pre-cat lacquer sanding and blemish fixing

[Lynn Kasdorf]

I'm making a 4' square coffee table with macassar ebony veneer and a lacquer finish. I'm new to lacquer. I'm spraying Magnalac satin pre-catylized lacquer. So far, I absolutely love it.

The client wants the finish to be smooth to the touch (no ripples from hard to soft wood grain) and matte. Personally, after a few coats of lacquer, I really like that you can feel some texture of the wood- but she wants it to look like formica :cool: (not her words). After the last coat is on, I'll make it matte with some 0000 steel wool, or perhaps extrafine scotchbrite pads.

Questions:
#1 - when I sand between coats, can I leave some of the white lacquer dust in the pores of the wood to help it build up? That is, will these remain white or will they go back to clear when hit with wet lacquer? I guess I should really experiment on a sample in this regard. Thus far, I've been blowing the dust off and wiping with a microfiber tack rag before the next coat.

#2 - I have a few little defects- small divots that didn't become apparent until some finish was laid down and I could see them. I want to fill in these small depressions. Can I lay in some lacquer with an artists brush, sand flush, repeat until I get it built up, then continue on with the rest? I think this is called padding maybe.

Thanks much
Lynn Kasdorf

http://barncattech.com/projects/IMG_9878.JPG
http://barncattech.com/projects/IMG_9879.JPG

[Chris Padilla]

Bob Flexner's Understanding Wood Finishing is another book I'd recommend, Lynn.

Are you going to post pics of this table?! I've been wondering about the project...had hoped to see some progress pics! :D

Are you handy with a scraper? That is a great tool to level built-up finishes like lacquer.

Definately DO NOT leave sanding debris in your finish...it contains sandpaper chunks, too, and you will be most unhappy. You want a VERY CLEAN surface prior to spraying.

I have never done "padding" as you are calling it. Seems like it would be okay but why not just build up the layers and sand/scrape dead flush?

[Lynn Kasdorf]

Chris- thanks for the advice. I've been taking lots of pics and plan to post soon. been under pressure to get the piece finished!
PICS ADDED TO OP

I build a torsion box with 1/2" mdf skins, and a core of 2 layers of honeycomb cardboard. It went very well. My veneer went on perfectly, and I have been very, very picky about patching spliters, glue bleedthroughs, etc. It is coming out really well. I wish the client woudl let me do a nice satin finish tho. I think it looks pretty drab when rubbed out to matte. Fortunately, if they don't like it, I can rub it to a glossier finish with rottenstone (for extra $$$).

regarding the defects, I'm trying to shortcut the build-up process of spray thin coat, sand most of it away, repeat ad-nauseum for these little depressions. I figure I can lay in a considrably thicker layer into the defect with a small brush. I've actually done this now- I'll report back on how well it works.

[Chris Padilla]

Looks delicious, Lynn! Nice job! :D

[Steve Jenkins]

Lynn, I have sprayed a BUNCH of Magnalac over the years and it is a really nice product. filling small defects as you suggested will work fine. I just use a sharp splinter of wood or an awl or anything that will hold a drip of product. After it dries sand it back with a block or scrape it. Don't try ot orbital sand it flat as it will probably sand through around the hump before it goes flat because of the softness of the pad. I generally spray gloss until I get the quality finish I'm looking for then spray one coat of dull or satin. If you're carefull you can end up with a really nice finish right off the gun.

[Phil Phelps]

Lynn, I have sprayed a BUNCH of Magnalac over the years and it is a really nice product. filling small defects as you suggested will work fine. I just use a sharp splinter of wood or an awl or anything that will hold a drip of product. After it dries sand it back with a block or scrape it. Don't try ot orbital sand it flat as it will probably sand through around the hump before it goes flat because of the softness of the pad. I generally spray gloss until I get the quality finish I'm looking for then spray one coat of dull or satin. If you're carefull you can end up with a really nice finish right off the gun.

...I hope he follows your advise, it will save a lot of work. Here is a little trick I've used for many years. From a match book, I pluck a single match and use the paper end as a touch up brush. Works like a charm.

[Lynn Kasdorf]

I thought about using a cabinet scraper earlier, but I had never heard of doing that, so I nixed the idea. I tried it just now, and it works great! Thanks, Chris for the idea. After scraping, the finish that remains is really incredible. My plan is to scrape after every coat, and then some minor scuff sanding on the low spots to help it "catch" the finish.

Basically, I'm going for a "piano" finish- no pores. Will I have a better chance of filling the pores if I thin the lacquer or shoot it straight? I currently do not have it thinned (at the suggestion of a friend with a lot of experience wit magnalac). My spray rig is a cheap-o campbell Hausfeld HVLP. I happened into 2 of these units for essentially free. It works remarkably well.

For the duration of this finishing process, I'm just leaving it in the gun (again, at the suggestion of my friend) and it is not gumming up, to my amazement. I never tried lacquer before because I was not keen on constantly having to clean the gun- but I guess you don't have to! I have another high-end ww pal who also keeps it in his gun, but he thins it.

[Chris Padilla]

...I hope he follows your advise, it will save a lot of work. Here is a little trick I've used for many years. From a match book, I pluck a single match and use the paper end as a touch up brush. Works like a charm.

Nice...I'll have to remember that one...not sure I've had a book of matches in many years but now I gotta keep an eye out for one! :D

[Phil Phelps]

Well, my uncle ordered ten thousand of 'em back in the 60's. To my amazement, and twenty two years a reformed smoker, I don't have any either. But they are the neatest little brushes you'll ever use.
And not to steal your thread, Lynn, but I think I'd thin the lacquer. I usually reduce it by 50%.

[Howard Acheson]

>> I'm going for a "piano" finish- no pores.

You might want to get the current issue of Fine Woodworking (#206). It has an excellent article on getting a high gloss finish.

For the future, using a sanding sealer for the first coat will generally fill small defects. You will have to spray less coats to get a flat, smooth finish.

[Chris Padilla]

>> I'm going for a "piano" finish- no pores.

You might want to get the current issue of Fine Woodworking (#206). It has an excellent article on getting a high gloss finish.

For the future, using a sanding sealer for the first coat will generally fill small defects. You will have to spray less coats to get a flat, smooth finish.

I logged in and wanted to post just this for Lynn. It is on page 55 and called:

"High-Gloss Finish Made Siimple"

I think you could still follow it...just using lacquer all the way. Technically, the first coat of any finish could be considered a seal coat....