Atwater Kent "Bakelite Brown" Cabinets
 

I have repainted two other Atwater Kent metal-cabinet radios. I've tried five shades of brown spray paint, and none of them were a satisfactory match with the original cabinet color. Surfing various forums and websites I found one restorer who mixes his own paint, and I found a list of Atwater Kent paint colors which included "Bakelite Brown."

I haven't got the wherewithal to mix my own spray paint, but thought I'd try spraying and wet overspraying with the colors I had on hand. After much experimenting over two days, I achieved my best result with dark brown lightly oversprayed with a mist of red for the hue, and then a light overspray of black repeated until it was the right value (darkness).

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-e...30%2520652.jpg

I have so many layers of wet paint that it's gonna take two weeks to dry. And I never want to do this again. If someone tells me, "You can get Bakelite Brown spray paint at oldradiopaint.com," then I'll have a screaming fit.

But seriously, does anyone know of a source for a good color match in spray cans? Or does brush-painting look OK on textured surfaces?

I've heard some auto parts stores can custom mix rattle cans of spray paint. If you can find an automotive paint that is right, or if they can somehow let you custom blend your color then that might be a better option.

You might also want to check the web pages of some major spray paint makers...They may have extra colors that are not ordered by stores, but can be special ordered....They might even let you order a custom mix color.

Paint stores and home stores do color-matching quite well. The data from their systems might be used elsewhere--that is, have a local store do a color match and use that data to order from whoever can provide it in spray cans. But I might do better to get a small-job sprayer myself and just be concerned with getting the matching paint. I haven't looked into that yet.

Have you considered a small airbrush from a hobby store? You don't need a huge sprayer and large compressor for these little jobs.
jr

That's exactly what I was considering. In fact, it would be a perfect birthday gift for me. I'll look into "airless" sprayers and drop some hints to my wife.

Perhaps not *exactly* what I was recommending... This hobby airbrush, for example, does not have a compressor, but does use *air* from a can:

http://www.amazon.com/Badger-Air-Bru...adger+airbrush

not affiliated,
jr

Well, I have no idea yet what I'm talking about. But I will learn about "airless" and "air brush" before I buy something. Thanks.

In the automotive paint world they have paint color matching machines. You can take a example of the color you need to a automotive paint supplier or a body shop and these machine will read and put together a color mix to match. You could then use an air brush to apply it. There was a company that advertised in Electric Radio magazine who supplied paints to match the colors of various vintage radios I cannot remember the name.

http://www.eastwood.com/paints/airbrush.html