Fabrikoid? Since the hive knows all

I recently learned the name of a product I have been searching for 20 years or more.

Fabrikoid was an early Dupont product. You have touched it, most folks never thought about it but I am obsessed with the stuff. It was the covering on most products from the 20's through the 60's.

Suitcases

Electronics

That phonograph is the best example of what I crave.

Books, car interiors , lots of stuff. This vintage tube caddy I just found

It had distinctive textures, came in lots of colors. It is a paper thin coated cloth. It is not tolex. Tolex is much thicker, more robust stuff.

It seems to have been out of production since the 60's but I want some.... for ... reasons.

So, who knows of a bolt of this stuff laying around somewhere?

Book cloth is similar. I have ordered a few sample books of colors and textures. My fear is that the textures I want will not have the sheen I desire.

Perhaps they can be lacquered like an old tweed guitar amplifier to get where I need to be?

Anybody know folks into bookbinding? What adhesives do they use? Before I go into a rabbithole of internet DIY's I thought I would ask.

I dont know much about it, but if it uses adhesive, you want to make sure you dont get any on your hootus. That much, I have learned from GRM.

That faux-leather wallpaper-like stuff? I hate that stuff. Looks cheap as soon as it suffers a little wear and starts to loosen up, then when it wears more the whole thing starts to peel like a birch tree.

I can guess that you want it for historical accuracy though.

Check Adam Savage's videos on Youtube - he built some carrying cases for some of the weird things he's built, and he found a pretty reasonable facsimile for Fabrikoid.

I think the information may be in one of these two videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tUHJnl8qPM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPLvkrtqkJ8

In reply to stuart in mn:

About 11 minutes into that first video he discusses the paper. Thanks!

I too have search for Fabrikoid. My family produced radios in the 20s and 30s and were eventually bought out by RCA. We had a series of portable radios that were covered in black Fabrikoid. Because there was a time when no one wanted a 20s era tube radio most of the ones I find now are neglected and need repair. Because it's so thin, the Fabrikoid rarely survives. I've used black muslin with urethane painted on to some success, but other models had an embossed reptile skin pattern that I can't reproduce.

I foolishly assumed I was the only one left who even knew what Fabrikoid is. Shoulda known... GRM... Keep us (me) posted if you find some or a replacement.

I learned something today.

In reply to Apis Mellifera:

What was the brand name of your family's radios? At one point I had several pickup truck loads of old radios & parts, but they're long gone now.

I collect 30's thru 50's radios myself.

Toyman01 wrote: I learned something today.

I love this place.

Jumper K. Balls wrote: I collect 30's thru 50's radios myself.

I need to talk to you about this.

petegossett wrote: In reply to Apis Mellifera: What was the brand name of your family's radios? At one point I had several pickup truck loads of old radios & parts, but they're long gone now.

Kemper Radio Laboratories. Later it became Kemper Radio Corporation. It was headquartered in Los Angeles so most of the ones I find are through eBay and on the west coast. There are other radios, like Neutrowound, that I am interested in also - basically any of the older 01a-era radios. No interest in anything with those modern octal and 9-pin tubes... unless we're talking guitar amps.

In reply to Apis Mellifera:

Very cool! I've heard of Kemper, possibly had one or two in my pile. About 4-years ago I acquired the entire stash of an old TV/radio repairman who'd passed away. The majority were Bakelite sets, but there were some older & newer ones there too. A little old man from Chicago with a thick Eastern European accent & said his name was "Johnny" ended up buying them all in 2 or 3 lots.

I'd heard of Fabrikoid being used on the roofs of some brass era cars as well.

Woody wrote:

Jumper K. Balls wrote: I collect 30's thru 50's radios myself.

I need to talk to you about this.

Talk away Woodster!

I have a small collection of radios that I'd like to give away because apparently no one that looks at my local craigslist is willing even the modest of sums.

I think one of the problems is that the old radio collector group is aging out. 20 years ago those trans-oceanics would have sold for $150 each on ebay. Sadly I am sure those buyers are all but dead. They were in their 70's and 80's then.

Oh look! the Trans-oceanics are covered in Fabrikoid!

The stuff was used on everything! I can't believe there isn't a modern reproduction

Oh I got more things with Fabrikoid. Most looks like junk!

Yeah there's more and more and more...

I wouldn't mind if you mailed those Zenith T-Os to me. Mine has died.

Someone comes up with a need for a bizarre, out-of-date, cool material I've never heard of....and someone here basically points the way to a source in 4 posts. Gotta love GRM!

In reply to Apis Mellifera:

Where are you located?

So some internet sleuthing has revealed that what Adam Savage used is called "Skivertex" and it is an embossed paper. Samples I have found look pretty good.

Pretty much exactly what I am looking for, but is just paper. No cloth backing so it will be fragile. And then I realized I have seen this stuff everywhere too. Jewelery boxes and the like

Which is what I think Gameboy was referring to as the peeling mess.

I have ordered some samples and we will see.

I need to make it out the the college art supply store to see what they have on the shelf.

I am also talking to a buddy with a screen printing shop about putting stripes on thin canvas and tweed to replicate the old suitcase look

We will see how that works out.

RossD wrote: In reply to Apis Mellifera: Where are you located?

WV 25177 America

Another idea for the stripes - when I was working in the sign business we could buy canvas to run through our wide format digital printers and more or less replicate painted artwork. There may be canvas available that suits your texture needs, and the printers give you much wider (pun intended) options for print size and color. A good designer could even replicate wear and damage issues to some extent.

Ross, Can you send a close up of each of those radios to [my username] [letter that comes after n] vak [number one] @yahoo.com?

I may be interested in some of them. Would pay shipping plus some to Chicago.