# Not so Spray Lacquer?



## rick_lindsey (Dec 29, 2008)

I've done a bit of searching, and found threads/articles about spraying lacquer, and about dipping lacquer...  Does noone apply lacquer while it spins on the lathe?  I'm guessing if I can't find any info it's because it doesn't work well, but thought I would ask anyways!

thanks,
 Rick (who is still playing with his CA finish, or rather will be when he gets home again, but wants more than one trick in his finishing toolbox)


----------



## woody350ep (Dec 29, 2008)

there is a guy over at woodnet that just posted some stoppers and wine glasses that he applied lacquer to on lathe.  2 coats "friction" application.  Looks awesome, very shiny and only 2 coats.  He said he just used regular brushing lacquer, which I wasn't aware that there are different kinds of lacquer.  He said it only took 1-2 minutes per coat.

What are the different kinds of lacquer and how do you know what is what?


----------



## Morris129 (Dec 29, 2008)

Deft makes a brushing lacquer.  If you go to some of the woodturning sites they have plans for making a jar with a brush in the lid, it seals the jar and let you use the laquer over and over.  Deft is easy to use even with a small cloth but will get sticky if you don't move quicky.  adeft is not that hard in my opinion.


----------



## Skye (Dec 29, 2008)

I think the reason to dip or spray over applying it on the lathe is that there's such a long cure time, there's really no reason not to dip or spray. People spray, then respray or dip, then redip, then wait a week for it to cure. Just seems like applying it on the lathe doesnt really have any positives. Heck, it may be a negative that it's manually applied because you're asking for an uneven surface.

I've always been worried about the lacquer being broken down by the hand's oils over the years so I've never tried it.


----------



## woody350ep (Dec 29, 2008)

Thanks for the info on the lacquer.

Skye - about the uneven surface.  Take a look at his pics, they don't look very uneven to me.

http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbth...&Number=4054851&page=5&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=


----------



## KenV (Dec 29, 2008)

Hate to disagree, but spray coats of deft on a slowspinnig lathe followed buy a cup of coffee (for setting time -- a few minutes) followed by a brief rub down with auto polish yeilds a finished product with minimum hassle.  Paper towl on the ways and behind the object to be coated does the job with minimal mess.   

Theoryl is that the spinning lathe keeps the lacquer even, and the shear effect at the surface promotes evaporation of the solvent.   I polish the wood to about P1500 and spray away --  say 10 or 15 minutes to assembly.   

Everyone has what works -- and this is the fast gloss finish for me.


----------



## woody350ep (Dec 29, 2008)

very nice.  Thanks for the tut Ken.

What auto polish???  You mean like plastic polish such as the PlastX?


----------



## pipecrafter (Dec 29, 2008)

I've also used lacquer to coat pieces on the lathe.  True nitrocellulose lacquer cures in no time, unlike the poly "lacquers" that are out there.  I've used Deft and Watco brushing laqcuers, as well as Behlen spray lacquer applied with a soft cloth.  You're able to handle the barrels for assembly within about 10-15 minutes, though an extra cure time of a couple days after assembly is good just to be sure it's not soft.

Brushing lacquers are thicker and may have a retarder in the solution to keep it from setting before brush marks have a chance to flow out.  Spray lacquers are designed for spray application with a paint gun - but can be wiped or brushed if you're quick about it.  If you spray lacquer in a humid environment, you'll need a retarder to keep the lacquer from blooming, but other than that it's really simple and easy to use.


----------



## Skye (Dec 29, 2008)

woody350ep said:


> Thanks for the info on the lacquer.
> 
> Skye - about the uneven surface.  Take a look at his pics, they don't look very uneven to me.
> 
> http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbth...&Number=4054851&page=5&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=



Well, it's also not a deep coat. At all. You can still see that there's pores in the surface. If someone here turns a pen and gives it a lacquer finish, that's probably not the effect they'll be aiming for.

If your looking at a minimal coat like that, which does nothing to create a level, void filled, uniform finish, then one or two spray coats may be fine. I was thinking you were talking about a divot-free, glasslike finish like someone would get from dipping.


----------



## arjudy (Dec 29, 2008)

I've had good results by turning the lathe down to a low speed and spraying Master's Magic lacquer on the blank while it is spinning. I apply one coat until it is evenly distributed across the blank and then let the lathe spin for a couple of minutes and then apply the second coat in the same manner about 15-30  minutes later. Let the blank dry and then use MM starting at about the 3200 level through 12000 then use a wax on it, usually TSW or Renaissance wax.  Hope this helps.


----------



## marcruby (Dec 29, 2008)

It's good to see someone come up with a good looking finish that doesn't turn every pen into a piece of plastic.  I think I'll start trying that finish.

Marc


----------



## pipecrafter (Dec 29, 2008)

marcruby said:


> It's good to see someone come up with a good looking finish that doesn't turn every pen into a piece of plastic.  I think I'll start trying that finish.



That's exactly why I love lacquer.  I'm not a fan of the ultra smooth, glassy finish that some folks are aiming for.  I feel it hides a lot of the character and tactile feel of wood.


----------



## woody350ep (Dec 29, 2008)

Skye - I see your point.  I was just referring to the shine and smoothness of it.  The OP most likely was referring to using it as a pen finish, which I most definitely was not considering.

I do like how he did those stoppers and glasses though, and thought I would point them out is all


----------



## RussFairfield (Dec 29, 2008)

There is no problem with using lacquer for an application on the lathe. You can do all of the same things as you would do with shellac. Just use the lacquer as you would use the shellac. It takes a little longer to cure, but not enough to notice.

You can mix your own as a friction polish, or buy the Mylands that already comes mixed in the bottle. The Mylands Mellamine friction polish is lacquer with a different name. 

You can use lacquer as a wipe-on finish, but you will have to use a lubricant to keep it from sticking and dragging as the film forms and the thinners evaporate. Some folks advocate thinning it 50%. I use Deft straight out of the can. I put put on a thick coat of lacquer, followed by a rag soaked with some oil. The conventional wisdom says to use Boiled Linseed Oil, but Mineral Oil works as well, and I have used Marvel Mystery Oil for demonstrations just to prove a point. These non drying oils will leave an oil film on the dry lacquer when you are "finished", but that is easy to wipe off with a clean piece of soft cotton cloth.


----------



## KenV (Dec 29, 2008)

"What auto polish??? You mean like plastic polish such as the PlastX?"

Nu Finish Scratch Doctor -- mid priced stuff from an autostore here near the end of the earth (Alaska).  

P.S.  Key is to use sharp fresh sandpaper and work through the grits -- then finish -- then polish the finish.


----------



## mdburn_em (Dec 31, 2008)

I know of people out there that use the brush lacquer on a spinning lathe.  A few minutes in between coats, a couple days curing time...


----------



## TellicoTurning (Dec 31, 2008)

Question, on the spinning lathe, even at 450 rpms, wouldn't the centrifugal force throw off some of the lacquer and cause ridges?  Concept sounds similar to using Ca and I've had some problems with ridges and bumps from the CF.  I normally just wet sand the CA down with the MM then use a plastic polish.  Is the lacquer finish easier or about the same as CA?


----------



## woody350ep (Dec 31, 2008)

I imagine that once it starts to cure from the heat that it would be "tight" enough that it wouldn't sling off, like CA once it cures to a certain point won't sling


----------

