Yet more Stoner Questions....

[ducatihummer]

OK, I know many of you have a stoner or two. And many of you restore them as well. I think I only have three pretty easy questions. First I'm wondering if there is a way to make the gum wheel look nice and new or even a way to change the color?? Second on the same line, what is the best way to make an older pull look nice? Mine are like a marble orange and I really like them. I will pick up repro's if I have to eventually, But would love to keep my Orange ones. And last question is when I go to repaint it, how do I do it correctly around the hinge? I'm not sure if it seperates, I think it looks like I may be able to take the door off by moving the center of the hinge out, but I'm not sure. Any help would be great.

Thanks again for all your help.

Frank

[BrianB]

As far as the pulls go, if they aren't cracked or chipped or deeply scratched, I would leave them alone. If you are looking just to shine them uo try using a plastic/bakelite polish like Novus. I use a LOT of Novus on everything from pinball machines to antique radio cabinets. Typically, Novus #2 works great for general polishing. Novus #3 is for deeper scratches and Novus #1 is a spray that is a final polsih and has anti-static properties. Good stuff.

My pulls on my Stoner Jr. were the marbled orange. One of them was almost 1/4 gone and another had chunks out of it with a few others that had surface pitting that couldn't be polished out.

I created a mold for casting fiberglass around the damaged part using a good pull. I then inserted my damaged pull and injected fiberglass resin and let it set-up. When I removed the pull from the mold I was amazed at how good it looked. I hit it with some sand paper to remove and imperfections and then prepped and painted them red to match the mirror trim. Not original but at that point I didn't have the money to spring for a good used set or a reproduction set.

As far as I know, the main door hinge doesn't come apart. I might be wrong though. I looked and looked at mine and tried to figure a way to get it apart but couldn't. so it was left in the open position for painting and it was made sure that that attention was paid to the hinge in the open and closed position.

[memorylane]

Hi Frank, first things first. To repair any chips in your knobs, the very easy way. Get some plastic Epoxy at Lowes 5Min. and mix a small amount and apply to your bad areas and as Brian said you can then sand down. Put the knob in a drill and put the drill in a vice, turn on low speed and work your sand paper. When mixing your Epoxy add a small amount, just a drop of paint (color of your knob or as close as you can get) because the Epoxy is clear. you might need to try several mixs till you get the wright color. Your finish sand paper should be 150. You can then polish the knob to shine. You can always prime and paint them.

Your door will come off but no need, there is a rod that runs up the center. Very hard to remove and no need to do so, you will need to take a grinder or even a dremel with a grinder disc and go down both sides of the hinge till you see a gap of daylight, make sure you remove enough, cut a nice gap. You will never see as the Sealer, primer, paint and clear will make up the difference.

Next, take a grinder and grind a 1/4" + off both corners of the main door till you see a nice even gap and the door closes with no drag. Keep your candy display in as you do this because of the weight and on the left side of cabnet, remove the piece of stainless that the door rides up on or tape it up when painting.

On your main body, take a small flat bar and open the gap a little till your door closes with no rubbing.

Make sure your bodyman skim coats the top and side edges of the machine to cover the spot weldes, this will make for a nice looking finish.

Hope this helps you out. Curtis Kauffman, Memory Lane Restorations. memorylane@myactv.net

[SIGNGUY]

Curtis, great info... i'm working on one as we speak and was looking for some tips so that the hinge wouldnt bind as it creaks and binds a bit now in unrestored condition... can you elaborate on the "Grooving" of the both sides of hte hinge? I'm assuming you mean on the cabinet so that that hinge doesn't rub? and also where you take off the 1/4 inch on the main door? not sure exactly where you mean?
Thanks
John

[memorylane]

Look close at the door hinge before the grinding and notice the gap after the grinding now you won't see that gap after paint. Look at bottom edge of door and look at that gap, you want that on both sides.

[ducatihummer]

Thanks guys! would the same go for the selector knob? I have one that has a crack in the middle and looks real worn.

Curtis, I'll be calling you at some point for mirrors decals and some other things. I ended up finding a Theater with Gum wheel, but needs some work. I really like all your work, and I might try and copy the Black with chrome theater you show on EBay. my wife likes the way that one looks and that may ease my pain 

Thanks,

Frank