On 4/21/2012 3:02 PM, gary may wrote:
> Hi Don---
>    Sounds like fun, where do you start?
>   ----I haven't done it, by my Dad and Grandfather did, brush lacquer, and
they had a brushing solution that took a pretty long time to dry---it worked
pretty much like shellac.
>    The main problem was dust getting on, bugs landing on, little gam 'testing'
for dry, the usual varnish probs.
>    I know industrial spraypainters who use slow thinners---I'm sure there's a
way to make the stuff as slow as you'd like it to be.  I *do* like lacquer,
properly done, but I've been anti-lacquer for so long on account of contemporary
guys and their work. They use stuff that dries almost instantly, often before it
arrives at the target. Modern commercial lacquered cabinets looks pretty bad
generally, and just OK at best, IMHO.
>    Stuff my Grandfather did 70 and 80 years ago looks great today. He used 
paste floor wax on top, btw.
>                   keep in touch---gam in OlyWA
>
>
> If you were Einstein's father, we wouldn't have the bomb." Peggy Hill
>
>
> --- On Sat, 4/21/12, Don Schwartz<dkschwar@t...>  wrote:
>
>   Norm
>> Sounds like lacquer alright. I haven't used the Deft product
>> but it
>> should do you fine. The main thing with lacquer (apart from
>> excellent
>> ventilation and no fires burning) is you have to be quick,
>> then leave it
>> alone to dry. Follow mfr's instructions, especially where it
>> says 'light
>> coats'. Practice somewhere it doesn't matter. Find out how
>> much you need
>> to thin it in order to keep it under control. Bonus with
>> lacquer is if
>> you mess up, it comes back off easily! FWIW
>> Don
>>
>>
I see the Deft products are available at LV, and would take that as a 
product endorsement, considering their generous returns policy. Given 
the choice, I would choose the gloss product, and rub down my final coat 
to the desired gleam. Then maybe wax.

I have used the Minwax product line. I've never bothered with the 
sanding sealer, as I hate sanding ;-). There might be times when you 
want it, but I haven't run into that. I prefer to multicoat the same 
product instead. As with shellac, you have to learn to move quickly and 
confidently with a brush more or less full of the stuff. I takes some 
practice. Use your best brush, no foamies! Stir, don't shake the can. I 
use generic lacquer thinner, never straight acetone, if I wish to thin it.

They say you don't have to sand between coats which is true. Except if 
you get dust nibs, hair, brush or critter tracks, etc . After that, wipe 
down with mineral spirits (twice, with clean rags both times!) and wait 
for that to dry before re-coating. Brushing lacquer does dry very 
quickly (at least here in Calgary it does) but I still wait overnight 
before re-coating,  being in no hurry to finish ;-)
Stop re-coating when you think it's had enough.

Don

-- 
I have tried too in my time, to be a philosopher; but I don't know how, 
cheerfulness was always breaking in. - Oliver Edwards
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