Sanding Sealers and Lacquer

TexasTimbers · January 27, 2007, 03:00:53 PM

I just sprayed some lacquer on this test piece and don't like the results a bit. It sucks it up pronto.

Can I hit it with a clear sanding sealer and shoot lacquer over that, or is their a certain kind of sealer that lacquer bonds to best?

pigman · January 27, 2007, 03:09:40 PM

I am finishing challenged, but I do know that with lacquer it will take two or three coats for it to look right. Spray on another two coats and see if the results are what you want.

Bob

TexasTimbers · January 27, 2007, 03:16:44 PM

second coat looks better but you can tell its just gonna suck up more and more - once this stuff dries and it air dries quick almost like ERC, it's more porous than what I would have expected.
Need some kinda sealer and all my cans are ruined from having froze . . . . more than once :

beenthere · January 27, 2007, 03:56:29 PM

I'd sand flat between coats, so's to not get heavy build-up in the areas that didn't soak in on the first couple coats. Easiest to do between coats after drying. Normal for me to have the first couple coats soak into the wood in some areas. Looks better after 3-4 coats.

Larry · January 27, 2007, 05:42:19 PM

One variety of sanding sealer is normally just thinned lacquer with extra stuff to make it easier to sand. So...sand what ya got and shoot nother couple of coats and it will even out.

If I was finishing that beautiful chunk of wood with lacquer I would have started with BLO to pop the figure, coat or two of 2 lb shellac, followed by lacquer.

Like Bob, I'm finishing challenged. Have to learn from my mistakes...and one thing I have learned is to try it on scrap first.

pigman · January 27, 2007, 06:35:18 PM

QuoteI would have started with BLO to pop the figure,

Larry, if that figure was brought out any more it would really be wild. ;D

Bob

TexasTimbers · January 27, 2007, 06:42:10 PM

I have to get one of my Bob Flexner books dug out and start learnin myself about this finishing stuff because I didn't know it was kosher to mix shellac and lacquer.
Maybe I ought to just run the board through the planer and start over.
Before i left the shop I hit it with a 4th coat. Light hand sanding between the 3rd and 4th. It was looking pretty good. But I always forget about the "chatoyance" factor.
ya think I need a sealer after the linseed? Seems like that might provide a seal in itself. ???

4woody · January 27, 2007, 07:06:29 PM

did you mean linseed oil i dint think you coud use it with lacqer i use polyurethane i mix it 1\3 linseed 1\3 poly 1\3 thiner an it realy is bright

TexasTimbers · January 27, 2007, 07:18:44 PM

yeah woody i have done that too (in fact I mentioned it in the ERC thread I think) Larry is saying pop the grain with the boiled linseed oil, let it set a day or two prolly what he meant, then a coat or two of shellac and then cover it with the lacquer. i should not have used the word "mix" in this case I meant I didn't know it was okay to "cover" shellac with lacquer but evidently it is hunky dori.

4woody · January 27, 2007, 07:31:53 PM

how did you like the finish when you did the three part mix dose it look good on erc it dose look good on oak

Larry · January 27, 2007, 07:35:01 PM

Maybe I didn't phrase that quite right, Bob. :D

kevjay, you might be right about skipping the sealer after using linseed...never have tried it with lacquer. I use a Waterlox orginal high gloss a lot directly over linseed...but I have to let the linseed dry for a few days first.

4woody, your finish is my favorite...but it is quite labor intensive. Wipe it on and then wipe it off 4 or 5 times as it bleeds back out of the grain. Do it three times and your done. :

TexasTimbers · January 27, 2007, 07:39:49 PM

look sgreat on erc!

pigman · January 27, 2007, 07:56:57 PM

I have used lacquer over cured BLO. I am usually in too much hurry to wait for the BLO to cure. :

Bob

SwampDonkey · January 27, 2007, 08:12:43 PM

Mummify it in two-in-one epoxy. ;D

Just Kidding. ;)

The only thing I use linseed on would be bowls and I've not used lacquer or varnish on any of my stuff, although it's (varnish) all over these cedar walls. The varnish yellows a lot.

Not really any help here, but...

The Verathane I used on my projects this winter, didn't change the color, other than it looks like it would if I soaked the wood in water. It's not suppose to yellow, time will tell.

metalspinner · January 28, 2007, 10:08:01 AM

Quotedidn't know it was kosher to mix shellac and lacquer.

Shellac is the best "intermediate" finish you can use. It sticks to just about anything, so you can use it in between incompatible finishes.

kevjay,
I wonder if a water based pore filler would build up quicker than several coats of lacquer? It dry's so quick that it won't keep soaking down. Just a guess...

Chris

turningfool · April 13, 2007, 10:10:31 PM

neither a sealer or laquer,but for drying and preserving its color without checking,use pentacryl..this stuffs amazing..havent lost one single turned piece to checking since i statrted using it 8)

pasbuild · April 14, 2007, 03:02:07 AM

We use a vinyl sealer on porous woods before laquer at the shop

TexasTimbers · April 14, 2007, 08:41:09 AM

I still haven't ordered any of that stuff Tom but I am going to need some soon. Do you have a preferred supplier?

Pasbuild I will try and educate myself on vinyl sealers. Know nothing zbout them.

getoverit · April 14, 2007, 10:12:08 AM

You can always use some 5 minute epoxy ( the clear kind), thinned with lacquer thinner to a 50/50 and spread out with an old credit card until smooth. Give it a day to dry even though it is a 5 minute epoxy and then sand it smooth with some 600 or 800 grit wet/dry sand paper before you spray another coat of lacquer. It wont take much epoxy as all you are doing is sealing the pores of the wood.

turningfool · April 16, 2007, 05:15:02 AM

woodcraft/stores..there are several in texas but really dont know how close to you..you wont be dissapointed,any new projects in the making for you?

scsmith42 · April 16, 2007, 10:23:03 AM

Kevin, I am no expert, but I recently got some advice from a local woodworking club for some picture frames that I made from Spalted Oak.

The overall consensus was to use Danish Oil first (soaks into the wood and seals it), followed by a top coating of paste wax, shellac, lacquer, etc.

The frames came out really nice after 3-4 coats of the oil.

Another tip that I received was to wet-sand the first coat of danish oil with automotive 400 grit sandpaper - using the danish oil as the lubricant. What an incredible difference this made in the finish quality! When you look at the frames, in some places it's hard to tell that they are not some type of laminate - they are that smooth.

Scott

Don P · April 16, 2007, 11:29:40 AM

We've been doing red oak trim recently kind of similar to that. Two coats of Watco and then 1 coat of Waterlox. We'll rub down and put on one more wipe of Waterlox in place. The timbers are multiple coats of just danish, we wanted the trims to be a little easier to clean. The waterlox does look better to my eye with the danish under it than just straight. That's where you're getting into personal preference though.

This was last week, its hard to take a pic of window trim, the lights all wrong :-\

I think the trouble is when you mix sanding sealers and poly, or stearates, silicones or waxes and poly. We sure were enjoying the spray on silicone on our router bases one day at the furniture shop till the finishing room got back to us :-[ :D

solodan · April 16, 2007, 12:13:32 PM

oil, de-waxed shellac,sand 320,wipe on poly,sand to 600 between coats and cut with mineral oil/ mineral spirits at 50/50. Briwax, and buff to desired sheen. Skip the poly if you don't need the hardness.

Disclaimer: I have no clue how this works, but I will find out in a few days. ;D