Color Mixing Guidance for Universal Tints?

[Scottl]

I hope this isn't redundant but a search didn't show anything.

What I'm looking for is guidance, hopefully some kind of chart showing what universal tint base colors to use when trying to match existing finish on say classic mahogany, golden oak and other common shades. I bought the Mixol starter kit but I know that other colors may be required and since they are quite pricey I don't want to buy colors I don't need.
I'm not looking for exact recipes as I know that getting the exact shade is more or less trial and error but hope that someone has recorded which tints to start with for common colors.

An online search showed nothing from Mixol.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[M. Moore]

Not entirely sure what you are asking? Do you want to mix stains to match existing wood colour and then clear coat overtop or do you want to mix tinted top coats? Both are very difficult to achieve and there would be no recipes that would work given all the different variables.(imho)

Unless you had a way to exactly meter the tints into a precisely measured amount of the base it would be difficult to replicate your own recipes. It could take weeks of experimenting to exactly match an unknown sample. The main problem as I am sure you already know is that you have to complete all the finishing steps before you can tell if your recipe is close to the original.

Are you hoping to restore antiques or match woodwork finishes on larger projects like custom millwork jobs, ie libraries or old staircases?

 

[Scottl]

The intent is for spot repairs on small scratches, etc. on furniture and other woodwork where total finishing is not desired. Finishes would include shellac, lacquer, and other transparent coatings.

I am not looking for exact recipes but rather a starting point so I know what additional tints to buy besides the ten included in the starter kit. Because the repairs are small and there are already natural coloration differences each one would be fine tuned to be a close but not exact match ie a slightly darker spot would be far less noticeable than bare wood.

 

[Scottl]

Interestingly enough, one more try at a web search turned up this article, which is pretty much what I was seeking.

Woodworking Supplies: A Guide to Mixing Colors | Woodworking Network

A Guide to Mixing Colors: Using the system of Universal Colors, virtually any shade and color can be formulated. - March 1999

www.woodworkingnetwork.com

I posted the link as others may find it useful as well.

 

[Superbowl]

I have seen workers at a huge luxury hotel that touch up furniture. They look like an artist. They have an artist pallet with all different colors like they were painting a picture. They use tiny artist brushes and mix the colors on the pallet until they work out a match with the furniture finish.

 

[M. Moore]

That is a well written article on exactly what you want to do and should be very helpful.
The world of sealers, stains, toners, wash coats, top coats and waxes is a big one. Make sure you become friends with shellac as it is the wonder drug of wood finish repairs.
My wife did wood finishing and faux finishing for many years, she could make mdf look like marble. I mostly did clear coats on my work but I learned a few things from her and wish you good luck with your touch up repairs.

Cheers,
Michael

 

[Scottl]

I use the underside of a white lid such as from cottage cheese as a disposable pallet.

And I often use tinted shellac as the main color element before adding any topcoat. I recently had to fix some chips on the edge of a black melamine covered item and the black Mixol made it almost a perfect match.

 

[jim rozen]

Cool company, some good discussions:

BYK Instruments | Testing solutions for color, appearance & more

BYK-Gardner develops testing solutions for color measurement, appearance control as glossmeters and orange peel meters, as well as instruments to analyze physical properties of paints and coatings.

www.byk-instruments.com

Disclosure: close friend went to work there a while ago. Great enginner