[Boatanchors] Wrinkle Paint
Paul Christensen
w9ac at arrl.net
Sun Aug 14 23:29:38 EDT 2022
When restoring several Millen panels, I had good results with Krylon wrinkle
spray paint. A heavy and even cross-spray pattern is required. The panels
were then placed in the kitchen oven at 180 degs until the wrinkling became
even. For my personal safety, this was done when my XYL was gone for a few
days.
I agree with Don about National's wrinkling. The texture has what I can
only describe as unique swirls, all different, almost like a fingerprint.
That texture can't be replicated with today's spray paints. It's close, but
not the same. I've been told that the common wrinkling process used many
years ago relied on an oil-based paint.
Paul, W9AC
-----Original Message-----
From: boatanchors-bounces at mailman.qth.net
<boatanchors-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf Of Donald Chester
Sent: Sunday, August 14, 2022 11:08 PM
To: boatanchors at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] Wrinkle Paint
I remember using the GC product in the late 60s, both in a regular paint can
and in a spray can. It worked well in some spots, but I still had problems
with non-uniform wrinkling. It took a lot of patience and numerous
failures and wasted paint to finally achieve an even coat of wrinkling over
a large area.
In recent years I have had fair results using the stuff sold in auto parts
stores, although the wrinkle texture isn't quite the same as what's on
vintage equipment. Something that worked well was to lay the sprayed panel
outdoors in direct sunlight on a warm day. Also placing indoors over the
top of a large size vented propane heater in cooler seasons. I think the
secret is maintaining an extremely uniform application of heat over the
entire surface area, which is difficult if not impossible with heat guns and
IR lamps.
I am still looking for a way to reproduce the wrinkling effect seen on a lot
of 1930s equipment, particularly National products, that had a coarse and
somewhat grainy texture. It shouldn't be rocket science to replicate it; if
it was commonly done 90 years ago, it should still be possible to-day. I
also recall a similar texture on the cabinet of a 1970s-80s Swan
transceiver. I don't know what chemicals could have been used pre-WWII that
would be "banned" to-day. I believe if someone could find the original
formula or recipe, a close replica could be concocted with what's available
to-day. Apparently this is now a lost art that was buried with the last of
the practitioners who produced it.
Don k4kyv
I recall seeing instructions in one or two 1930s radio books or magazines
describing how to make your own wrinkle finish using ordinary paint, which
is probably the only way it could have been done back then.
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