I have an old radio console that I am restoring, and the amber-colored paper that diffuses the light behind the dial glass is brittle and falling apart. I tried parchment paper in a previous repair, and after a few years it developed wrinkles that caused the pointer on the sliding scale to hang up. I had the idea of replacing the paper with a thin sheet of nylon 6/6 dyed to the proper color. My trials at choosing a color are below.
First attempt
Out of curiosity I decided to try dyeing some nylon. I grabbed a bottle of Tangerine Orange RIT dye and, without much thought on proportion, mixed it one part dye to one part white vinegar. I had some decent-sized nylon washers lying about and soaked them in the solution for about 20 minutes at a low simmer. The color might match some radios with a darker dial, but in my case I’ll go with a lighter orange, maybe mixed with yellow for a lighter amber tint. (The picture looks lighter than they really are.) I could also reduce the soak time.
Second attempt
I tried again with other shades of orange and yellow. The center one is about right, though the camera makes it look lighter than it is. The recipe:
- Center (the keeper): 1 tbsp RIT Golden Yellow + ½ tbsp Sunshine Orange + ½ cup white vinegar
- Right: 1 tbsp Golden Yellow + ½ cup white vinegar
Now I just need to order some thin nylon 6/6 sheet and make the dial background.