Hi,
I am a newbie to using lacquer finishes. While reading a couple of threads in Knots about lacquering I saw comments about sealing the wood. Naturally, this was news to me! I have a jewel chest project made of poplar, and colored it with about 8 coats of india ink. I want as matte a finish as possible. My first box was identical and I just used lacquer right out of the can. It came off ok, since it was my first item. But, I am seeking to improve my skills and the final results.
First, is sealing a required step? Since I have colored it already thus after the fact, but is this (usually) done before or after the coloring?
Second, what exactly is “rubbing out a finish”?
Trust you dont mind the elementary questions!
Richard
Replies
What, exactly, kind of lacquer are you using. There is a wide variance among different finishes lumped under the lacquer name and different ones have different requirements. But the makers of lacquer have meaningful technical data sheets which can usually be found on-line. These NEED to be read and followed. Some are dramatically improved with particular sealers while a great many can be self sealed. You can't tell which is which without a program.
Lacquer isn't usually a "newbie" finish because of the requirements for breathing protection, ventilation and explosion proofing that are required to use the product except under the shade tree in clement weather. (Unless you are talking about one of the consumer grade brushing lacquers such as Deft, Watco and a few others.)
Rubbing out is the process of using progressively finer grits of sandpaper and other abrasives to remove any surface defects in the finish and to achieve the desired sheen.
Hello Steve,
Thanks for the info. I am using Watco satin brush on lacquer. The threshold for using this product is pretty low. Of course, brushing on lacquer is an acquired skill too.
I will check out Watco on line. Thanks,
R
Unfortunately you won't find a TDS for the Watco lacquer. But it's pretty much a plain vanilla nitrocellulose lacquer with retarding solvents to allow it to be brushed. It is it's own best sealer I'd be pretty sure. Be careful in putting it over oil based stains at the like since the solvents in any lacquer are pretty strong and can lift other materials especially if not well cured. Test on a sample before coimmitting to the project itself. The mechanical action of brushing can accentuate such problems.
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