# Lacquer not curing after two weeks



## Blind_Squirrel (Oct 12, 2008)

I dipped two ambonya barrels two weeks ago. When I went to buff the blanks out yesterday I was greeted with the finish peeling off. The top was cured, but it was still soft underneath. 

Specifics:
- Using MINWAX Clear Brushing LACQUER, CLEAR GLOSS, not diluted.
- I applied eight coats over two days. 
- Waited at least two hours between each coat. 
- Flipped the blanks for each dip.

Is two weeks rushing it for dipped lacquer?
Too many coats?

Any suggestions/ideas why they didn't cure and what I can do to get a good cure?

Lacquer guru's please help!

Thanks.


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## wdcav1952 (Oct 12, 2008)

Scott,

Lacquer cures by solvent evaporation from the surface of the finish.  Additional coats burn or melt into preceding coats because of the solvent.  By applying eight relatively thick coats (dipping thicker than spraying) you left solvent trapped under the surface of the finish.

I don't dip with lacquer, so I can't say for sure, but you might want to try no more than two dips, rotating the blank 180 degrees for the second dip.  Also, I would tend to leave dipped items alone for at least 2 weeks.

FWIW,


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## RussFairfield (Oct 12, 2008)

You are expecting too much too soon. Lacquer is a slow drying process, and the thicker it is the slower it is. I would  guess that it could take several months for 8 dipped coats to  become hard enough for sanding and buffing. 

I have to ask the question, why 8 coats, when 1 or 2 will do the same job of about 30 thin sprayed coats of lacquer??  I am surprized that you can put that much lacquer on a pen in such a short time without having major runs.

The advantage of dipping is that it puts on a thicker coating that other application methods, and most of the time the 2nd coat will not require reworking if the 1st coat was smoothed and leveled before dipping the 2nd time.  I use 2 coats, one from each direction to level out the thickness, and thin the 2nd coat with about 25% (not critical) thinner. 

My experience is that it will take several days before the 1st coat can be sanded and smoothed, and that the 2nd (final) coat should wait for a week in a warm room before it can be safely handled for assembly of the pen. That 2nd coat will  take 2 or 3 weeks before it is dry enough for sanding and buffing when it is needed. 

I think you now have only 2 choices. Either take it all of and start again with only 2 coats, letting it dry for a couple days between coats; or wait until next sping with what you have.

I just read Cav's reply, and we said the same thing.


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## Blind_Squirrel (Oct 12, 2008)

Thanks to both of you for confirming what I suspected.

I am going to opt for taking it back down to the wood and starting over.


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## wdcav1952 (Oct 12, 2008)

RussFairfield said:


> You are expecting too much too soon. Lacquer is a slow drying process, and the thicker it is the slower it is. I would  guess that it could take several months for 8 dipped coats to  become hard enough for sanding and buffing.
> 
> I have to ask the question, why 8 coats, when 1 or 2 will do the same job of about 30 thin sprayed coats of lacquer??  I am surprized that you can put that much lacquer on a pen in such a short time without having major runs.
> 
> ...


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