[Radioroslyn]

paint for the inside of a Philco cabinet from the mid 30's. It's a opaque flat dark brown.

Tnx

[klondike98]

Nobody is jumping in here so I will. Have not done the inside of a cabinet before but would think that a flat dark brown Krylon spray from the hardware store would work. Another thojght, get one of the sample sizes at Lowes for their indoor paint. They have a zillion colors. Cant remember the brand but you will see it in the paint section.

[PhilcoPhan1936]

I'm guessing that originally they probably spritzed the inside with a coating of toner. I don't think stain was utilized back then.
But, I could be wrong.
It makes sense that The would, since it was what they used on the outside. The only difference is the interior of the cabinets often weren't finished or veneered.

[Phlogiston]

Just get a can of Van Dyke Brown toner (not  classic). Spray some on - spray more until it is dark enough. Probably won't take much.

[klondike98]

Jeff and Russ's approach sounds better!

[Radioroslyn]

Tnx for all your inputs I just got thru ordering a bunch of lacquers and Van Dyke was in the order. Also got some different sheens of clear so I can dull. Have been using the gloss but have found it to be too shiney for my liking.

[Arran]

They did use stains, or dyes, back then, but I think they used some sort of paint or sealer on the insides of cabinets. It may have been a mix of hide glue and a dye in some cases. Flat dark brown paint would be fine, like dark brown Bakelite colour, you don't have to be 100% accurate, I doubt if every cabinet of a given type was exactly the same, it probably varied from day to day, week to week, depending on who was doing the mixing, or what lot they used.
Regards
Arran

[jcassity]

my grand father used a lot of varnish but it was a home brew ,, every wood thing he made all looked the same color and for some odd reason, its the same color of my 46-1226.

i remember my dad saying it had something to do with using old gas that had evaporated off (the left over muck) and mixed with some other stain. a little bit of polyurethane on the final pass if you wanted that. I remember the smell as a tiny tot, from grandpa and my dad. Dad told me it was a really good wood coating and you can control the amount of grain you want to see more easily than using stains and it penetrated really deep. I think there is some penetrating oil in it also.

for really dark, it took like six coats.

i remember dad sometimes just using an old rag to apply on the first few coats.

...................
very dark brew coffee makes a wonderful light stain as well

sumack (spelling?) berries (red) make a great oddly rosey color stain or beet juice

walnut hulls (not the shell but the hull that gets you hands all greenish) make a wonderful one pass dark stain that unmistakable. it is so different in look that you will want to know what color it is,, so if you ever find out what that color is then tell me cause i have no clue.
you boil them in a pot outside ,, you do not ever touch the stain with you bare skin. you dont even think about using rubber gloves and you barely trust leather gloves.
you apply it simply with a brush but control the angle of the brush as to not let it get on the handle.... (maybe you could spray it on like people who have learned lessons do.)
be careful is what i am saying. apply this stuff to any wood and there is not a single insect on planet earth that would ever want anything to do with it.



i come from a long line of wood workers,, who were not rich either so ............