Nescafe,natures own wood stain

Not really sure about this but we may have just joined the natural products movement?

Wood trim restoration tips to do it yourself.

Some 1967 Singer Chamois interior wood trims needed staining a little darker,they were a sort of pinkish shade when hand sanded with 150 grit sand paper.

Now stripped of their old and peeling bur Walnut (long job) veneers, the upper four trims are too light,the darker ones have new dark bur walnut on them and are part finished,having no more supply of bur walnut veneers,can we meet part way?

A trip to the local Mica hardware store showed they had many stains but no Walnut and looking at the cost to a 500ml can of stain in say,Imbuia,I was put off anyway.

A check around Jeans kitchen showed me some natural products.

There was Bisto gravy thickener,Marmite spread and Nescafe instant Coffee granuals,I chose the later and mixed two tea spoons with some water,thats the stain being used above!

The lacquer is a polyacrethane twin pack high gloss,at this stage we are about half way there,when dry, I can use 360 grit wet and dry sanding paper with water and smooth to remove all the faults.The darker panels will fit on the cars dash panel,the lighter ones on the door and side trims.They will have to do for the time.

Many coats later (spray gun with low pressure) the gloss is now coming out of the wood as the grain becomes filled,each wet sanding removes the flaws and adds to the surface gloss.The lighter wood will darken with age as well.The process now moves to a second day and some 400 to 600 and then 800 grit water paper,one reason why classic car restoration costs as much as it does.

Ready to fit,yet another day,the clear gloss lacquer needs to fully cure before the trims are handled.

How hard can this be,does anyone have some bur walnut veneer for me?

R McB