I'm currently trying to restore an old Everett reed/electic organ cabinet, it was in awful shape when I obtained it, but I thought it was worth restoring due to its rarity. Most of the veneer was peeled and there wasn't much left of the original finish, so the only option was to completely restore it from scratch. I was able to reglue most of the original veneer, and the rest was replaced with new walnut. Now for the tricky part; I'd like to replicate the original finish as closely as possible. I know from experience that simply staining the wood isn't enough - the original finish contained some kind of darkening agent in the varnish itself. The best idea I can come up with is this; stain the wood as usual, but add something to the varnish (Varathane, actually) to darken it. Is it possible to darken it with paint? If so, what kind of paint would mix best with the varnish, and what would be a proper mixing ratio? Thanks for any advice.
Getting a Darker Finish
Nov 13, 2005
6 Replies
Consider Minwax polyshades. It is essentially tinted varnish.
mix in some "universal "color ,probably a little black. Before using make samples to acertain how much colorant to add....mjh
I tint water based finishes with water soluble dyes. For varnish (poly) use universal tints. For shellac, use alcohol soluble dyes (but they aren't as light fast).
Another approach is to spray on as many coats of dye as it takes to get the depth of color you need.
Dave
I've tried Polyshades before, but they aren't dark enough for replicating these old finishes......
H. Behlen Bros. makes aerosol toners (Master Toner) in an assortment of different colors for such a purpose. See:
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