The table in the first post with images looks like one that was in our family. Went looking through old slides for a shot of it, can’t locate one. I think it was my mom’s parents who had one like that.
I feel like I’m cheating on the DIY thread but Atomic Boy’s story started here and-- plot twist!
My plan was to top coat the two tier tops with a clear finish except for the different wood on the edges, that was to be painted black. The legs were also going to be black and the sides a cherry red. To me it went with his atomic looking self and his racing stripe brass. Welp, stripped the top surfaces and. . .
No way is red paint going to compete with this. Stripping it I think there was an original finish and then somewhere down the line someone refinished with Mohawk brown toned lacquer or similar.
Now I think I’ll paint the legs and sides black, polish up the brass and give the tops a clear, wipe on poly finish and contemplate why someone would want to cover this lovely wood with dirt brown lacquer.
Nice!
There must have some huge sale at Sears on dirt brown lacquer about 50 or 60 years ago. I’ve seen a lot of wood coated with that crap.
Continuing with sanding after stripping-- the pic is after 180 but I went all the way to 320 grit-- I uncovered wonderful grain. Even without the failing finish in the first pic, how is that better than the the natural wood? My theory is that they were copying whatever finish the higher end Drexel furniture had.
Original (to me) finish, after chemical stripping, sanded to 180 grit.
I’m assuming it was fashionable. They were modernizing it.