Finishing With WB Laquer

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William Young

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Jul 8, 2004
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Wynndel, British Columbia, Canada.
I got a few emails and also some requests on the forum about my method of applying the WB laquer and I have been busy with other things so I decided to answer as a new topic rather than look for the requests under other topics..
Before I start, this is only my way and certainly not to be thought of as the only way. It is simply the way that works best for me so far and even that is subject to change. If anyone has a system they feel is better, I'm all ears and always eager to learn. I also tried the dipping method and that just wasnt for me I didn't like the build up of product on the inside of the tubes.
With that said,

I tried the wipe on method with both a rag and paper towel. Both left traces of lint on the finish. Then I tried a small foam brush and that eliminated the lint problem but the finish dries so fast when applying it that there is no way of going back to correct a part that doesnt look right without making it worse. So I tried various dilutions of it with water and that gave me a little more open time but reduced the solids content in the product enough that I didn't get the gloss that I wanted because the product is designed for sparayer use undiluted right out of the can.

So I tried the spraying method. That took a bit of experimenting but I now have it to where I am comfortable with it and can do it repeatedly with identical reults. But this brings up another point. My HVLP gun may not work exactly the same as yours due to brand name and atomization pattern etc ,. So after some experimenting, I found for my particular spraying with the product at full strengh that 7 to 10 psi setting works best
I found that spraying the pieces touching each other is not a good idea especially when using a custom wood center band because when it is dried and pulled apart it will leave a distorted edge . So now, I put the first half of the pen on a 3/16" piece of dowel which is tightened into my morse taper lathe chuck , followed by my wood centre ring and then the other half. I leave about 1/2" space between the three pieces. I spray the piece from one end to the other in one straight motion while turning the hand wheel. That is like, sweep tur a little, sweep , turn a little etc. It genearlly takes 4 to 5 one sweep applications to come full circle. This part takes a little practice but becomes second nature after getting it down pat. There needs to be enough of a "wet" coat to entirely cover the pieces and when to know how much is too much or too little. But if it starts showing slightly white, then that is perfect and dont give it any more. Then I constantly turn the hand wheel slowly back and forth without stopping for at least a minute so as to prevent any runs. The product is extremely self levelling if you keep it moving for a while. Very soon what looked a little blushed white will become crystal clear. Do NOT turn the lathe on to try to level it. DAMHIKT.
So with that first application, I stop the back and forth rotation as soon as I feel that no runs will happen. Practice will tell you just when that is. Then I go about doing other shop work. Any time after one half hour, the pen pieces are sandable dry. I examine them carefully and if there are any tiny dust nibs , I sand them off and apply a second coat in the same manner. Often, I am able to apply the second coat without any sanding at all . The product has 100% burn in between coats so very tiny imperfections will fill in nicely with the next coat. The jury is still out whether a third coat is necessary at all. Two coats of full strength gives probably equal film thickness of four or more watered down applications. I've tried it both ways and I prefer only two coats but if there happens to be a minor imperfection that I'm not happy with , I'll go for three.
Keep in mind that two coats of this sprayed on finish yeilds a film thickness of probably well over a dozen applications of friction poilish finish which leaves a nice shine but is mostly rubbed off by the nature of its application.
Here is another DAMHIKT. Even though the finish looks great and you are anxious to make it even better by applying a wax or shine product of your choice within 12 hours , , , dont do it. You will slow down the "curing " of the laquer. Give it a couple days to cure if you have the time or at very least 24 hours. I have ordered a basic buffing system that I will be anxious to try when it arrives. I'll have some finished and cured pen pieces set aside while I'm waiting for its arrival.
I had a laquer finished pen in my pocket that I did several weeks ago and while I was demonstrating and selling some at the fair this past weekend I purposly dropped that pen on the table and/or floor at least 20 times as a demonstartion of my finish. That sold a few pens for me and it still looks like the day I finished it. I cautioned onlookers to never treat a pen that way but it was just a demonstration for an accidental drop.
Sorry for the long winded explanation but some things cannot be described in one sentence. I hope this is of some help to some pen turners . I am just a rookie pen turner but I do have some experience in several other forms ow wooworking and the knowlege of one often spills over into another although the application techniques can vary somewhat.

If anyone else has something to add to this, please do so. We all learn from other peoples experiences.
W.Y.
 
G

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JUst for s&g's I tried a laquer finish on the walnut pen in the center

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<br /> 36.41&nbsp;KB

I used Deft aerosol gloss because that was what I had on hand.
3 coats, I did experience a little clouding with no ill effects.
My purpose for including this is that after the third coat and 12 hrs drying time I put them back on the mandrel and MM'd starting with the 2nd micromesh and went all the way through to #9
Carnauba guitar wax and buffed with a buffing wheel on an electric drill while the lathe was spinning.
Bill have you tried dipping the WB lacquer?
 
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South of Casa Grande, AZ, USA.
Your spraying method sounds great Bill, but, for some of us without the availability of a sprayer it is moot. I purchased a quart of the stuff and will try to get it on the way you suggested before by thinning a little with water and wiping it on with the foam brush. Hopefully that will work.
 

William Young

Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2004
Messages
447
Location
Wynndel, British Columbia, Canada.
Looks good. I am anxious to see how mine turn out when I get my buffing system that is in the mail. Any that you have seen of mine are shown just after the laquer was applied without all the extra steps that you did on that one.

Yes, dipping was one of the methods I tried. I know it works for some but it just wasn't for me. I tried full strength and and diluted by half . I didn't like the buildup inside the tubes but more than that, I didn't like the dreaded blob that forms on the ends even when swinging and twirling it around and whatever other contortions I tried. . I find it much easier to just sit at the lathe and rock the hand wheel back and forth for a minute after applying a generous self levelling wet coat. Being on a dowel like that rather than a mandrel, it doesn't tie up the lathe from turning the next one. I simply pop the chuck out complete with the dowel and pen parts and set it aside across a couple sticks and put the mandrel back in for turning another one..
If they are dipped and the finish is inside as well as outside, then I am wondering how the people that use that method are following up with putting the parts back on the mandrel for buffing or are they buffing the pieces by holding them one at a time against a spinning buffing wheel and possibly not returning them to the lathe at all. Hopefully someone that uses the dipping method will elaborate on how they do it.

W.Y.
 
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