Replies

1. 
   BArnold | Apr 01, 2006 09:40am | #1

   I'm certainly no expert on finishing, but I've sprayed shellac using 1lb to 3lb cuts.  It sounds like your instructor recommends a 1/2lb cut to ensure building the finish in many coats, which is the way you want to do it anyway.

   When I sprayed the 3lb cut, it was somewhat experimental -- I wanted to build the finish thicker on the top of a piece, so I used a couple of coats of 3lb rather than multiple coats of lesser cuts.  Going forward, I'll go back to a 1.5 or 2lb cut.  Spraying the heavier cut created a bit more orange peel, I think, which increased the amount of rubbing out I had to do.  A thinner cut would have levelled out somewhat better.

   Regards,

   Bill Arnold - Custom Woodcrafting

   Click Here if you're interested in a good, inexpensive website host.

   ---

   Food for Thought: The Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.

   ---

2. 
   mudman | Apr 01, 2006 10:35pm | #2

   I spray heavy mixes for the first two or three coats (depending on how open the grain is) and sand with 220 between each coat. After the finish is level I spray a thinner coat and lightly sand with 320 grit, finally I spray a couple of very light and wet coats and that leaves a glass smooth surface. Generally I lower the sheen with 0000 steel wool or rotten stone.

   All this can easily be done in one day. However if you mix the first coats too thick you will be waiting a long time for it to get hard enough to level with sand paper. When you are leveling if you get a lot "boogers" building up on the paper the finish is still too wet, using mineral spirits as a lubricant helps prevent boogers and gives a more consistant sheen with the steel wool.

   Mike

1. 
   BArnold | Apr 02, 2006 05:54pm | #3

   Mudman,

   What cuts do you use for the "heavy" and "light" coats?

   When you say your final couple of coats are "light and wet", I take it you mean they are light cuts but you spray enough to keep the surface completely wet.  Correct?

   Thanks,Bill Arnold - Custom Woodcrafting Member of Mensa and Florida West Coast Woodworkers ClubClick Here if you're interested in a good, inexpensive website host.

   Food for Thought: The Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.

1. 
   mudman | Apr 05, 2006 07:23pm | #4

   I was afraid you would ask what cuts I use... I just add alcohol untill it looks right. I used to use a drip cup to measure the viscosity now I can tell just by stiring it. I use the Zinner premixed shellac and it is a pretty heavy cut, great for brushing. for the first coats I add maybe 10 or 15 percent alcohol so that it sprays nicer. For the final coats it is more like 30 to 40% thinner.

   By "wet" I mean what you said. I use a Fuji 4 stage turbine system and it heats up the air a lot. When checking the mix I spray a couple of half overlapping passes and look to see if the passes are visible, if it is not "wet" I can see the misting or dryspray on the overlapping edge of the second pass.

   Mike

1. 
   BArnold | Apr 05, 2006 09:10pm | #5

   Mike,

   I can relate!  For some stuff, I measure very carefully.  Other times, I just take a wad of this and a splash of that and it turns out just fine!!!

   Have a good one!Bill Arnold - Custom Woodcrafting Member of Mensa and Florida West Coast Woodworkers ClubClick Here if you're interested in a good, inexpensive website host.

   Food for Thought: The Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.