When Veneer is BEYOND saving

This week in the shop Trena strips and refinishes a vintage radio cabinet.
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[@richglenn3729]

That is beautiful. I can picture a family gathered around that, in a time before television, when radio was the evening entertainment. A big well done to you Trena, and to the technician who brought the radio back.

[@lisakaufman7366]

Sometimes I wish it was that time in the past. Things were much more simple.

[@That70sChannel]

That newfangled technology distractin' families from sittin' around making old-timey music in the living room. . .:P

[@Lucinda_Jackson]

@@lisakaufman7366 I think things were just as complicated and challenging - just in different ways.

[@feltonite]

I have a soft spot for old radios, and this is really nice.

[@nancywhitehead6397]

Trena I am now 85 yrs old and i can remember sitting in our Den the forerunner to family rooms off the kitchen, which in the late 40s we actually had one off our kitchen with a fireplace;but we listened to our floor radio at night, which was in our smaller Den. I can remember listening to the Green Hornet, King Edwards Abdication speech, which was replayed one night on the radio. Lots of other famous radio shows we listened to back then..The radio and a huge bowl of freshly made popcorn. lol Our RCA Victor floor radio was very similar to this, one including the stain color..I have nothing but fond and happy memories of my childhood and we lived in the country surrounded by a forest on two sides of our house..I used to take our dog and play in the woods..Thanks so much for posting this one...Beautiful restoration work as usual...

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Thankyou!

[@Lucinda_Jackson]

🩷🩷🩷

[@bamaward318]

Thank you so much for sharing your memories. ❤

[@nancywhitehead6397]

You are welcome I shared them here because i notice over time so many younger folks do not know how we survived with no TV's or cell phones back then? Including my own sons and my grandchildren who were horror stricken learning I grew up with out them lol I also enlightened them that they only enjoy all their technology they take so for granted because my generation invented all of it and gave it to the world. I only wish I had thought to use my cell and take pictures of the looks on their faces as i told them about how we invented in the mid 40s and what it looked like and the size of it plus the very few first shows that came on it, Priceless.. lol @@bamaward318

[@nancywhitehead6397]

Sorry about the error I was talking about the first Black and White 12 inch square TVs that came out in the mid 40's..Somehow when i corrected an error it removed the part about the first TVs..

[@jimmyg.comicguy9777]

Hi Trena! Seeing an old radio brings out those nice warm feelings.

[@JamesDeese]

I am glad to have seen the radio. I love these old cabinets. They are getting harder and harder to find.

[@DebS819-TeamKentucky]

Beautiful restoration. It's awing to see it come back to life so beautifully. ❤

[@edgarmatzinger9742]

Ah yes, the time when a radio was still a radio! Nice piece! Great to see the radio back to its glory!

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

It sure is!🥰

[@nancyholmes1140]

Trena, you are a miracle worker. That’s beautiful! 👍🥰

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

😊 thank you

[@rebeccahawrot8345]

This was a fun one! Love the 2 tone, excellent work as always. So glad we got to see the finished piece with the radio. So amazing. Thank you for sharing with us!❤

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@mchurch3905]

You’ve held hands with your dad, joined the embrace of the original cabinet maker, and looked back through the craft. Congratulations, beautiful work.

[@thomasschleis2545]

Love those old radios. Beautiful once again!

[@janvafa9959]

I love when you have the natural colors of the wood… reminds me of quilts!

[@robinredman5192]

Wonderful job Trena. At 71, I remember going into our dining room in upper Michigan and turning on the zenith tubed radio that resembled this one in many ways. Thanks for the entertainment and the journey down memory lane. John here, from the back-roads of Northeastern Tennessee.

[@Taliesin1997]

Great transformation! I'm sure your customer was very pleased with the result!

[@anton1949]

That will be a happy and proud radio sitting in its restored home. Beautiful job.

[@gav2759]

Walnut, deco, and a skilled restorer, my favourite things... Nevermind "warm woolen mittens". If Rodgers and Hammerstein didn't write, it that way, they should have. Thanks for posting.

[@lainniewohlgemuth466]

I absolutely love the elegance in every piece you restore. They turn out soooooooo good. This piece particularly is absolutely stunning!!! Great job. I bet ur dad is so proud of you.

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Thank you so much!

[@danaowen9014]

I would love that in my home, just beautiful, cabinet and with radio in it.

[@elisabethe8055]

The owner must have been in awe seeing what you did. Amazing. So neat to see the radio in it also, and what a fun piece of furniture to have in your home. I take that every day over a brand new radio.Well don Trena, and well done radio repairer!

[@medickaisu]

I love how it looks like it must have looked when it came out of the factory. You restored it and respected the history of the piece. I bet the customer was thrilled.

[@michaelyancey3021]

That looks like a 1937 DeForest Crosley 7D832 Console, a Canadian model called the "Prescott", made in Toronto. It has AM Broadcast, Shortwave reception and a police band. The tuning dials on these radios around this time were just beautiful. AND just a gorgeous restoration of the cabinet. I believe it has a green 'tuning eye' in the middle of that tuning dial. The large, indented ring around the big tuning knob is a set of 'presets', for your favorite stations.

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Yes. Amazing

[@avantnerd01]

As I always do, I clicked the like button before I watched. This is beautiful! The radio completed it.

[@ericmhinkle6003]

This is what I call an exquisite piece of art deco furniture it reminds of watching the Waltons as a kid I remember the whole family listening to the radio in each episode

[@meztlineyda]

Hi Trena! I would love to see shorts where you comment on some restorations, specially on the ones which try to match color, because you are definitely THE BEST!!

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Well, I like to stay positive and I think everyone is doing thier best. Cheers.

[@marywhitehead1306]

Wow, thanks for the memories Trena. When I was 5 or so my dad used to read us the funny papers while we listened to The Czech Polka Party on a radio much like this one.

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@chicagorandy]

Stunning work and a marvelous restoration of a bygone era.

[@Lucinda_Jackson]

Just incredible, Trena! I'm ashamed to say I would have carted it off to the dump! And look what we all would have missed... I enjoyed that it was something unexpected - I love to watch traditional pieces being restored, but sometimes it's fun to watch an outlier! The radio cabinet looked beautiful when you were finished! Your color work and toning is always soooo good. And you make working with veneer look like a cake walk! You truly underestimate yourself when you say it's not the best job! I know that's not true, because, well, I have eyes. But even more, I've watched you for long enough to know that you give your very best every time and since you're among the very best at your craft, your art, I know it's a fantastic job. Your regular devotees have implicit faith in you and your work and I count myself among them. I gave a sad smile when you started by saying it had "lots of love" on it. Looked more like abuse than love, to me. We make that mistake with humans, too, sometimes. But you and the radio enthusiast owner gave the piece a bright future, hopefully filled with nothing but true love. Meant to say that I always love reading your comments. You have the loveliest followers! Always interesting comments and nice things to say. Today was particularly enjoyable because of the number of wonderful, touching memories recounted. It speaks worlds of you - you attract light and goodness. Enjoy your week, Trena! 🩷

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

wow! thankyou so much Lucinda you are such an encouraging and lovely person. all the best to you this week as well.

[@briandeschene8424]

Watching you achieve the two tone finish was magical. So little masking because of your skill level. Amazing!

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Thank you very much!

[@jeanettepaynter1183]

Fantastic! Brought back some memories of my grandparents.

[@anaphylaxis2548]

Another beautiful piece saved by your amazing skills!

[@paulstanding7267]

The overall finish is amazing especially with the colour of the radio installed. Hi Trena did not realise you was up and running as regards of you setting up you repairing furniture again with your dad. Last time I watched you you had arrived with a photo off you all. Looking forward to seeing a lot more of you all take care. 😀👍👍

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Thanks 👍

[@kiwdwks]

You never cease to amaze Trena. Another piece brought back to it's glory...so nice!

[@frankdurnford6325]

Wow, Wow, Wow, This is so beautiful. It is like flashing back to the 1950s. Awesome just, Fantastically Awesome. Your parents taught you well Trena because this piece brought back so many memories of my childhood. Trena thank you for that.

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@davidmontgomery1016]

Ten seconds into the video I'm thinking "this is going to be a fun project!" I would love to do a project like that. The outcome was beautiful. Well done.

[@zok1492]

Always love your restorations, this may be the best. No way I could tell the veneer top was replaced, impeccable. Can’t wait for next video. So glad you get to work with your father again, that must be special.

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Thank you very much!

[@woodbe5311]

Please be carefull with that hand right in front of that chisel. Nice work as always Trena. Best regards from Portugal.

[@tedlym.3390]

Your veneer replacement skills have left me almost speechless. Thank you,

[@kathyw7143]

Trina your Daddy taught you well. You have the patience of steel. I'm just in the middle of the video and it's already looking beautiful.❤❤

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Thank you so much

[@amybucher5439]

Gorgeous. I love the rich warm colors. The black edges are distinctive & lovely.

[@erhan6095]

There's a many city names on my grandmother's radio when we were a child. And we were dreamt about those places. Totally it was a magical thing for us.

[@bmw19877]

As usual, you have done an amazing restoration on this. You are the BEST.

[@unique_frenchie_vi]

I can see how much love you put into each piece you bring back to life. All the best for 2024.

[@diannebernau3293]

G’day Trena. As always, a beautiful job done well. I love anything Art Deco - especially the furniture. The two-tone stain highlighted the different parts of the design which makes it an outstanding piece. The radio installation just finished it off perfectly. Can’t wait to see what treasure you restore next. Take care 😘💕🇦🇺.

[@kentshrader6616]

Beautiful work! A piece of history saved by applying your talents! Thanks for sharing!

[@lindahedley9049]

Beautiful, I love the original two tone effect

[@leewood729]

I can remember sitting next to my grandfather, both of us leaning in toward a radio very much like this one, listening to a Red Sox play the Yankees...

[@Lucinda_Jackson]

❤ That must have been a picture!

[@gertbrummer4201]

Golden hands at its best again. love watching you Trena

[@dennishinkle5010]

My dad was in the TV and radio business for over 40 years and I saw lots of old radios similar to that one but never one so beautiful. Thank you for sharing.👍

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Thanks for sharing

[@steve_weinrich]

Beautifully done! Very smart choice to maintain the two tone finish. Thanks for the video. Cheers.

[@geralyn-mm]

I have 3 wonderful pieces of this style of furniture from the 20's to 40's. A blanket ( or hope) chest has walnut, tiger and zebra wood veneer. There's a combination/key lock on it - neither of which I have! This is sometimes referred to as "waterfall" furniture - it's so elegant. Thanks Trena ! A masterful job!

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Yes. Thankyou

[@52daa]

What hidden treasures you find with your talents! Beautiful work 😊. Thank you for sharing 🙏

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Thank you very much!

[@michaellindsey1543]

Pure magic! I really laughed with the hammering in the background. So much real life!

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Lol ya it’s hard with mom and dad working to get some quiet. Lol

[@maryking4203]

I would have a hard time returning that piece! You never ever disappoint ❤

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Thank you so much!

[@jeanpaulbarthier4330]

hi dear Trena one more time you acomplisher an amazing work with this cabinet radio he was in bad state and you give him a new life for many years have a good week and take care of you and family, wait to see your next project of restoration

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Thank you again

[@billm4560]

Trena you did a beautiful job on that radio cabinet! I’m sure the customer will be proud! Thank you so much for sharing your work! Stay warm!

[@maretteschulz8898]

Magnificent job on a beautiful old piece. Well done you👌👌👏👏💕💕

[@MichaelEdelman1954]

Marvelous. I used to collect and restore radios from the 20s and 30s and I wish one of mine had looked half that good.

[@FloridaClay]

I am so happy to see this! So much thought and craftsmanship went into the design and construction of thes fine old radio cabinets and so many thousands of them have wound up being burned or dumped in landfills.

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Yea so sad

[@debbielowe9464]

Beautiful radio. Brilliant to watch watch. You done an amazing job as always xxx

[@davidjowett8195]

Whoever goes on to own that piece will have a special piece of furniture that deserves to be treasured. A fantastic finish and glad to see that owner didn'y "up cycle" the radio but kept it original.

[@jt.s.7418]

I was so impressed when I watched you apply the dark stain in a tight space, with a CHIP BRUSH😮😲😎. Another beautiful restoration ❤

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Thank you so much!

[@jill552]

I have the radio from my Grandmother’s house. I had the innards restored. I’m ery fond of old radios and their part in history. That one is particularly beautiful. Beautiful restoration as always.

[@loismaddux4800]

Such a handsome piece now. Anyone would be proud to have this in their home!! Stunning!

[@bunker123sugar]

Beautiful job. I was impressed with your cutting in of the darker stain. Such precision! As always, I love your choice of music.

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Thank you so much!

[@maddieadams75]

Beautiful restoration, perfect match with veneer replacement ❤❤❤❤ love seeing the radio in place

[@aubnwa01]

My folks bought a similar floor radio, I think the brand was Royal, in 1940 as WWII was breaking out. It was far fancier & more expensive than what they wanted, but it was the only radio they could find in Long Beach, CA, so they splurged on it. It was in my bedroom when I was a kid (I'm 73), but we kept it & it moved from CA to WA & after I retired, to AZ. A couple of years ago, I really didn't want to lug it around anymore, but wanted it to go to someone that would appreciate it. It still was all original, tubes & all & still worked, though not well. I contacted an antique radio club in Phoenix & one of the members came down to Tucson & bought it to refurbish it. He was a lot older than me, so maybe the younger folks don't get into old radios as much anymore?

[@allthingslisaw]

Trena, I'm always impressed by the pride that you take in your work. You never ever do a shoddy job on anything and I love and respect that!! Daddy taught you well😊

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Thanks again!

[@hickorygolddoc]

Wow that was great to watch! A piggie to a princess!!! It really is such a treasure to see it all as if it was brand new. Beautiful! ❤

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Thank you so much!

[@peterbedard5011]

Very nice work, as usual. Was great to see it all assembled. Thanks again.

[@Tootsie55]

Lordy… I remember listening to a radio real similar to this one. ❤ Girl I just wanted to add…. You are truly a real artist. Beautiful 😊

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Tha kyou!

[@everestyeti]

Absolutely stunning, what a fantastic job.👍 Reminds me of my childhood where we would be sat around the radio.

[@26beegee]

I think this is my favorite piece I have seen you work on. The different wood tones, patterns and 1930-1940 styling is really stunning. ❤️

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@donwilliams3626]

This radio looks so much like a showroom quality piece. It looks like you could tune in to a radio mystery drama from 80 years ago.

[@statewench2828]

I look forward to your word videos. The beauty you bring out of what most would just toss makes my heart sing with joy.

[@DavidDeelLoco]

That is an amazing piece of art that you restored, and in many ways, created. WOW!!!

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@texanasimmons1761]

You id an amazing restoration, Trena! Its beautiful! I know the owner will be stoked. Thank you.❤

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Thank you so much!

[@CALB2009]

@Trena~ What a gorgeous and masterful refinish! Antique cabinet radios hold a very special place in my heart, as my Dad has restored several dozen of them to pristine, good working order throughout my life. In my parents large temperature controlled attic, Dad still has a collection of 20+ antique radio cabinets and boxes of original internal radio parts for restoration work. The ones displayed in the house all work and he gets a kick out of being able to get BBC radio on them, something that you can't do on modern radios. Great work Trena! CHEERS to you my friend! ~~Christy~~

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Thankyou Christy! That sounds like an amazing treasure!

[@Lucinda_Jackson]

Fantastic! Why can you not receive BBC Radio on modern radios? Do they not have the proper frequency? Forgive me, I'm completely ignorant of the workings of radios!

[@CALB2009]

@@Lucinda_Jackson Honestly, I am not sure why it's that way either... all I can think of is that the older radios have more powerful radio frequencies for the A.M. radio broadcasts, than newer radios. I believe after television became a mainstay in most homes, that level of radio power was deemed unnecessary as people got the majority of their world news from TV. I need to ask my Dad that question and I KNOW he will give me a thorough answer! LOL!! I do know that by the 1950's, after TV's came into homes, the internal mechanisms of radios got MUCH smaller and cabinet radios became a thing of the past. Some of the original Tubes inside these cabinet radios are HUGE and hard to find. My Dad kept buying radios because they were a valuable source to find parts to fix others already in his collection.

[@Binoculars840]

Unbelievably and beautifully restored! I love the new veneer top as it looks like it's always been a part of the piece.

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Thank you very much!

[@DeWittPotts]

There are very few of these old radios left now. These were the 'flat screen TV' of the day. They were bought and used like appliances would be. Today we think of them as works of art. When they were new they were in the same category as the Ice Box or stove. They were meant to be used. This is a beautiful example of a bygone time.

[@nickstrain3482]

no masking while applying dark stain = pure talent. nice.

[@nctrailcam81]

That looked amazing with the radio installed. Everything looked perfect together. In another case where I wouldn't have believed it would work if I hadn't seen you do it. When you said you would join the veneer at the sap wood I thought "If this wasn't Trena I would be nervous." And, of course, when you were done it looked perfect.

[@caroltanzi29]

Trena: I aways enjoy seeing two-tone stained pieces of furniture. It turned out very nice. Enjoyed seeing all the parts and fittings in the radio too. A great project. Carol from m California

[@janisdeacon9455]

❤beautifully done as always!

[@diamondperidot]

I love that you restore the pieces to working order. Great job.

[@polgarauk5606]

Oh Wow I love this piece 🤩🥰 I would just love to have room in my home for one. They just don't make thing's like this anymore just beautiful. Thank you for restoring it Trena and thank you to the customer for caring and seeing how wonderful this Radio is and how much it deserves your attention 😊

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Thank you so much 🤗

[@mlm7598]

That turned out beautifully. It was in pretty rough shape and again you brought it back to a piece of beauty! I am sure the customer was overwhelmed at what you were able to do. Awesome work Tenna, as always! Blessings

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Thank you so much!

[@marywiklander-williams6493]

an equisite piece. Your restoration is splendid

[@talegunner4414]

What an outstanding job. I would love to see this with the electronics installed. What a beautiful 2 tone job! Looks better than new HONEST. I am so glad I watched to the end. There it is in all its glory. Great job!

[@geralyn-mm]

Did you stay to the end? They were installed- magnificent!

[@Suzwebb1]

Loved this video! How lucky you are to still be able to work alongside your Dad. It turned out beautiful. But when you removed that spring I thought good Lord will she be able to get that back together! As always, you came through with a great job!

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Thank you so much!

[@stevepiechock9234]

You worked your magic well with this piece! It is absolutely stunning!

[@josepherhardt164]

20:31 When I was a kid, you could often go into a grocery or department store and see "tube testers." These looked a bit like modern-day video machines (think Ms. PacMan), but had muy sockets in which you could insert tubes from your TV to see if they still functioned. If not, you could then order a replacement. The idea here was to be able to fix your own TV without having to call in a serviceman (back then, yes, it was pretty much all men). Of course, if the picture tube went, you were out of luck.

[@MrHuismeester]

yo did it again! What is beautiful piece is that !! Love the result very much and like a miracle you turn that ugly old piece back to live, amazing ! Nice video !

[@lindasacco7635]

Can't wait to show this to a friend that redoes old radios. Fabulous work!

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@gdp3rd]

What a beautiful job, Trena! And the restored radio looks great re-installed. It doesn't really go with our furniture and yet I'd love to have it!

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Thank you so much!

[@PghFlip]

You really tuned that cabinet to perfection! Looks Great!

[@k9uw]

Canadian radios seem to have the most amazing dials and cabinets. I restore the radios and I wish I had your skills to deal with the cabinets!

[@timsplinter1321]

Think this is my new favorite piece on your channel. Great.

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Wow, thanks!

[@gwendavis9294]

That looks so awesome. Well done.

[@pitsnipe5559]

Nice! I remember when I was very young my parents had a radio similar to that one in our living room, before we got our first tv set, which my dad’s uncle built for us. Yes, I’m that old. 😊

[@Lucinda_Jackson]

Sweet memories! 🩷

[@wes5532]

Trena, Beautiful two-tone job on the radio cabinet. I love specialty furniture work like that. Especially nice to see the finished product with the dials, knobs, etc.

[@johnsfurniturerepair]

Glad you liked it!