Ken: I see that no one is jumping in here. So I will try to give you some pointers.
Each collector has his or her preference as to finishes. Some use original shellac (orange or clear). Others like oils, and yet others like lacquer based products for big jobs such as cabinets or uprights. When it comes to these choices, the size of the job matters as does what one is most comfortable with. The application also matters...ie: spray vs. rubbed on vs. ragged on. So, choosing your refinishing medium is really a personal choice as to what your comfortable with and trying to accomplish. By the sounds of it, you have original finish machines that need a replacement board here or there and the question is how to "match" finishes...new to the old. Well, my experience suggests a great deal of patience, a practice board, and a variety of lighting conditions. Patience is obvious as is a practice board identical to the wood you will be working with. Different lighting (natural vs. fluorescent, vs. incandescent) will cause colors to act differently, so it's important to go slow and check in different lights at different times using the medium of your choice. But you need a product to mix with your shellac, minwax oil etc........read on. I have found that the best product for dialing in and matching finishes is an alcohol based anyline dye specifically made by the Wood Finish Supply Company. They sell a metalized extract concentrate dye mixed in MEK. The advantage of these dyes is that they dissolve in any base medium you like to work in (shellac, oil, lacquer..etc.) and come in a host of colors for very precise color control (one drop at a time). In addition, the company provides baseline quantity combinations for most wood colors you will be seeking. I would recommend starting with four colors...black, warm brown, yellow, and red.....each in 8oz bottles). From there you can nail down most all the colors we see in phonos except green oak. Used alone, the dye will flash off and evaporate too fast for custom applications, so you need to use a baseline medium and then add dye drops to that for your precision control of color. Again, take a spoonful of patience before starting and have fun. You can check out Wood Finish Supply Co. at www.woodfinishsupply.com I would also suggest calling them. They are very helpful. Again, the product is "Metalized Extract Concentrate Dye in MEK"....Get the four colors to start. Best Mark Albertson ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ken Danckaert" <k...@lemur.org> To: <phono-l@oldcrank.org> Sent: Monday, February 06, 2006 3:57 PM Subject: [Phono-L] Need advice on finishing and matching stain colors >I can do almost anything with metal but I have a devil of a time with > the cases. When you have to make a new wood part for a cabinet, it is > really difficult to color match close to the original. I would really > like to see suggestions from you all on how you get wood parts to > match. Maybe someone knows a good source for stains or finishes that > help you get a match. Is there a magical technique out there? My brute > strength approaches usually get me close but they are very time > consuming and chancy. Any suggestions? > > Ken Danckaert > Severna Park, MD > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > Phono-L@oldcrank.org > > Phono-L Archive > http://www.oldcrank.org/pipermail/phono-l/
