Replies

1. 
   HowardAcheson | Oct 05, 2003 09:10pm | #1

   Brushing lacquer is very, very difficult to do. Are you use a brushing lacquer? Most lacquer is made for spraying. If you use a spraying lacquer you can not avoid brush marks.

   Deft is a brushing lacquer but even that can be problematic.

2. 
   johnkollar | Oct 05, 2003 09:55pm | #2

   The Lacquer I bought is a brush-on clear lacquer.  I have started on the top and the slide-out tray, I figure they are the easiest to do.  I really like the look of the finish, it pops the fiddle maple pretty well.  Still see those brush lines though.  I would hate to have to finish the body of the stands with tung or poly, but it may be too hard to work those lines out in tight areas.  I am working on pictures of the nightstands to show how tight the areas are.

   Any other ideas for how I can finish these things off?  I am about to start a Mission kitchen table soon, and I also need ideas on what the eating surface should be finished with.

   Thanks again for the help, I am a newbie here.

1. 
   jazzdogg | Oct 05, 2003 11:28pm | #4

   John,

   You might be able to improve your results a tad by starting with a wash coat of sanding sealer or blonde shellac, and then sanding the surface smooth to improve flow-out. FWIW, however, I'd buy some spraying lacquer and rent an HVLP rig for an afternoon: if you shoot waterbased instead of nitrocellulose you'll have a decidedly easier time cleaning up, and won't have to worry about the fire hazards associated with nitro or the fumes.

   Good luck,PaulWhether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.

1. 
   johnkollar | Oct 06, 2003 12:42am | #5

   Paul-

       Thanks for the ideas.  How long would it take to pickup the sprying process?  It seems like I am behind the power-curve because everyone in these forums seems to shoot lacquer.  Also, what is the +/- considerations of water versus nitro lacquer?  I don't think I have ever really heard of water based lacquer before.  And ya, it is a pain in the rear cleaning with thinner, I don't think my hands will ever lose the white flake look.

       I uploaded a couple pictures of the nightstands, I am worried it would be hard to spray the inner parts.  The vertical slats are masked by the legs and each other.  Any tricks I should know about.  These are the second and third thing I have ever built, so I am not expecting much from my skill level.  The lacquer on the tops looks really nice, but I don't think you can really see that in the pictures.  Still trying to sand away on them, no real luck getting the lines out.  Thanks for the help, I will keep trucking.

   -John

   
3. 
   ChasStanford | Oct 05, 2003 09:58pm | #3

   Glad it's you and not me. 

1. 
   Biscardi | Oct 06, 2003 01:55am | #6

   I know people are going to shake their heads at this, but if the project isn't too large, using lacquer out of a spray can works pretty well. Keep the can a steady distance; put on very fine coats. I like to mist it on. You waste alot doing it that way, but it won't run. Allow a couple of hours between coats and then steel wool or scufff sand with 600 grit lightly.

   The other option is to find a cabinet shop who'll spray it for you. If you are a hobbyist like me who just putters, it is hard to justify HVLP systems.

   Frank

1. 
   PlaneWood | Oct 06, 2003 03:24am | #7

   Find a paint store that has Lacquer retarder.  Use a high quality fine bristle natural brush.  Check it first for stray or loose hairs and shave any off with a razor blade.

   PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood

4. 
   DougF | Oct 06, 2003 05:08pm | #8

   John,

   Several points others have made: Deft makes one of the best brushing lacquers around and you can slow the drying process by adding a retarder.  It is also great with HVLP sprayers as well.  Some other comments: you mentioned using an automotive rubbing compound as part of the final finishing process and that can be very effective but be careful since most of the high quality automotive rubbing compounds are only made to be use with buffers - your project looks difficult to obtain consistent results using a buffer - and you can easily and quickly cut through your finish with rubbing compounds.  Be especially careful around corners and edges.  But, you shouldn't need to use a rubbing compound if you have finish sanded after each coat.

   If you are brushing lacquer, the temptation is to brush it like enamel: don't.  Flow it on with a single motion and go to the next area without retracing.  The lacquer should flow together and even out unless it is flashing off too quickly.  The purpose of the sanding between coats is to level the surface area once it is dried.  Let the sandpaper do the leveling part of the process.

   You can mix nitro and water-based lacquers as long as each coat is sufficiently dried.  While water-based is easier to for clean-up, I personally think the finish is not quite as durable or as clear as nitro.  If you stay with nitro, use the best quality lacquer thinner you can find since it does make a difference.  If you don't have a good woodworking store near you, try an automotive paint supply store and tell them what you are doing. 

   Good luck.

   Doug

1. 
   johnkollar | Oct 06, 2003 11:26pm | #9

   Thanks Doug,

   I would like to keep at the lacquer to try and make it work, hopefully without sacraficing the look of the final product.  Like I said before the only project prior to this is a mission style bed I did.  My father is a big woodworker, but he only uses Tung oil and he would rather see me screw-up and learn than tell me how to do things.  I may try to fix what I have done and give it another go in either the inside of the nightstand or the drawer.  If all goes well then I will finish it in Lacquer.  Otherwise I may have to use Tung or Poly I guess.  I may be biting off more than I can chew given my second project, but you only live once.

   Thanks for the advice from everyone else also, the tops and slide-out shelf are starting to smooth out with 320grit, I am still a little unhappy with the steelwool.  Any reccomendations on how to take care of the main body of the nightstands?  Any tricks for working in those tight spots, or where you have an inside 90 degree area to sand/cleanup?  My first project looks bad in those 90 degree areas because my sanding block kept rubbing either cross grain or impacting the adjoining part. 

   Thanks again for the help I will let you all know how the rest goes.

   -John

1. 
   DougF | Oct 07, 2003 01:52am | #10

   John,

   I wish I had a secret for easy finishing of inside corners.  I use a small soft wood sanding block with the selected grit covering only the bottom portion of the block and then simply finish in the direction of the grain.  The uncovered portion of the sanding block bumps the sides but doesn't abrade those surfaces.  I guess I have come to accept that those corners will never be quite as "fine" as the more open surfaces but I think that part of the acceptable nature of woodworking is that those minute imperfections are what helps define a handmade item from a machine produced piece.

   I use steelwool in very limited applications and mainly rely on high-quality wet/dry finish paper for anything over 220 or 320.   If I need to knock-down the sheen I prefer finishing compounds, oil and felt blocks after the final wet/dry sand.

   Worse case, you can always strip it and start over if you simply can't live with the results.  It's good to have a variety of finishing skills at your disposal since each piece you build is that much more enhanced by your willingness to apply what you've learned.  Good luck

   Doug