NordMende Elektra 58 Restoration Case Repair Part 3 - Final 

You said it “Amazing”. It turned out absolutely perfect, what a beautiful radio. Thanks for doing what you do and letting us watch .

Beautiful job on the cabinet restoration! I'll offer a little advice since, being a guitar maker, I have a lot of experience creating sunburst finishes and mirrored, very high gloss finishes. Your surface prep was spot on. As for spraying the contrasting dark part of the burst, I wouldn't start by darkening the edges as you did. You should spray the surface from a little bit farther away as well so you get a more gradual blend to the center. This is hard to describe but try to start spraying with almost all of the spray cone off the edge of the surface working your way in with each pass. Spray with your spray gun positioned at the center of the piece, angled toward each edge. As you bring the spray cone in from either the left or the right, it will darken the edges that receive more of the overall color as you move into the center of the surface. You will get a more gradual blend this way. For acrylic finishes, the best product I have ever used is Target Coatings EM6000. It is a waterborne finish that actually has "burn in" just like nitrocellulose. Absolutely no "witness lines" that you get when you apply separate layers of clearcoat stacked one on top of one another, and wet sand through layers. Also, very important...acrylic finishes dry after 30 minutes but they are not cured for a week or so. The longer you let an acrylic finish cure, the harder it becomes and it is much easier to create a clear, incredibly glossy finish. You did an excellent job but I thought I'd just throw in a few tips! Cheers!

those small imperfections on the case gives it character!..another job well done

Another gem. Having a German heart but born in Sweden brings tears to my eyes how beautiful it turned out. Many thanks for your instructive videos which will help me with my wire player and 2 reel tape players.

That radio is now a work of art. Thanks for another interesting video.

I get the biggest thrill out of watching you work. You do great work.

A beautiful restoration of a beautiful radio. Your workmanship is outstanding. The videos you make are so enjoyable to watch. Thank you very much David.

David what an AMAZING radio! It is STUNNING! The cabinet work you did is spectacular. Your entire restoration is impeccable. You are a true craftsman and artist combined into one. The sound is SO rich and awesome. Thank you for such a great restoration series. Truly a joy to watch your work sir. Stay safe and healthy.

I read the comments before even being halfway through the video. I read people liked the wood-finish. Boy were they right, that finish is spectacular! Thanks David for showing this.

Mr. Tipton, your knowledge and craftsmanship is beyond anything I've ever seen. you mix science and art to create masterpieces for the new generations to admire. keep the good work.

Absolutely outstanding work David. No shortcuts with any finishing work so a splendid result. Hope you and all your family are keeping well through the current virus and all it’s restrictions. Cheers Lynton.

Beautiful work, not only for the radio finish, but your video production techniques, which are clear, seamless, and always helpful to illustrate what you're doing. Many thanks.

Great work with the sunburst finish! It's a classic for Fender and Gibson guitars. Still super popular today. Another great work done, thanks for these awesome restorations!

Another excellent restoration Dave,although I admire your electronics expertise,(love that magic eye) the highlight for me, of every radio is the cabinet,I did wince when you scraped off all the original colouring,the end result is nothing short of spectacular,brilliant,well done mate.

Excellent restoration. The radio has superior sound for mono. The refinishing . . . Well you have arrived my friend. Superior finish. I worked for 40 years as an automotive paint expert. Great finish coming from a rattle can! I look forward to your next restoration. Brad

I used to be a gunsmith, a large part of the work involved refinishing stocks that had been repaired. Surprising how angry some hunters get, so angry that they often break the stocks on their rifles when they miss a shot, at least in my part of the world. Had one guy come in with 4 rifles, seems they had killed a deer, everyone lay down their rifles in the grass as they began the process of gutting the animal, one kid went to get the pickup, and when he arrived, he drove right over the rifles, breaking all the stocks at the wrist. At any rate, the work you did on that radio would make any gun owner damn proud if he received a refinished stock that looked that good. Well done.

Very nicely done. Everyone is amazed when they hear old Grundigs, Nordmendes and other German radios from this era when they are fully restored. The 1950s and 1960s German radios really have a great sound.

I guess you are the very best at refinishing the radio cabinet with all of it's little intricacies, of anyone i have ever seen. You could restore antique radio cabinets and make a good living I would think. Good work pays well in most trades. It is a blast to watch you do this work, thank you for your efforts to publish it here on RU-vid.

The beautiful finish! A restoration technology! Splendid!

First class work on the timber case. That finish is outstanding.

I have used wood alcohol to clean the plastic knobs very successfully, and for the hard to reach areas a fine tooth brush. What dedication to your restoration David ! Walt

David an amazing cabinet repair - I was so impressed with the finished product (you know that I prefer the wooden cases) and you have turned this in to a really impressive project and of course a few small lathe jobs as well.

M A G I C H A N D S I wish I had teachers like you when I was young. The way you explain and show how to do it, every little detail. Your video's are to save for posterity and has historical value already. I think we live in a modern dark age, a few of your kind are left. Television companies like National Geographic or Discovery should approach you.

German engineering at its finest! That case looks better than the day it rolled off the assembly line. Very satisfying video Dave 👍

I had every confidence this radio would work out the way it did. However, I was very surprised by the sound. Pretty amazing. That blocker circuit is advanced engineering for sure, at least it seems to be. The FM is spot on from here. What a fantastic tuner. This was indeed another fun adventure in hanging out in David's shop, fixing cool stuff.

Really well done. My respect for your dedication to craftsmanship and attention to detail is unbounded. Charlie

Hi David, I really enjoy your video's. This radio adventure was an amazing trip! It brought back fun memories for me playing with Radios. Got interested in Radio back in 1968 when my dad bought a CB radio of all things. Since then I have enjoyed bringing back many old Valve radios back to life and have so much enjoyed the hobby! I have an Amateur Radio license and currently still love the old radios! Nothing is inviting as the Warm Glow of a Vacuum Tube and the sense of relaxing and just down right enjoyment they bring. Kids today are missing the peace and those feelings of warmth those old sets provided....Something was really special about them really! I am glad to see you enjoying each rebuild and each restore you accomplish right before our eyes! Thanks you so much for providing a good clean fun adventure! Peace!

Dear David, amazing job with the radio housing. This radio made it a long way from Nordmende/Hamburg to Down Under! Keep it up. Greetings from Germany and stay healthy.

I literally keep an eye on RU-vid everyday to see if you post something new. You sir, are a true inspiration for me. Please keep these excellent videos coming. I am in awe at your patience with the smallest detail. Regards from South Africa

Just gorgeous with the gold against the ivory plastic. Such quality, like a Mercedes Benz of the same period. The cabinet came out so well, really special. Cheers.

Your woodworking skills are simply amazing. I really appreciate the effort you put into these restorations.

Wow, You did a phenomenal job on this. You’re getting better and better. Kudos 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

David,it is such a pleasure to watch your radio restorations ,allways good job

Timberworks by Tipton. Absolutely fantastic job. A replacement grill cloth will be a tough find with that silver woven into it. Love any radio with a "magic eye"! Impressive restoration work!!! Radio sounds factory new. 📻👍🏻👍🏻

Looks and sounds spectacular! The wood looks amazing, tricky to do but you got there. Another feather in your cap!

Thank you so much Mr. Tipton for sharing your time and expertise with us! I'm a furniture restorer and If you don't mind, I'd like to make a suggestion. When you're to trying to match the grain on the raw wood, instead of a paint brush and stain, try putting a few drops of India Ink in some denatured alcohol. The alcohol draws the ink into the natural grain of the veneer. If you make the solution weak enough, you can apply multiple coats so it looks rather natural. Just a suggestion. Thanks again for your incredible videos!

Absolutely fabulous job, David! Your standard of “that looks pretty good” is near perfection! This radio has received the ultimate compliment -- wife approval for the kitchen!

Dave, Looks amazing and the sound is superb! Well done! Love watching you take your time and do the restores right!

What a beauty! I have a bigger Nordmende "Parsifal" which also sounds amazing. You'll find that the treble control works in the reverse direction compared to the Bass. If you google Sunburst Finishing you'll come across a neat trick. You can place a "fence" along the line you want by laying a piece of board or cardboard to mask the line you want to make, BUT, you raise it about 3cm above the surface to get the fading effect as well as a nice straight line.

David....Excellent work. You have duplicated the sunburst pattern perfectly. Keep up the great work and stay safe.

David, Once again, an amazing job! Easy to see why your wife would lay claim to this one! I had already wanted to have a lathe, but now you have me going crazy because I can't afford one right now. Using yours to polish the knobs...man what genius that was! There were some really great advice and offer of help comments this time too...but you also cam up with equally amazing and brilliant ideas! Keep up the excellent work! Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, Stay Happy, and Continue To Enjoy Your Adventures!

David thanks for a great presentation on cabinet working it's clear that you are getting better at your new skills.Thanks for sharing and that new radio. WOW!

For a first attempt that looks amazing. A really nice looking set. Love the style of some of these old radios. Well done on a nice resto.

It certainly does look and sound fantastic. Really nice job as always David

Another master piece of restoration David ,love the wood work finish looks like it been french polished top marks all round , superb sound to go with it ,I always enjoy and look forward to you projects .Thumbs up

One of the finest cabinets ever! I think that ..to repair such "history pieces" We must be...part electronic technician, part upholsterer, part cabinet maker....also manage different paints: wood, metal, cars......beeswax!! ,,,,and, of course, like in the "capacitor + resistor" chapter, have some good virtual friends to land us a hand.....what am I missing? Oh, Yes: being a juggler maybe helps, sometimes! Thanks a lot for your videos!!!! and ..."It's never late to teach and learn!"

Sir your job is amazing, I watching your videos from over a year ago but i decide to comment now 😀 really enjoy watching your videos and I have learned many things such as be patience. You are talented, polite and sometimes really funny.

This is your best restoration so far. Very impressed.

Very nice finish, my grandfather did French polishing as a hobby. Mum would help with the sanding, hours of work with finer and finer paper.

Great job Dave! I like the Green Screen and that you didn't over do it. The cabinet turned out just beautiful!

*_Bravo David. It's nicer now than when it was new._*

Wow. Sounds great. The cabinet came out really well. I think it's prettier than the original. I was thinking about the damaged area. I saw a guy scrape some wood off the inside of his cabinet creating a fine saw dust; then he mixed it with just a little wood glue to produce a fill for the cracks on the exterior of his radio. I wonder if that sort of ploy is any good on future projects. Excellent video. Much appreciated.

Your finish on the cabinet is simply amazing. You’re helping me build confidence to tackle a couple radios of my own. I have the electronics side no problem, but the veneer and finish work frightens me lol.

Yes !!! Friday, Tipton and a good pint 👍

Watching paint dry ..... you make even that interesting to watch. A wonderfull restoration, it came out great. greetings from the Netherlands Nard

I am an auto detailer (23 years). I have used my Citrus based solvent on the cloth of 4different radios and vacuumed it out carefully. This technique worked for me quite well. 📻🙂

Another great job. 👍👍👍 One product that I have found excellent for cleaning cloth material is StainGo.

Very very good. It was very very very beautiful. This precision workmanship. Excellent...It was a pleasure to watch. Thank you!

Good evening David Sir.Great effort to restore the cabinet in original packaging.Radio now in original as New.Thanks Sir.

another fabulous job David, great work

How lovely is this .. I remember of my childhood when my grand father had a vintage radio .. Marvelous sound ! Thank you for restore such beautiful radio ..

Outstanding. Fantastic set great sound. The cabinet finish magnificent. A radio to treasure.

Hello David If you put a foil on the paintstripper it does not dry out so quickly . If you warmed up the spray can a bit (bucket of warm water) the pressure in the can increases a little bit and this creates a finer spray clear paint . I restore a Loewe Opta Bella Luxus , also in sunburst design . I put black schellack on the casing , looks also nice . Your casing looks now very nice , thumbs up . Greets Uli

Excellent work Dave, you certainly have a well-rounded set of abilities.

Brilliant again David, another fine restoration series.

The radio sounds and looks (in my opinion) like it's brand new and just came off the store shelf. I heard you say you had not tried anything like finishing the cabinet in that particular manner. I would say you are capable of anything you set your mind to. That cabinet is absolutely beautiful and the finish looks just as good as if not better than the factory finish. Kudos!

Great job Dave I think you make a great teacher. As the master said in the movie "grasshopper Wax on Wax off".✋

Fantastic radio! I was surprised at how good it sounds. As for the touchup work, the case looks good and no one will see it. If you tackle something like that again, you might want to consider sealing the wood before applying the touch up color; that will prevent the stain from bleeding into the wood and spreading around. Also, you can always cut-down bristles to make the brush smaller for fine detail.

A very pretty restoration. Thanks for the look in.

Thank you for making these videos I’m always excited to see them. If you can’t find a flat head screw you could always use metric bolt and Machine it into a Panhead flat.

What a finish! Fender and Gibson will be getting in touch I'm sure!!!

You sir are a master and an inspiration. Your work motivates me to keep going on my own radio restoration projects. Thanks David. Martin in Chicago.

Very nice finish on the wood, shame about the fabric though. Maybe someone will have some. Nice job David, it almost make me want it as well. Wife wouldn't have it though. She like cheap looking plastic things from Japan! Wonderful job on restoring it. What a shine on that cabinet!

It was an absolute pleasure to watch you work this radio. Compliments for your eye for detail. I’m really looking forward to your next restoration video.

Fantastic job on the radio! Thanks for sharing the journey.

America used to have a similar color but it was called copper tone. My paintings looks horrible I don't have the talent you do. Lovely radio thank you so much for sharing.

Dave, you are truly a master to be admired!

Fantastic work. It looks like a brand new one. Thank you for showing this.

David, thank you for sharing you many talents with us. Would you consider making a video of how you made the Dim Bulb Control, it's the best I have seen. Would love to make it for my bench. Thanks.

Beautiful radio outcome, and a really enjoyable series! Thanks!!

I had already started work when this one was released so I had to wait all day to watch it, but it was worth it! It makes my mind boggle a bit the amount of skill you have in so many areas. Really nice result and a really enjoyable repair to watch. Can't wait to watch the next one.

Beautiful job, what a nice sounding receiver, thanks David.

Such an enjoyable series as ever, so interesting to see your ideas for tackling each problem. One thing I didn't quite understand - does the phase of a single speaker (with respect to the input signal) matter too much? Thanks again for such enjoyable content from a locked down UK!

Increíble trabajo. Grandioso. Verlo trabajar me da mucha paz David.

Beautiful job David . I have done a few similar sunburst effect cabinets and I know the work that goes into it . I get quite tense when I do them . One false move and the job is ruined ! I have used biological washing powder on grille cloths and found it can work well . I love watching you work . Those german FM radios are unbeatable but not easy to restore . Best wishes from Thomas in the UK

Oh, and the reminder that was playing on local radio for COVID-19, was cute. Good use of the tune from Sound of Music.

The woodwork is the most discouraging part of restoration. However wood is a better media than plastics. Beautiful job!

Great restoration !!! The finishing of wood cabinet is fantastic. I see twice time to understand process, this class will be classic !!!! Congratulation - Sao Paulo - Brazil

The end result is really astonishing...👍👍

Growing up in Iceland we had a Nordmende Tv, I had an Bang & Olufsen TV in 1980 that was so good.

You and Shango066 go hand 🤚 in hand 🤚, in a way. I say this, because about a year ago, Shango066 resurrected a NordMende, console style AM/FM radio with record player. All in a real wooden case. All steel record player and turntable. A good thing about it is the AC motor. And quality stuff that really lasts.. Even the rubber idler wheel has lasted 50-60 years. Lighted radio dial glass. Bad sounding record player, because the cartridge is dead after all those years. Resurrectable, YES YOU BET!! Yes, it is a tube type radio 📻. This radio you are working on is a NordMende, but without a record player.. I believe both of these products are built by the same manufacturer. This radio you are working on reminds me of a world band/AM/FM radio 📻 I bought at Radio Shack in 2000. Yours is the better radio. Mine was sturdily built, but yours has value. Mine was only $41.00, new. Yours is the better radio, if they get dropped.

Thank you for sharing. I'm working on a German radio now, Loewe Opta, quite different from the Zenith radios I have worked on.

superb job dave always look forward to your restorations

I waited impatiently for the final instalment. Simply incredible! Thanks David.

That was just amazing work. I am considering shipping my cabinets to you for that part of the work :) Thanks for that. A fantastic job, incredibly well presented. I’m going to mention this video as a reference in my next tube radio restoration, because my cabinet work is my really weak point. Keep safe.

Dave, i know of no better way of starting my day than watching one of your videos. Man this one was surely incredibly satisfying. I was really wondering how you would re-stain the cabinet to keep the beautiful sunburst effect and boy you did you do a good job on it. Wish i could find a matching piece of cloth for you for this one. I'll keep an eye opened. I liked the covid jingle, made me smile for a second. Have a great day and thank's for sharing yet again another fantastic video. Also a big shout out to everyone helping you out with electronics' advises, great cooperation from the community. Have a great day mate.

Wonderful job, that case is gorgeous! David

Good job Dave and you know, the slightly tarnished grill adds a modicum of authenticity.

Beautiful sound! Beautiful in appearance!

Very good Job David.