Replies

1. 
   Rich14 | Dec 12, 2007 04:29am | #1

   Joel,

   Lacquer doesn't "harden." It dries by evaporation of its solvents. There is nothing you can do to "accelerate" any hardening process.

   You need to keep wiping with a lacquer solvent/thinner until you have no gummy residue left, or until you can use sanding to remove the last traces..... It may take a lot of solvent. Make sure you work in a ventilated place.

   There is no such thing as "sealing up" any kind of soft finish by an over-coat. You must mechanically remove every trace of the bad stuff before you can be confident that any kind of finish will be not eventually lift.

   Rich

   
   

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   Edited 12/11/2007 8:35 pm ET by Rich14

2. 
   BilljustBill | Dec 12, 2007 11:39pm | #2

   I've used Deft for 25 years and never had a problem with it drying...

   However, I did buy it from Home Depot's " $5.00 OOPS" paint when someone returned the gallon of satin finish Deft....  and the sorry @#$%^&&* had poured something else in it.  Being that Deftane is almost amber-clear in color until it drys, I didn't realize the contamination until 20 doors had their first coat...  Never knew what was in the bottom of the can, but the way it was a darker clear liquid, no telling....

   This happened in the mid summer months.  With heat and direct sun, it took almost 2 weeks for the top coat to harden/dry.  The solid, raised panel Oak doors had an oil stain, so I figured I couldn't be any worse off if I tried recoating with "Real" Defthane.  It worked and I kept going with a full 3 coats. 

   With the cold and wet weather of this year's Winter, I wish the best to you.  Using an area of the project, maybe some direct heat from several sessions with your wife's hair dryer on it's highest air and heat mode might give you an idea or two.

     Bill

1. 
   joellubell | Dec 13, 2007 02:38am | #3

   this is what deft said, he is right it was a stripped door:

   Joel, no it is not because of age. Lacquer is a solely evaporative finish. That is when the solvents evaporate the finish is dry, no chemical reaction to take place. I would guess that this is either a refinish or it is going over something incompatible. Recoating will not solve the problem; the problem is coming from whatever is underneath the Clearwood Finish. When this finish becomes old (5+ years) the only thing that occurs is that the product turns yellow in the can but still dries. You will probably need to remove the Deft and wipe the wood down well with acetone before reapplying the lacquer. If you have used a stripper on this piece previously it could even be residual paraffin that is contained in most strippers. This can cause a prolonged dry. Whenever you see this type of dry problem with lacquer you can bet the farm that you have run into a compatibility issue.    Dave BeadnellLab TechnicianDeft Inc.

1. 
   BilljustBill | Dec 13, 2007 05:16am | #4

     Joe,  maybe you could forward this message to Dave at Deft?

    

      Dave,

     Seeing your reply and company title, I had to send you this.

     I love Deft.  From 1971-1980 I taught Middle School Woodworking.  With classes coming in every hour, and less when Texas went on the "Quarter System", Deft was the greatest finish for young woodworkers as well as old guys like me. 

     More than 35 years have passed, and since my retirement from Texas Public Schools, I hunt tools, collectibles, and bargains, and meet my old students that I see attending or hosting those garage sales.  I've seen my young Middle School students that have grown into adults as my first year's classes are now turning 50 years old.  While attending local Estate and Garage sales, I've also seen and found some of those original projects we made and the Deft finish still looks good.

      Tell the folks at your company to keep up the good work and that I'm still buying and using Deft.  Here is a Walnut Writing Secretary I built and my scratch-built Grandfather's Clock I built in 1976.  I used a wiping oil, and after drying both were given the three coat process used every time with Deft. 

      Bill

   Edited 12/12/2007 9:28 pm ET by BilljustBill

   Edited 12/12/2007 9:38 pm ET by BilljustBill

   Edited 12/12/2007 9:41 pm ET by BilljustBill