Chrisingramci Posted May 9 Share Posted May 9 Hi, all; I finished doing some polishing the other night, and thought I'd display the result. The first picture shows my Vic II pretty much as it was when I took possession. I had already polished the upper section of the elbow, but nothing else. Additional polishing has come with acquired confidence that I wouldn't damage the machine. I've now graduated to polishing the bullet brake assembly, turntable, and speed control knob. Who knows -- maybe I'll even get around to cleaning up the latch! I'd love to hear what you all think about polishing vs respecting the patina. Thanks! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Posted May 9 Share Posted May 9 (edited) Looks very nice! As to patina versus polishing... Patina is natural aging, while what is removed by polishing, is dirt and oxidation. To my thinking, dirt & oxidation are not patina. I do tend to shy away from aggressive polishing, like using a powered buffing wheel. If I clean a cabinet, I used a good furniture cleaner, or non-pumice GOJO. To me, what you've done looks perfect. I wouldn't do one thing more. Edited May 9 by Jerry 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurtA Posted May 9 Share Posted May 9 (edited) Patina is NOT old tobacco grime, cooking grease and dirt, not to mention rust... you did a great job. Edited May 9 by CurtA 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phonogfp Posted May 9 Share Posted May 9 I agree with Jerry and Curt. What you've done is respectful of the machine's age - - not the machine's dirt. There's ongoing disagreement among collectors regarding brass horns. Some are all-in for "patina." Others insist on shiny, brand-new-looking brass. Others (myself included) ignore a set dogmatic approach, and prefer the horn to be compatible to the rest of the machine. If it's a virtually mint example, the horn should be likewise. A well-loved, rather weathered machine doesn't need mirror-like brass. I have polished brass horns of various degrees in my collection, with the aim of having the entire machine looking as congruous as possible. Nice job! George P. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurtA Posted May 10 Share Posted May 10 Just my opinion, but a good restoration returns a machine to appear as a well cared for item with years of abuse and neglect removed, with normal wear from age preserved. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisingramci Posted May 10 Author Share Posted May 10 Thank you, sincerely, for your affirming comments. I did go one step further, and polished the lid latch button. But I can't imagine doing anything more, beyond simple maintenance. I've been playing records on this machine almost daily since I got it last summer, and it works beautifully. I did give myself a bit of a scare, though: when I had the turntable off, I noticed the three screws holding the motor to the lid were loose, and tightened them down. Too firmly, apparently, which I learned when I noticed the spindle would stop spinning after just a few revolutions. I backed the screws off about an eighth of a turn, and voila! It's spinning like a dervish! Thanks, again, for your supportive words. They mean a lot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurtA Posted May 10 Share Posted May 10 Put a small rubber washer between the motorboard and motor on each screw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisingramci Posted May 10 Author Share Posted May 10 Excellent idea! Thanks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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