickly and evenly apply the stain in strokes all over the surface (painting in the direction of the grain).
   • Allow to penetrate the amount of time that your swatching indicates.
   • Now wipe off the excess and allow to dry, or repeat if desired.

• NOTE: Before the next step, I allowed my project to dry overnight. The following are the steps for clearcoat and prepping for decals and the remaining details.

9. Now that the stain has fully dried, once again you are going to lightly “scuff sand” the finish. Make sure to sand in the direction of the wood grain. Sanding opposite of the grain will mark and show. 
   • Repeating the steps above, wipe the surface with denatured alcohol
10. This is the part where you start applying clear coat layers. I used Deft spray lacquer because it is known to have a vintage mixture and is commonly used on music instruments which need to stand the test of time.  It is an “ultra-clear” lacquer.  If you want a lacquer with a yellow/antique patina, then you may want to go with the brush on (and tint it with a water based tint), or use a different brand.  You should be careful about the mixing of shellac/lacquer with certain oil or water-based stains.  Please do research before deviating from this tutorial.
    • Apply the clear coat evenly in small layers over the piece. This lacquer goes on in very light coats.  Do not overspray because you will risk running.
    • On a sunny day, you can wait a few minutes before applying the next coat. You may scuff-sand between the layers to get the piece shiny and even.  I moved to a finer 1500 grit after applying the decal.  I went about 3 light layers between sanding/alcohol. 
11. After about 3 layers, you are ready to apply decals. Tutorial and fine details are in the next post!